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Drain Pros TNWoman-owned · TN LLP #5045

Common problem · TN LLP #5045

Toilet That Keeps Running

Water cycling in the tank long after the flush.

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Quick answer

Not an emergency, but it is quietly expensive. A toilet that runs continuously can waste hundreds of gallons a day, and it is almost always a cheap part inside the tank.

A running toilet is the most common plumbing fault there is and one of the least urgent, which is exactly why people live with it for months. The waste adds up on the water bill far faster than most people expect.

How you know this is it

  • Water still cycling in the tank long after the flush
  • A hiss or trickle from the toilet with nobody near it
  • Having to jiggle the handle to make it stop
  • A water bill creeping up with no change in use
  • Visible water running down the inside of the bowl

What usually causes it

  • A worn flapper no longer sealing, which is the usual answer
  • A fill valve that does not shut off properly
  • A float set too high, sending water down the overflow tube
  • A chain too short or too long, holding the flapper open
  • Scale from hard water on the flapper seat, common around here

Common questions

Toilet That Keeps Running: your questions answered

How much water does it actually waste?
A continuously running toilet can waste in the hundreds of gallons a day. It is one of the few repairs that regularly pays for itself on the next bill.
Should I just replace the toilet?
Usually not. The mechanism inside the tank is the part that wears, and replacing it is a fraction of a new fixture. If the toilet is cracked or very old, that is a different conversation.
Can you do it in the same visit as something else?
Yes, and that is usually the sensible way to handle it. If we are already out for a drain or a heater, small fixture work while we are there costs you a lot less than a separate trip.
Will I know the price before you start?
Yes. You get one number to approve before any work begins, and it holds once the job starts. This market has a documented habit of quotes climbing mid-job; we built the opposite habit deliberately.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber #5045, issued by the state Board for Licensing Contractors and verifiable at verify.tn.gov. Across eighteen local competitors, not one publishes their number.

Related problems

Dripping Outdoor Faucet

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TN Limited Licensed Plumber · #5045 · verify at verify.tn.gov

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