What makes a toilet drip

To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. A toilet that leaks or runs is an easy homeowner fix—if you know how to diagnose the trouble. ID parts and problems with this handy guide, and hit the hardware store with confidence. Replaces water in bowl after flush. If toilet runs intermittently, check that tube's end is above water level in tank.

If toilet runs intermittently, ball cock could be faulty and may need to be replaced. When it comes time to retire an old ball-cock flush mechanism, the all-in-one plastic replacements stocked by home centers make for an easy fix. Float-cup mechanisms go in quickly and adjust easily for simple repairs. Opens flapper at beginning of flush.

If toilet runs constantly, check that chain isn't too short or long, thus interfering with flapper closing. Prevents tank from overflowing. If tank water is constantly draining into tube, bend arm of float ball down slightly or lower float cup on replacement fill-valve assembly.

Loose or worn out seal at the base. Loose or worn out tank-to-bowl connections. The tank and bowl in two-piece toilets are bound together by a collection of gaskets, nuts and bolts. If any of these parts come loose, a leak can develop at that area in the toilet.

Misadjusted flush valve assembly. All of the things we mentioned above will cause a leak on the exterior of the toilet. If the leak is in the interior of your toilet your toilet runs constantly or makes a dripping noise there could be a problem with its flush valve assembly.

Often times this will cause water to enter the overflow valve and continuously fill up in your tank. Worn out flapper. Another common cause of an internal toilet leak is a worn out flapper. A dripping sound in a toilet tank is a sign of wasted water, which means a higher water bill. This sound also indicates a minor repair is in order, such as realigning the fill tube or replacing the flapper, both which you can do yourself at little cost.

The fill tube -- a flexible hose that leads into the vertical overflow valve in the tank -- may siphon water if the end of the tube reaches too far down into the overflow valve.