You use your toilets every day, so when one acts up it is hard to ignore. Some problems are simple enough to fix yourself in a few minutes. Others are signs of something bigger that only gets worse if you wait. Here is a practical look at the most common toilet problems, what causes them and when to call.
A toilet that keeps running
A running toilet can waste a surprising amount of water every day. The usual causes are a worn or warped flapper that no longer seals, a float set too high so water spills into the overflow tube, or a fill valve that won't shut off. Our moderately hard water also coats parts inside the tank with minerals, which keeps them from sealing.
Replacing the flapper is an easy, inexpensive DIY fix. If the toilet keeps running after that, the fill valve or the flush valve seat probably needs replacing.
Phantom flushing
If the toilet refills by itself when nobody has flushed it, water is leaking from the tank into the bowl. It is almost always the flapper. To confirm, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper is leaking. If a new flapper doesn't stop it, the flush valve seat may be worn and need replacing too.
A weak or incomplete flush
When a toilet struggles to clear the bowl, mineral deposits are often clogging the small holes under the rim. A shutoff valve that isn't fully open, or a flapper that closes too fast, can also weaken the flush. Early low-flow toilets from the 1990s are known for this. Cleaning the rim holes with a small brush and a descaler sometimes helps, but a toilet that never flushes well may simply be past its useful life.
A toilet that clogs often
An occasional clog is normal. Weekly clogs are not. Frequent clogs usually point to a partial blockage in the toilet trap or drain that never fully clears, roots in an older sewer line, a low-flow model without enough flush, or wipes building up, including ones labeled flushable.
If a plunger doesn't clear it after a couple of tries, or several drains in the house are slow at once, the problem is likely in the drain line and needs Drain Cleaning, not more plunging.
Rocking toilets and leaks at the base
A toilet that shifts when you sit on it breaks the wax seal underneath, letting water and sewer gas escape under the floor. Sometimes tightening the floor bolts is enough. If it has rocked for a while, the subfloor may already be soft from water damage, especially under tile over wood. That shouldn't wait.
Water pooling around the base after flushing almost always means the wax ring has failed. Fixing it means pulling the toilet, cleaning off the old seal, setting a new one and resetting the toilet. If the floor flange is cracked or corroded, that gets repaired at the same time. For most people this is a job for a plumber.
Frozen supply lines in winter
A toilet in an unheated addition, a garage bathroom or on a cold outside wall can lose its water supply when the line freezes. If the line cracks, you can get a slow leak or a burst when it thaws. Never thaw a pipe with an open flame. The lasting fix is sealing the drafts that reach the pipe and keeping water lines off outside walls.
When to call us
Call a plumber for water at the base after flushing, a toilet that rocks, clogs a plunger can't clear, several slow drains at once, gurgling when other fixtures drain, anything involving the flange, drain or supply line, and frozen or burst supply lines.
Our Toilet Repair work covers all of it, from a new fill valve to a full replacement. There is no service fee, you get a flat-rate written estimate first, and every repair carries at least a 1-year warranty. We serve Des Plaines and the surrounding suburbs 24/7. Call (224) 567-2501.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my toilet keep running?
Most often a worn flapper that no longer seals. A float set too high or a fill valve that won't shut off are the other common causes.
How do I know if my toilet flapper is leaking?
Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper is leaking.
Is water around the base of a toilet serious?
Yes. It usually means the wax seal has failed, and water can soak the subfloor. The toilet needs to be pulled and reset with a new seal.
Why does my toilet clog so often?
Usually a partial blockage in the trap or drain line, roots in an older sewer, a weak low-flow toilet, or wipes building up. If plunging doesn't fix it, the drain line needs cleaning.