Ask House Spouse · Plumbing · Faucets, Toilets & Fixtures
How do I stop a toilet that keeps running?
Short answer
A toilet that keeps refilling every few minutes has a leaky flapper 90% of the time. Drop food coloring in the tank, wait 15 minutes, and check the bowl — if the color shows up in the bowl without flushing, replace the flapper. It's a $8 part and a 10-minute fix.
The dye test
Take the tank lid off (set it on a towel, they crack). Drop 6–8 drops of food coloring in the tank. Do not flush. Wait 15 minutes. Color in the bowl means the flapper is passing water. This test costs nothing and catches the biggest silent water bill leak in a house.
Flapper vs. fill valve
If the toilet only runs briefly right after a flush, the fill valve is the problem. If it runs on and off with no flush, the flapper is the problem. Both are universal-fit parts at any hardware store; skip the OEM version unless you have a low-flow specialty toilet.
Water saved
A silent flapper leak wastes 100–200 gallons per day — $15–$30 a month on a Seattle-area water bill. Fixing three toilets in an assessment pays for the assessment itself.
What we see on Home Health Assessments
Based on real experience across Snohomish and King County, plumbing issues like this are among the ones homeowners most often miss until they become expensive. Our Home Health Assessment catches them early — while they're still a maintenance item, not a repair.
How the Home Health Assessment worksServices we'd bring to this job
Related questions
Plumbing · Leaks & Water Damage
How do I find a hidden water leak in my house?
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch the small red "leak indicator" dial on your water meter for 10–15 minutes. If it moves, you have flow somewhere with everything off — that's a leak. Isolate by shutting off the main to the house and the water heater; the meter tells you if it's on the incoming side or inside.
Plumbing · Water Heaters
Why do I run out of hot water so fast, and can it be fixed?
In tank water heaters the top reason is a failed lower heating element (electric) or a burned-out dip tube (any fuel type). Both are cheap fixes if the tank is under 8 years old. If it's older than 8, spend the money on a right-sized replacement instead — you'll fix the symptom and buy back another decade.