Toilet Keeps Running? 5 Fixes for Friendswood Homeowners

A toilet that will not stop running is the single most common plumbing complaint in Friendswood homes. A continuously-running toilet uses roughly 200 gallons per hour, enough to add $90 to $140 to your city water bill monthly. The good news: 95% of running-toilet problems are one of five specific fixes.

Fix 1: Replace the Flapper ($10, 15 minutes)

The rubber flapper at the bottom of the tank is the single most common failure point. In Friendswood's hard water, flapper rubber hardens, cracks, or warps within 3 to 5 years.

How to confirm: add food coloring to the tank water. Wait 20 minutes without flushing. If colored water appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking.

Fix: turn off the angle stop beneath the toilet. Flush to empty the tank. Unhook the chain and flapper. Install a universal replacement ($10 to $15).

Fix 2: Replace the Fill Valve ($25, 20 minutes)

The fill valve controls how much water refills the tank after a flush. When it fails, water overflows down the overflow tube.

Fix: Fluidmaster 400A universal fill valve ($25). Turn off water, flush tank, disconnect old valve, install new one.

Fix 3: Adjust the Chain Length (Free, 5 minutes)

If the chain is too long, it can get caught under the flapper. Too short, and the flapper does not seal fully. Adjust so there is 1/2 inch of slack when fully closed.

Fix 4: Clean or Replace the Flush Valve Seat ($15 to $55)

In hard water, mineral deposits build up on the seat edge, preventing a good flapper seal. Scrub with a Scotch-Brite pad or install a flush-valve seat kit.

Fix 5: Full Toilet Replacement ($349 to $850 installed)

If your toilet is 20+ years old and you have replaced the flapper and fill valve more than once in the past 5 years, the entire fixture is likely past its service life.