Toilet keeps running after flushing
A running toilet wastes serious water. The fix is usually a £10 part and no plumber.
What it actually means
Water trickling into the bowl long after a flush means the flush valve seal is letting water through, or the fill valve is not shutting off and the overflow is doing its job.
Either way it is one of the two cheap plastic parts inside the cistern, and on a water meter it is costing you real money every day.
Try this first, before you spend a penny
- 1
Take the cistern lid off and look
If water is flowing in and out constantly, watch whether the float rises fully. A float set too high keeps the valve open.
- 2
Adjust the float
Most fill valves have a screw or clip to lower the water line. Set it below the overflow pipe.
- 3
Check the flush valve seal
Food colouring in the cistern: if colour appears in the bowl without flushing, the seal leaks and wants replacing. The part costs about £10.
When it is a pro job
If a new seal or fill valve does not cure it, or the cistern is an awkward concealed unit behind tiling, hand it to a plumber before you break something expensive.
Plumber
Typical UK range for a plumber to replace cistern internals, parts included. DIY parts cost £10 to £25.
£60 to £150
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