Is your toilet trickling? Banish that annoying sound forever

A trickling toilet is definitely no fun. In fact, the sound is downright maddening. So here are a few tips to get things under control in your bathroom.

A trickling toilet makes a constant running water sound that will drive you to madness within a day. But not only is it annoying, it can also increase your water bill.

• When your toilet is misbehaving, you can call in your plumber, who will be able to quickly solve the problem.
• You could also try to repair it yourself, as long as you are familiar with the basic workings of a toilet.

When you flush a toilet, the flush valve at the bottom of the tank opens to let water pass into the bowl.

• After a few seconds, this valve returns to its original position, allowing the reservoir to refill from the house’s main water supply.
• A float, situated towards the top of the tank, indicates when the water level is at the required level by rising with the water.
• An overflow tube returns excess water in the tank to the bowl.

• Is the flush valve centred on its base?
• Is the filler valve closing completely once the tank has filled up?
• Are the suction valve and the valve at the bottom of the tank in good working order? If the water level doesn’t rise high enough, the filler valve won’t close and water will continually run into the bowl.
• Are the components of the toilet covered in lime scale?

• Reposition the flush valve, if it has been displaced.
• Clean the joint of the filler valve, if it is dirty. If it is broken you will have to replace it.
• Fine-tune the float’s adjustment screw, if the float is no longer at the right level.
• If the problem stems from the flush valve at the bottom of the tank, clean or replace the flapper, or stopper ball, which is probably dirty or broken.

• A leaking toilet can sometimes be caused by the float rod, which bends when it comes into contact with the inside of the tank. This will have to be bent back into its original shape.
• Lastly, if all your efforts are fruitless, you may have to replace the float system or the flushing mechanism. In this case, it is definitely best to call in a plumber.

If you try to repair a leaking toilet yourself, be sure to do it when plumbing retailers and hardware stores are open. That way you won’t have to improvise a toilet until the next day!

What’s more, if you have to replace a piece, take it to the store to ensure that you purchase the proper replacement piece – and remember that when cleaning is required, vinegar is a great eco-friendly and inexpensive solution.