Running toilets waste water. The fact is, running toilets are a common issue for our residential customers. However, with Southern Nevada in unprecedented drought conditions, the wasted water needs to be reduced. It’s crucial now, more than ever that we come together as a community and conserve as much water as possible.
Toilet Is Running Only at Night
It’s possible your toilet only leaks at night; that’s because we use much less water during these hours and in many municipal water systems, the water pressure rises considerably during this time. It is not uncommon for system water pressure to rise by 15 to 20 pounds per square inch (psi), and by as much as 30 psi in some situations.
Parts of a Toilet
Above the ground, our toilets only have a few parts that residents interact with. These are: the bowl, tank, float, flapper and supply line. When dealing with leaking toilets, we often see the float and flapper as the culprit. We’re going to focus on the flapper for the rest of this article.
The Flapper
This is the flush valve seal and serves to control the volume of water passing from the tank to the bowl during the flush cycle. It mates with the seat on the flush valve to complete the seal and prevent water leaking from the tank into the bowl. Almost all flappers are shaped, in part, like a “flying saucer,” that is, slight “dome” on top, flat like a “pancake” in the center and then (not like a flying saucer) a “funnel” or “bulb” shape on the bottom.
To stop a leaking toilet, start with the flapper as it usually solves the problem. While you have to get -your hands a little dirty, replacing the flap will help conserve water and save money in the long run.
If you need any additional help, please call Superior Plumbing & Drain at (702) 478-9643.