{"id":3168,"date":"2021-03-29T10:11:51","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T04:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bestflushingtoilet.org\/?page_id=3168"},"modified":"2023-04-26T11:21:56","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T05:21:56","slug":"why-does-my-toilet-randomly-run-for-a-few-seconds","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bestflushingtoilet.org\/why-does-my-toilet-randomly-run-for-a-few-seconds\/","title":{"rendered":"Why does my toilet randomly run for a few seconds?"},"content":{"rendered":"
The toilet is one of the most critical appliances in homes. As a result, you should\u00a0<\/span>fix any toilet issue<\/span><\/a>\u00a0with a lot of seriousness. One of the common questions asked in toilet forums is \u2013 why is my toilet randomly running for a few seconds? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A cracked toilet flapper, A leak in the fill valve, Excess or less water, a Poorly Installed Flapper Chain, and a bad toilet handle are the leading causes of randomly running toilets<\/strong><\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As plumbers call it, a running toilet, or “phantom flush,”<\/strong> is something you should deal with immediately. Not only is the sound irritating when it happens in the middle of the night, but it will also raise your water bill if you don’t correct the problem<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you’re wondering why your toilet is flushing randomly after a few seconds, you’re in the right place. We will give you the answers and let you know what to do to rectify the problem. But before you begin, you need to turn off the water supply line<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Here’s why your toilet may be randomly running in the middle of the night:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the main culprits of a randomly running toilet is a damaged flapper<\/strong>. The flapper’s work is open to allow water to flow from the tank to the bowl when flushed and closed when the process is over to allow refilling. Therefore, if the flapper is outdated, damaged, or improperly seated<\/strong>, it will cause some water leakage from the tank<\/a> to the bowl, leading to a phantom flush.<\/span><\/p>\n Hence, if the water cannot be kept in the tank, the flapper should be the first part that you examine<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The second toilet part to consider is the fill valve. The toilet’s fill valve is responsible for refilling the toilet tank after flushing<\/strong>. As a result, a wrong or damaged fill valve will not close even after water fills to the required level<\/strong>. As a result, the toilet will have a leak that will flow into the toilet and cause random toilet running.<\/span><\/p>\n A faulty fill valve<\/a> is even worse as the water will continue running and raise your water bill. Also, check the float and refill tube to see if it sticks in the right place<\/em>. The refill tube should be placed on top of the overflow tube.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After checking the flapper and fill valve, your next stop should be the flapper chain. A long or short flapper chain can also cause your toilet to flush randomly<\/strong>. The chain may sometimes be caught on one of the toilet parts, making it ineffective in performance.<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, if the chain is short or long, it may affect how the flapper closes and seals the toilet, which will lead to random running.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There’s a reason why toilet manufacturers place a water line inside the toilet tank. For the toilet to work effectively, the tank’s water must be around the waterline. Most toilets require rest 1 or 2 inches below the fill valve. If water is above or below this line, an off-balance\u00a0may cause the toilet to run randomly<\/strong>. So you need to adjust the water level properly<\/a> to avoid this off-balance of water flow.<\/span><\/p>\n Another overlooked reason may be a faulty handle. If the handle is not working correctly<\/a>, it may cause water to continue flowing even after filling up. For instance, a damaged toilet handle may flush but fail to return to its original position<\/strong>. If this happens, the handle will allow more water to fill into the tank and overfill. As a result, the excess water will trickle into the bowl and initiate a phantom flush.<\/span><\/p>\n Tired of hearing irritating sounds in the middle of the night? Here are some fixes that you can perform to prevent a phantom flush from happening:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Turn the water supply on and check if the problem is solved. If all the fixes discussed above don’t solve the problem or enough water leaks out, you should call a plumber to help you<\/strong>. However, a professional plumber will charge you several dollars, unlike when you fix it by yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n Besides, if you don’t have the knowledge or tools or are unsure about fixing the toilet, you should also call a professional plumber. You don’t want to make guesswork and end up worsening things.<\/span><\/p>\n A toilet can randomly run for a few seconds because of a cracked flapper, poorly installed flapper chain, a leakage in the toilet’s fill valve, a faulty toilet handle, or less\/much water in the tank. No matter what’s causing your toilet to run randomly, you can still correct the problem.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHow You Can Fix Your Randomly Running Toilet by Yourself<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A cracked toilet flapper<\/span><\/h3>\n
A leak in the fill valve<\/span><\/h3>\n
Poorly Installed Flapper Chain May Run Your Toilet Randomly<\/span><\/h3>\n
Excess or less water<\/span><\/h3>\n
A bad toilet handle<\/span><\/h3>\n
How to fix a randomly running toilet issue?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
When should I call a professional plumber to fix your toilet from r<\/span>andomly running?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n