How to Put An End To Toilet Ghost Flushing From the Experts at Euston Hardware

The root cause of ghost/phantom flushing could be easy to understand, and prevention is a candid maintenance issue. Water is slowing draining from the tank, generally through a degenerating flapper, and from lowering the float. When the float reaches its critical height, it switches on the water. To prevent this from happening, you will need to make sure all the tank seals are unharmed.

To check the toilet flapper you can complete a Food Dye Test:

Get these 3 items:

• Food Dye
• Toilet flapper
• Screwdriver

 

Put some drops of food dye in the back tank of the toilet and refrain from flushing for about 30 (thirty) minutes. If the bowl water turns the same color as the dye, it could mean the flapper is leaking. Don’t jump to too many conclusions yet, check the length of the flapper to the flush handle. You may just need to lengthen the chain by one or two links. Repeat the dye test after you lengthen the chain. If the chain is too short, it stops the flapper from seating in the siphon hole and could cause the type of leak that produces phantom flushing.

Changing the Flapper

If the dye still appears in the bowl turn off the water supply and hold down the flush handle to empty the tank. Remove the flapper from the chain that connects it to the flush handle and unhook its two ears from the overflow tube. Visit Euston Hardware and come on over to the plumbing supply department to ask the pros. You should be able to buy an identical flapper replacement. There are many types of flappers, and they all will not fit your toilet.

Once you have the new flapper, hook the ears to the overflow tube and connect the flush handle chain. Make sure to allow ample for the flapper to seat fully. Turn on the water, fill the tank and try a few test flushes. When you are satisfied the flapper is functioning properly, repeat the dye test again.

Bam! You are done you mended your toilet!

Still see food dye?

Peek around for other traces of leakage from the tank if the bowl of water is still discolored. survey the floor for small hints of water and explore the underside of the tank with your fingers, notably at the points where the bolts join the tank to the bowl. Tighten the tank bolts with a screwdriver if you observe water by them or on the floor.

 

Insider Clue – If you have an older toilet, the flexible tube connecting the fill valve to the overflow tune may need water siphoned out of the tank because it is extending too far down the overflow tube. Cut the tube and clip it to the top of the overflow tube that is extending no more than an inch inside it.

Water pooling underneath the tank might be a sign of a small crack in the tank. You could notice the water beading around it on the outside of the tank. If there is one, it is usually easier to buy a new toilet then trying to fix it. Stopover to Euston Hardware in Kansas City so our kind associates can help you with some of your plumbing questions.