Any area of a home’s plumbing system can potentially develop a leak. One of the most common leaks to occur are toilet leaks, and the “phantom flush” is a frequent type of leak to occur. A phantom flush occurs when the toilet appears to flush automatically, and can waste as much as 200 gallons of water each day. A Phantom flush is due to a leak in the toilet tank, and occurs when water leaks out of the tank, causing the tank to refill. Furthermore, what you actually hear is the tank refilling, rather than an actual flush. Contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for the repair of your home’s plumbing in Arlington.
The Cause Behind Phantom Flushing
When you flush the toilet, depressing the flush handle raises the flapper valve in the bottom of the tank, allowing the water to enter the bowl creating the flush. Water can leak by the flapper due to improper closing from age or wear, or when the chain attached to the flapper is improperly adjusted.
In addition, the fill valve also is a common source of a toilet leak. Typically, the valve fails to shut the water off after refilling the tank, resulting in the water continuing to run as it leaks out through the overflow tube.
A Benjamin Franklin licensed plumber can identify the cause of your toilet leak, and provide the plumbing service you need for your home’s plumbing in Arlington.
Testing for a Leak
Determining you have a leaky toilet isn’t always straight forward. However, it isn’t difficult to establish a leak or rule it out with a dye test. Place a few drops of food coloring in the tank to color the water. Return in 15 minutes, if you don’t see the coloring in the bowl recheck every 15 minutes. If the coloring is in the bowl the toilet has a tank leak.
Fill Valve vs. Flapper Valve Leak
The overflow tube is an open pipe located inside the tank. The water should be about 1 inch below the top of the tube. If water is escaping through the overflow tube the fill valve is malfunctioning. In addition, some fill valves have an adjustment. The screw adjustment can be turned counter-clockwise to lower the water level. Fill valves with a clip adjustment can be pinched to loosen it, allowing it to be lowered along with the water level. If adjustment doesn’t correct the problem, the faulty fill valve will need to be replaced. A Benjamin Franklin plumber can provide the repair you need for your home’s plumbing in Arlington.
However, If the fill valve isn’t causing the loss of water through the overflow tube, check the flapper valve located in the bottom of the toilet tank. Improper closure allows water to leak into the bowl, causing the constant refilling of the tank.
If the flapper valve has recently been replaced, lengthen the chain that connects the flapper valve to the flush handle by one or two links. If the chain is too short, it prevents the flapper valve from properly seating and closing in the siphon hole, resulting in phantom flushing. In addition, after adjusting the chain, repeat the dye test to ensure proper seating. Flapper valves can experience deterioration with time, and will require occasional replacement. Contact our professional plumbers for the repair, installation or maintenance of your home’s plumbing in Arlington.
A Benjamin Franklin plumber in Arlington possesses the expertise you require for your home’s plumbing in Arlington, whether for phantom flushing, repiping, fixture installation or other plumbing services. We serve Arlington, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas, and are a member of the BBB with an A+ rating. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.