Easy Steps to Avoid Toilet Ghost Flushing From the Skilled Plumbing Supply Experts at Malone Home Center

The source of ghost/phantom flushing could be simple to grasp, and prevention is a straightforward maintenance concern. Water is gradually 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 stop this from happening, you may need to make sure all the tank seals are whole.

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

Grab these items:

• Food Dye
• Toilet flapper
• Screwdriver

 

Put some drops of food dye in the back tank of the toilet and cease flushing for about half an hour. If the bowl water turns the same color as the dye, it means the flapper is leaking. Don’t replace any parts just yet, check the length of the flapper to the flush handle. It could be that you 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 prevents the flapper from seating in the siphon hole and might cause the type of leak that produces phantom flushing.

Flapper Might Need Replaced

If the dye still emerges 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. Stop on over to Malone Home Center and ask us questions. You should be able to buy an identical flapper replacement. There are many types of flappers, and 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. Be sure to allow adequate leeway for the flapper to seat fully. Turn on the water, fill the tank and try a few test flushes. When you are content the flapper is functioning properly, repeat the dye test again.

Behold You are done you fixed your toilet!

Is the food dye still appearing?

Peek around for other signs of leakage from the tank if the bowl of water is still showing dye. Inspect the floor for small hints of water and explore the bottom of the tank with your hands, specifically at the points where the bolts join the tank to the bowl. Tighten the tank bolts with a screwdriver if you identify water around them or on the floor.

 

Suggestion – 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 spanning 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 under the tank could be a sign of a small crack in the tank. You will notice the water beading around it on the outside of the tank. If you find one, it is usually easier to buy a new toilet then trying to fix it. Drop by Malone Home Center in Greenville so our employees can help you with some or all of your plumbing inquiries.