How To Repair Ghost Flushing

Download Article

Download Article

Ghost flushing occurs when your toilet flushes without the handle beingness pressed. It likewise happens when water audibly drains from the tank of your toilet without a flush. Ghost flushing indicates either that the toilet'due south fill tube has been improperly installed, or that the flapper within the toilet tank is leaky and should be replaced. Inspect the fill up tube first, and fix it if necessary. If that doesn't solve the problem, supersede the flapper.

1. 1

   Audit the position of the fill up tube in the overflow tube. Lift the hat off the toilet tank and await inside. You'll see a large, white tube: this is the overflow tube. Positioned straight over this should be a smaller, hose-like tube: the fill tube.^[ane] The fill up tube should not be inserted into the overflow tube.^[2]

   • If the make full tube is inside of the overflow tube, it will siphon water back out of the overflow tube and out of the tank.
   • This grade of dorsum-siphoning is a common crusade of ghost flushing.

2. 2

   Buy a fastening clip. A fastening prune is a small metal clip which will forbid the fill up tube from siphoning h2o back out of the overflow tube.^[3] Fastening clips are about 2 inches (five.1 cm) long and take a small clasp on one terminate.

   • Fastening clips should be available in the plumbing section of whatsoever hardware shop. Ask sales staff for help if y'all can't detect fastening clips on your own.

   Advertisement

3. three

   Install the fastening clip on the fill tube. Ane cease of the fastening clip will be hollow and round. Firmly grasp the stop of the fill up tube, and push this finish of the prune inside of the fill tube.^[4]

   • The fastening clip fits into the fill tube by friction, and then push firmly when installing the clip.

4. 4

   Hook the fastening clip onto the overflow tube. The clip stop of the fastening clip should hook directly onto the upper lip of the overflow tube.^[5] This will go on the fill tube a good distance to a higher place the overflow tube, and continue it from siphoning water back out of the tank.

   • Flush the toilet to brand sure that it operates correctly. Listen as the tank refills to brand sure you don't hear whatsoever ghost flushing. Unless you accept a faulty flapper, the trouble should exist fixed.

   Advertisement

1. 1

   Turn off the water supply to the toilet. The water valve that controls the flow of h2o to the toilet tank will be located on the wall behind the toilet. To plough the water off, plow the knob clockwise until yous feel resistance.^[6]

2. 2

   Flush the toilet. The flapper valve is located at the lesser of the toilet tank (the square water reservoir at the back of the toilet). Then that yous're not up to your elbows in water, flush the toilet; this volition bleed the toilet tank.^[vii]

   • If the bottom of the toilet tank doesn't drain completely, you lot may need to sop up remaining water with a couple of rags or old mitt towels.

3. 3

   Unhook the chain from the elevation of the flapper. The acme of the prophylactic flapper is connected to the toilet handle by a sparse piece of chain. Use your fingers to unhook the chain.^[8]

   • The inner parts of the toilet tank will all be wet, of course. Don't be nice though: this water is as make clean as the water from your faucet.

4. iv

   Unhook the 2 arms of the flapper. The flapper is held in identify past 2 thin rubber artillery (or "ears"). Each arm is held in place by a pressure-fit around small nubs extending from the overflow tube. Pull the flapper arms off of the plastic nubs and lift the flapper out of the toilet tank.^[9]

   • If you look at the underside of your worn-out flapper, you lot'll see mineral buildup or small cracks and breaks in the condom. These cause or contribute to the ghost flushing.

5. v

   Purchase the correct replacement toilet flapper. Not all toilet flappers are the same size and shape, so you'll need to purchase a replacement that matches your current toilet flapper equally closely as possible. If you know your toilet model, the sales staff at a hardware store can aid you find the correct flapper.^[10] Or, accept the old flapper with y'all to the hardware store, and buy an identical replacement.

   • Well-nigh toilet flappers are ii inches (five.one cm) or 3 inches (vii.6 cm) in diameter.
   • The replacement toilet flapper tin be purchased at any local hardware store for well-nigh $v. Toilet flappers can besides exist bought at any large home-supply shop and perhaps at a large supermarket.

6. vi

   Install the new flapper. Push the rubber arms of the new flapper back onto the plastic nubs on either side of the overflow tube. In one case it'southward in place, hook the chain onto the elevation of the flapper.^[xi]

7. seven

   Adjust the placement of the chain on the trip lever equally needed. If the chain is as well long or short for the new flapper to work effectively, yous can alter the chain'south position on the trip lever. This will lengthen or shorten the distance from the caput of the chain to the point where it connects to the flapper.^[12]

   • The trip lever is the long metallic bar which connects to the toilet'due south flush handle. Its reverse end—inside the toilet tank—volition have a number of small holes in it for the acme of the chain to hook into.
   • If the electric current chain position makes the chain too short, the flapper will non seal shut firmly and the toilet will leak constantly.
   • If the current chain position makes the chain too long, the chain may get caught up under the flapper when it tries to seal. This will also result in the toilet tank constantly losing and re-filling h2o.

8. 8

   Turn the water dorsum on. Turn the water valve counterclockwise to restore the flow of water in one case you've replaced the flapper.^[13]

   • At this point, your ghost-flushing problem should be fixed.
   • If your toilet is leaking h2o onto the floor, or continues to ghost flush after you lot've replaced the flapper, you lot may need to phone call a professional person plumber to set the trouble.

   Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  What causes ghost flushing?

  

  Dave Jones
  Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & H2o Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a bleed service technician at the historic period of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing say-so. Dave served as general managing director of Roto-Rooter'south Charlotte, N Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Chief Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

  

  Principal Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  Expert Reply

  This happens when water seeps in past the flush valve assembly. This can happen for a variety of reasons. You could have a bad flapper, the chain could be as well taut, or something might exist damaged with the assembly.

• Question

  Why do flappers get bad?

  

  Dave Jones
  Main Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter's Charlotte, Due north Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches earlier being promoted to Contractor Expanse Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Chief Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

  

  Main Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & H2o Cleanup

  Expert Answer

  This just happens naturally over time. When you have h2o going in and out of the tank all of the time, it's going to habiliment abroad the flapper.

• Question

  How can I tell if the flush valve isn't holding upwardly?

  

  Dave Jones
  Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & H2o Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the historic period of xviii. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing dominance. Dave served as full general managing director of Roto-Rooter's Charlotte, Due north Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Expanse Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Chief Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, N Carolina, and Georgia.

  

  Primary Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & H2o Cleanup

  Expert Answer

  Pour a few drops of food coloring into the tank. Then, simply expect ten-15 minutes. If the color of the water doesn't change, the valve is holding up merely fine. If the color starts to dissipate though, the affluent valve is bad and information technology should exist replaced.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advert

• Although it's hard to estimate exactly how much water ghost flushing can waste, the amount is substantial. Ghost flushing tin increase your house or flat's water bill by 1/three.^[xiv]

• Modern low-flow toilets may have different mechanisms in the toilet tank. If your low-flow toilet is ghost flushing, consult the instruction manual or refer to the manufacturer'due south website. If neither the manual nor the website provide instructions about fixing ghost flushing, call a plumber.

Advertisement

Nigh This Article

Cheers to all authors for creating a page that has been read 31,682 times.

Did this article help you?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Ghost-Flushing

Posted by: bartlettfunce1951.blogspot.com

Share this post