If the water in your toilet runs day and night, you might worry more about your water bill than anything else. Although a running toilet can increase your utility expenses substantially, your toilet can also be a huge problem for your home. Learn why your running toilet is an emergency plumbing problem and why it's important to solve it now.

Is a Running Toilet Truly an Emergency Situation?

Whether it's a bad float mechanism or a damaged fill valve component that's causing your toilet to run and overflow nonstop, it's important to remedy the problem now rather than later. Running toilets not only waste one gallon of water each hour, but they can also overflow. If your toilet does overflow, it could flood clean or dirty water throughout your home. 

If you already know the cause of your running toilet, and it's something you feel comfortable fixing, go ahead and do so. However, be aware that if you don't replace the correct pieces, your toilet could still run or be at risk for overflowing. 

You can avoid the risks by having a plumber do an emergency repair job on your toilet.

What Emergency Steps Should You Consider?

A plumber will most likely do a complete diagnostic check on your toilet, including the parts housed inside the tank. The float mechanisms and flapper could be too brittle or old to withstand the stress of constant flushing. Replacing these parts immediately should solve the problem you're having with your toilet.

If the problem isn't inside the tank, an emergency plumber may check the base of the toilet for problems. The water shut-off valve or toilet supply line at the base could be loose, broken, or extremely corroded. This may allow water from the main water supply line to overflow into your toilet unchecked. If the toilet supply line suddenly breaks, it could lead to flooding and other potentially costly home repairs. 

Once a contractor addresses, repairs, or replaces the broken parts of your toilet, your toilet should stop running. If the toilet continues to run, you may look into replacing the fixture altogether. Toilets can develop many problems as they get older. So, a replacement may be a good way to solve your plumbing situation. 

Allowing your toilet to run unchecked can be expensive and potentially harmful to your home. If you need emergency services for your toilet, don't wait to contact a plumbing contractor for help.