My toilet makes a short whooshing sound (a few seconds) in the middle of the night. Last night it did it every 5-10 minutes and kept waking me up? What is this? Kelly

The flapper valve at the bottom of the tanks is leaking... and needs replaced.

Want to prove it to yourself... put a few drops of food coloring into the tank... I bet you see it in the bowl before a few hours pass.

It sounds like you have a bad flapper valve as Smoothy suggested or the tank water level is too high.

Lift the tank lid Check the water level, it should be at the mark in the tank, 1" below the rim of the over flow tube when the tank is filled and the ballcock shut down.

Feel around the flapper flat edge. If it's wavy or you feel rough spots replace the flapper,
The linkage between the flapper and the flush lever should have 1/4" play when the tank is filled. Also, check the small tube coming out of the top of the ballcock and make sure it's connected to the white overflow tube and draining water in to the tube, see the image below, good luck

John

To Smoothy and Afaroo: Thanks for answering my question! I did the test with the food coloring, and it did end up in the toilet, but wasn't there this morning. I guessed that meant I was wasting water by letting this problem go (in addition to losing sleep because it wakes me up when it happens) so I shut the water off and flushed it to empty the tank until I can get a new part. Another question, John (afaroo) mentioned some other possible problems (linkage between flapper and flushing lever should have 1/4" play, and small tube coming out of ballcock should be connected to white overflow tube and draining water into the tube). If the food coloring went from the tank to the toilet, does that mean that it DEFINITELY needs a new flapper valve or could it still be one of these other problems? Also, if it does need a new flapper valve, is there a certain style of size I need to know first, or are they all standard? Will I be able to take the old one off and put the new one on myself? I'd probably need detailed instructions since I know absolutely nothing about plumbing!~ Thanks, Kelly p.s.the diagram was very helpful John!

Hello Kelloggs,

If the color ends up in toilet bowel, it means the flapper or the flush valve seat is a problem, Feel around the flapper flat edge. If it's wavy or you feel rough spots replace the flapper, also check the seat for any scratch marks if any clean it with sand paper, to get a proper flapper remove the old one and take it with you to a Home depot or Lowe's.

Replacing the toilet flapper valve is very easy and doesn't need any special tools, open the links below and will show how to replace it, Good Luck.

John

How to Replace a Toilet Flapper: Home Improvement & Repair on Video | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/video_4419072_replace-toilet-flapper.html)

YouTube - Changing Toilet Flapper (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ_r_xexCAQ)

Take your old flapper valve to the store.. there are a few different ones so it will help you get the right type.

If it went clear after the color passing into the bowl you have one heck of a leak. Because it takes a LOT of water to do that via dillution.

Thanks Smoothy and Arafoo. I should be able to do this. Esp. with the videos! Kelly