Why is there a water surge in my toilet when not in use?

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Originally Posted by 4headden

why is there a water surge in my toilet when not in use?

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Please explain. Is this surge in the bowl or the tank? Does the bowl back up and run over when you flush? What's going on? Tom

Hi All...

I'm betting that the toilet is periodically running on its own. This usually occurs as a result of a defective flapper.

Take some food coloring or vegetable dye and place into toilet TANK. Come back in 1/2 to 1 hour. If dye is present in toilet BOWL then your flapper needs to be replaced.

Shut water at toilet shutoff valve and then remove flapper and take to nearest home supply store for replacement. If shutoff leaks after you turn toilet shutoff back on then you will need to tighten the nut that you will see behind the handle just a little... ;)

If flapper replacement doesn't fix the issue may be time to replace the entire flush valve assembly, but let's hope that is not required here :)

If this is not your issue please explain more and answer Tom's questions.

Thanks... MARK

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Originally Posted by speedball1

Please explain. Is this surge in the bowl or the tank? Does the bowl back up and run over when you flush? What's going on? Tom

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The surge is only in the bowl and does not run over. It has nothing to do with the flush, it only happens when the toilet is not in use, maybe about every 10-15 minutes for no reason.

Explain "surge". Does the bowl fill up with more water? Does the water get sucked out? Describe what happens. Regards, Tom

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Originally Posted by speedball1

Explain "surge". Does the bowl fill up with more water? Does the water get sucked out? Describe what happens. Regards, Tom

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Nothing happens other than the water that is already in the bowl The water doesn't seem to get any higher than it already was.

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Originally Posted by 4headden

Nothing happens other than the water that is already in the bowl Tthe water doesn't seem to get any higher than it already was.

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Then if "nothing happens" what surges? If it doesn't surge up does it go down? I still don't understand your pronlem. What exactly happens to the water in the bowl? B ack to you, Tom

The water in the bowl looks as if I just flushed it and the tank is refilling and you see the water moving in the bowl while this happens when in fact I didn't flush the toilet because when you flush a toilet the water goes down the drain then you see it come back in again to fill up the bowl, well that's what I see, that same movement but it doesn't look as if the water level is getting any higher, just movement.

You have a leaky flapper valve... or your fill valve is not completely shutting off and you are getting water running over your overflow tube. Do you hear water running in the toilet? If your ball cock is not shutting off, you will hear constant water running. If your flapper valve is bad, you will hear the water at intervalls.(almost like the toilet has flushed by itself.) Its hard to say by your description what the problem is.

Follow massplumbers advice first and let us know what you find.

If I am way off base, please let me know. Give more details and I will try to help.

Hello 4headden,

Please Read post #3 Mark have stated from the beginning to check your flapper, the way you are describing your problem it sounds that your flapper is at fault, follow Mark's instructions replace the flapper if that doesn't fix your problem get back to us, Thank.

John

I put food dye in the toilet tank and a few minutes later the water in the toilet bowl was the color of the food dye. I will get a new flapper.

Thank you.

Just glad you found your problem. And thanks to mass, I have a new testing technique for toilets.