Running or leaking toilet? Quick checks before you call a plumber

A toilet that runs or leaks quietly can waste hundreds of litres a week without you noticing — until the water bill arrives. A few of the most common causes are things you can check yourself in five minutes.

Checks you can do yourself

• The dye test: Add a few drops of food colouring to the tank, don't flush, and wait 15 minutes. If colour shows up in the bowl, the flapper seal is leaking.
• Check the fill valve and float: After a flush, the water should stop rising well below the overflow tube. If it keeps trickling in, the float needs adjusting or the valve is worn.
• Check the chain slack: Too tight and the flapper won't seal; too loose and it won't lift properly. A little slack when closed is what you want.
• Feel around the base and supply line: Dampness at the shutoff valve or around the base of the toilet can look like a running toilet but is actually a separate leak.

When it's more than a five-minute fix

• The run continues after you've adjusted the float and chain: That usually means a worn part needs replacing, not just adjusting.
• There's water on the floor, not just in the bowl: This points to a cracked flange, seal, or supply line issue rather than a simple internal fault.
• You notice a damp patch on the ceiling below the bathroom: That's no longer a "check it yourself" situation — it means water has already travelled somewhere it shouldn't.

Why it's worth checking before you call

A running toilet is one of the few leaks a homeowner can genuinely diagnose without any tools. Knowing whether it's the flapper, the fill valve, or something further down the line means Paul can turn up with the right part instead of guessing on-site.

What Paul recommends

If your checks point to a worn part, that's a straightforward, affordable fix. If there's any sign of water outside the toilet itself — on the floor, at the base, or on a ceiling below — get it looked at properly. Paul comes out for a $140 call-out fee and gives you a clear price ($120/hour plus materials) before any work starts.