The sound of water dripping from your bathroom—despite your faucets and shower working well—can drive you crazy. And if the noise is coming from the toilet bowl, it can be hard for a layman to pinpoint the best solution.
This article will teach you how to stop dripping noise from the toilet, as well as identify the different causes for this problem. Don’t worry; the solutions are DIY friendly!
Table of Contents
3 Ways to Stop the Dripping Noise Coming from the Toilet
Method 1: Replace the Toilet Flapper
After flushing the toilet, the flapper opens to let the water into the bowl and closes once the tank is full. If this component is worn out, it won’t be able to tightly seal the tank off—this will allow water to drip into the bowl nonstop, even when not in use. To fix this, you need to install a new flapper by following these steps:
1. Turn off the water shut-off valve and flush the toilet.
2. Disconnect the flapper chain from the lever arm’s hole.
3. Unhook the flapper out from the side pegs of the overflow tube.
4. Wipe the seal inside the tank to remove dirt and ensure a tight seal.
5. Take your new flapper and attach it to the overflow tube’s pegs on the sides.
6. Clip the chain to the flush lever; the chain must not be too long, or it will tangle with itself and the other toilet components. It also must not be too short, or the flapper won’t close.
7. Before turning on the shut-off valve, test the new flapper by pulling the flush handle multiple times. Observe if the component opens and seals perfectly.
Related: What size toilet flapper do I need?
Method 2: Fix the Float’s Position
The float controls the toilet tank’s water level and should be positioned 1 or 2 inches below the overflow tube. If it’s too high, it can become the reason behind the toilet making a dripping noise.
To adjust the float, follow these simple instructions:
1. While it’s not required, we recommend turning off the water shut-off valve and flushing the toilet to drain the tank.
2. Most modern toilets nowadays use a float with an adjustment screw. Therefore, have your screwdriver ready.
- For a plastic diaphragm ballcock, turn the screw on top of the fill valve clockwise to lower the water level.
- For a float cup, turn the screw counterclockwise to loosen it. If it has a metal spring clip, pinch it while adjusting the cup.
- Move the cup manually and downward to lower the water level.
- Unpinch the clip and turn the screw clockwise to secure the cup’s position.
3. Afterward, turn on the shut-off valve and observe if the tank refills at the correct water level.
Method 3: Change the Toilet Handle
Another solution to your question, “How do I stop my toilet from making noise?” is to replace your toilet lever. If this component is broken, it won’t go back up once pushed down, causing the flapper to stay open and water to continuously pour into the bowl.
To replace the toilet handle:
1. Turn off the water shut-off valve and flush the toilet.
2. Unfasten the flapper chain from the lift arm.
3. With your hand or an adjustable wrench, twist the mounting nut inside the tank clockwise if reverse threaded and counterclockwise if not.
4. Pull out the old handle and lift the arm from the tank.
5. Insert the new handle into the tank; secure it by inserting the washer, followed by the mounting nut.
6. Manually secure the nut counterclockwise (or clockwise), then tighten it with the adjustable wrench.
7. Re-attach the flapper chain to one of the lift arm’s holes. Again, the length of the chain should not be too short or too long if we want the lever to function properly.
8. Press the handle to see if the flapper opens and closes smoothly. Adjust the chain if necessary.
9. Once done, turn on the shut-off valve. This should fix the dripping sound in the toilet tank.
What Causes These Noisy Toilet Drips?
There are a variety of causes for the toilet leaking sound. Below are the most likely culprits:
- Damaged or worn-out flapper
- The toilet float is placed in a higher position than recommended
- Damaged float
- Broken or corroded toilet trip lever
- Improper length of the flapper chain, which keeps the flapper from closing properly
High water pressure can damage the toilet tank’s components, which results in malfunction in the long run. To solve this problem, we recommend contacting your water supplier first. You might also need to contact a professional plumber later on.
Read more: Causes of pipes noise when flushing toilet
Conclusion
If you hear a dripping noise, but no water comes from visible water sources like the faucets, then it must be your commode. Good thing that there are easy solutions on how to stop dripping noise from the toilet.
First, you have to replace the damaged flapper to seal the tank shut. You may also have to adjust the float to regulate the water level, which should be 1 or 2 inches below the overflow tube. Lastly, install a new toilet lever if the old one’s already broken.
I’m Paulk Webb, and I work as a writer for Saveourwaterrebates. I’m happy to put in the time and effort to conduct market research to identify the most pressing issues faced by households concerning their plumbing. Feel free to check out our guides to get the most informed recommendations for how to solve your problems.