There is no way that a bad or malfunctioning flapper can cause the toilet to overflow rather you will just find it difficult flushing your toilet or maybe a continuous flow of water into the toilet bowl which end up into the septic tank.
When you experience an overflow from your toilet it means that there is a clog somewhere or your septic tank is full or filled up but not necessary that your flapper is bad.
But a bad flapper can actually cause your toilet to trickle water after flush and thereby increasing your water bill. Again a bad flapper wont provide enough pressure needed to push the water down the toilet and when this happens your toilet wont flush as it ought to.
Contents
Why is my toilet trickling water after flushing?
Your toilet is trickling water after flushing because your flapper is bad. You could replace it or get it cleaned up. Before you go about cleaning your flapper you should ensure that your bowl and also the tank has been drained.
But most times cleaning might not solve the problem, in that case you should get a new flapper and get the old one replaced.
How much water does a bad flapper waste?
Everything boils down to how bad your flapper is and the extent of the leak. On the average if your flapper is bad then it could waste up to 200 gallon of water in 24 hours
Note: When your flapper goes bad or begins to fail due to several reasons , it wont be able to create a water-tight seal alongside the flush valve which also function alongside the flapper because of this malfunctioning there will be a leak.
What would cause toilet to overflow?
A clog in the Sewerage System or Toilet: when water refuses to go away but rather it overflow and filled your toilet bowl to the extent of pouring away on the floor; this calls for serious attention and an urgent action need to be taken to resolve the issue.
A clog in the toilet or along the sewage system might be responsible for this mess and until this clog is removed and get rid off your toilet will continue to overflow. Some of the well known causes of clog in the sewage system are toys, plastic,pads, tampons, cotton balls,tissue paper, food leftover like grain which expand as it get soaked and form build-up.
A Full Septic Tank: you should check if your septic tank is full because if it is full there is no way your toilet wont overflow because your flush wont find space rather it will just backflow.
If your septic tank is full then you should experience any of the following:
- There will be odour in the area where your septic tank is located.
- Your showers, Bathtubs and sinks will just be draining abnormally or slowly.
- You might see standing water near or around your septic tank.
- You might hear goggling sound.
How do I know if my flapper valve is bad?
To know if your flapper valve is bad and need replacement is simple. First when the flapper valve is bad what happens is that the bottom washer deteriorate and when this happens it will cause a leak or rather the toilet fill valve won’t fill anymore
When ever you notice constantly running toilet then you know that the culprit might be your flapper, you have to check if your flapper is in good shape by putting some drop of food coloring and this has to be few… All has to be dropped into the tank, after it has been dropped please don’t flush yet
Then wait for like 30 minutes, if you could still see the colour water after 30 minutes then you know that it’s time to change the flapper. You could do this your self by watching some videos or call a plumber close by to help.
How do you know if you need a new fill valve?
When there is continuous flow of water into the toilet tank then you might be needing replacement because its either your fill valve or flapper has gone bad and need replacement.
Another way to know if you need a replacement of the flapper is when your toilet occasionally or keeps flushing on it own. When this happens it means that you have a worn-out flapper
How often should a toilet flapper be replaced?
When you have a functional flapper and this combined with well functional and running toilets then be rest assured that you won’t have serious problems about an overflow in your home.
How long does a flapper last?
Well it could last up to 4 years or more this show that flapper are very durable
How much does it cost to replace a toilet flapper?
The estimated price to replace a damaged toilet flapper is between $70 and $200 but if you can fix it your self you won’t spend half of that amount.
Note : a well functional toilet is very much important in our home. When it goes bad it create discomfort hence we will like to fix it fast because a faulty toilet will become an avenue where germs and bacteria are distributed hence putting our lives at risk.
Key Toilet Parts Inside the Tank
Fill Valve: the fill valve is located inside your toilet and its just a long tube that maintain water level by bringing the needed quantity of water into the tank immediately the toilet is flushed.
When the fill valve is faulty then it wont be able to perform its function rather it will allow too much water enter your toilet’s tank, this means more water will just be sent into your toilet
Overflow Tube: the overflow tube works hand in hand with the Fill Valve to regulate the water level. When there is a problem with the Fill Valve then the overflow tube quickly help to ensure that the water level is maintained as usual. It’s important that you run a check on the overflow tube as well as the fill valve get them replaced if need be.
Flapper Valve: the round rubber seal inside at the bottom of your tank is called the flapper valve. When your flapper valve is bad it won’t necessarily cause an overflow like most people think rather flushing your toilet when the flapper valve is bad becomes a problem.
References
https://www.brianwearplumbing.com/signs-it-s-time-to-replace-your-toilet-flapper/