Pro Handyman Blog

Jiggling the toilet handle is a nuisance. You flush the toilet and it continues to run and run. There are several possible reasons for this but one I’ve run into often is that the chain is getting hung up in the flapper. Sure, you could replace the flapper. It’s cheap and easy and will probably fix the problem. But before you spend your $3.00 on that, do a little troubleshooting first.

A toilet flapper is a fickle thing. On a flimsy flapper, sometimes it gets pulled off to the side when flushed and the ear becomes elongated. This will allow it not to seat properly to stop the water from entering the bowl. A new flapper will cure this.

When you troubleshoot the problem, watch what happens to the chain that connects the toilet handle to the flapper. In many cases, there is a length of unused chain that just hangs down. This section is so long that it actually impedes the operation of the flapper by wedging itself in between the flapper and the seat where it rests. This allows water to continually pass from the tank to the bowl. When the water in the bowl gets too low, the tank refills and you hear the sound of running water. You can take this long section of chain and either cut it short so that it won’t interfere with the flapper, or clip the free end where it connects to the handle.