How to Fix a Running Toilet with a Button Flush

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Deborah Beams
Deborah Beams
Research Writer
Deborah is an incredibly talented journalist who's been working for numerous online magazines for over 8 years now. She's also our main research writer who can turn any bori read more
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Charles Eggleston
Charles Eggleston
Expert Consultant
Charles's been a plumber his entire life. Thanks to his vast experience we can always rely on Charles' expert opinion when creating any of our articles. He's also a fantasti read more
Last updated: August 27, 2023
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A toilet is one of those appliances that you don’t really appreciate until you lose them. A malfunctioning toilet is not only uncomfortable to deal with but might also end up being the cause of increased expenses. If you have a faulty toilet with a button flush, we hope that you will find this article on how to fix a running toilet with a button flush very useful.

If your toilet has begun malfunctioning, you really don’t have to be afraid. Indeed, the cause of a dripping or running toilet is usually quite easy to fix. You can do it yourself without having to call in the services of a plumber. In this post, we will consider some of the common ways that the toilet can malfunction and the steps that can be taken to solve the problem.

The anatomy of the button flush system

How to Fix a Running Toilet with a Button Flush

Before you know how to fix the toilet, you need to understand how it works. That is why this section covers the anatomy of the button flush.

The button flush toilet is similar in several ways to your regular toilet. For example, it has the tank on top with the lid. The physical appearance easily lets you understand how it works. The tank lid has the button on top, and this button is connected to the outlet, also known as the flush valve.

The connection is in such a way that when you press down the button, the tiny pipes under the lid where the button lies on the cover will press down on the flush valve and work to flush the toilet.

Apart from the flush valve, another important component is the overflow pipe. This pipe is a pipe that acts as a marker of the water level in the container. One of its functions is to prevent flooding of the tank. With this overflow pope, the water in the tank remains at a controlled level.

There is also the fill valve Trusted Source Identifying Different Types of Toilet Fill Valves This tutorial describes how to identify what type of fill valve or ballcock you have in your toilet tank. www.thespruce.com . This valve must be at a specific height to the overflow pipe; otherwise, the flush system will not work as it should. When you open the lid, this valve is regulated by the float cup that you see in the system.

For the toilet to flush correctly, the float cup must lie underneath the overflow pipe at all times. If this cup is not beneath the pipe, it can cause flooding and will prevent flushing.

A consideration of the parts of the system will make it easier to solve any problems that are common with this system. Running toilets are due to several factors, although three stand out at this time. All three factors are related to the flush components.

Reviews indicate that the Owfeel button dual-push toilet button is one that offers some of the best hassle-free use for a long time.

Possible reasons and things to check

If there are issues with your toilet, then you need to check some possible factors. In this section, we will consider what these factors are and what to do if that is the problem.

Flush valve

How to Fix a Running Toilet with a Button Flush

As we have seen in the section above, the flush valve is one of the most important parts of the toilet. The easiest way to know whether the problem lies with the flush valve is to see whether the overflow pipe has water in it to the top. If the pipe has water on a perfect level, then the problem is very likely because of the flush valve.

If that is the case, what can you do? We highlight some of the steps that should be taken in such cases.

  • Flush the empty tank. You do this by flushing your toilet then removing the outlet of the flush valve.
  • Since the outlet is rather delicate, it is recommended that you do the removal very gently. If not, you might cause permanent damage to the system. For most models, it is easy to get the outlet out. All you need is to slightly twist to the left or right.
  • Try to twist on the right or left side firmly but gently. When you hear a click, it is time to remove it from the connection.

After removing the flush valve, the overflow pipe should be visible to you, and you should see that this pipe is properly connected to the flush valve. If water was not draining, the rubber seal in the flush valve might be responsible for that. If this is the case, take note of the following points:

The seal should not be damaged; otherwise, it will not hold the water in the tank. Check out the seal to determine whether it is damaged in any way. If damaged, even if slightly, then that might be responsible for the problem with the toilet.

If the seal is the problem, you will have to change the seal. Fortunately, the seal is easily found in shops and affordable. If you cannot change it right away, you could improvise by using the undamaged side of the seal. But ensure that you change the seal as soon as you can.

What if you have checked and there is no damage to the rubber seal? If there is no damage to the seal, then it could be that the disc that moves with the flush button is damaged. To know whether the disc is good, consider the following:

  • The movements of the disc must be smooth
  • The disc should sit on the connection point and seal it
  • If movement is jerky or otherwise not smooth, then you will have to change the whole flush valve

If, after checking the outlet and the rubber seal and you don’t notice anything, then the flush valve is okay. You will then need to check the inlet, which is also known as the fill valve. How? Let’s see.

Fill valve

If the problem isn’t with the flush valve, then it is likely a faulty fill valve. How do you fix this problem? To know how to fix it, you should know the details about this valve. If the problem is connected to the fill valve, then you have to consider the washers that lie on top of the valve. To that end:

  • Remove the fill valve. Removing the valve is relatively straightforward. You need to remove the nuts with a wrench or similar tool.
  • When removing, ensure that the tank is dry. After removing the nuts, the fill valve can be completely removed.
  • After that, locate the top section of the inlet. This top cap needs to be removed, and keep in mind that it might take some effort to remove it. You can easily remove it by first unscrewing the float cup adjustment screw.
  • After you remove this part, check inside for the small, round disc. Use tools to remove the disc as well.
  • After removing this, there will be washers at the top of the valve. Most of the time, it the biggest of these washers that need to be replaced.
  • So replace the washer or the fill valve to solve the problem.
  • If you just want to change the washer, ensure that you completely remove any debris from the top section before you re-install it.

You might want to try to fix the valve without replacing the washer first. Check out the video below explaining how to do just that.

Overflow pipe

Another thing that might cause problems is the overflow pipe. If the tank fills too quickly and overflows, then the problem is likely with the overflow pipe.

  • The overflow pipe works to take the extra water and release it to the toilet bowl to reduce flooding in through your lid.
  • To control the filling speed, you have to adjust your float cup
  • Adjust the cup, fill the tank, and flush
  • You can also reduce the rate of overflow by checking out the water connection.

Troubleshooting

Here are some troubleshooting tips to help you.

How to fix a running toilet

To fix this, follow these steps:

  1. Shut off the water supply and check the tank. Determine if the water level is too high that it drains into the overflow pipe.
  2. Use a cleaning solution to remove any debris or dirt that is in the valve.
  3. If the cleaning solution does not work, then you might have to replace the fill valve.

There are toilet repair kits that can help with this, including the ForeverPro repair kit that many have reported to be one of the best.

How to fix incomplete or weak flush

If your toilet suffers from this issue, it is likely because of the buildup of particles, rust, and other debris. These might clog the toilet and restrict water flow into your toilet bowl. Here’s how to solve this problem:

  • Clean the rim and jet holes of the toilet. To do this, let most of the water out of the tank. Hold the flapper open and pour the cleaning solution down the opening of the flush valve. This will work to dissolve any buildup. Wait for some hours. Then, turn your water supply back on and refill the tank. Flush several times to remove any leftover debris.
  • Another thing that you can do is to ensure that the water level is not low. Raise the water level to the top of the overflow pipe and flush. That should do the trick.
  • You can also use a wire hanger to clean the holes several times to eliminate any buildup that is there.

Tank drains constantly
How to Fix a Running Toilet with a Button Flush

If your tank is always draining, then you can solve the issue by following our tips.

  • First, remove the lid and locate the flush buttons.
  • Check to see if the stopper doesn’t close completely.
  • Use your hand to determine what is stopping the stopper from closing and remove the obstacle.

Final thoughts

We have written this guide on how to fix a running toilet with a button flush for everyone interested in a little DIY. You can follow these steps and fix your toilet in minutes. If after trying all these and there is no solution, then you might need to check in with your local plumber for help.

References

1.
Identifying Different Types of Toilet Fill Valves
This tutorial describes how to identify what type of fill valve or ballcock you have in your toilet tank.
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