Toilet keeps running (water continues into bowl)

Use only checks that match the exact appliance or system and its official guide.

1. Check 1

   Turn the toilet's local supply stop clockwise only until it stops if the valve is accessible and moves normally, then remove the tank lid and protect the floor without forcing any fitting.

   Expected result: Record whether the supply stops, the bowl level is rising, water is reaching the floor, the stop drips or will not turn, or the tank or bowl shows a crack.

   Next step: Leave the toilet isolated and call a plumber for overflow, cracks, floor water, or a failed supply stop; otherwise continue with the tank-path observation.

   Stop if: Do not force the supply stop, remove a corroded valve, repeatedly flush, or keep using the toilet when water cannot be controlled.

   Why this matters

   Why: A rising bowl or uncontrolled supply is an immediate overflow concern. A stop that will not isolate the toilet or a cracked tank or bowl requires plumbing service before internal troubleshooting; a safely isolated toilet can be observed from the tank.

2. Check 2

   With the tank lid off and the supply safely controlled, observe the water level, overflow tube, flapper or canister seal, and bowl surface without reaching into moving parts.

   Expected result: Record whether water reaches or enters the overflow tube, whether the bowl has a continuous ripple while the tank is below overflow level, and whether the seal sits flat or visibly lifts or leaks.

   Next step: Follow the matching flapper, canister, chain, or fill-valve check and keep the supply off between observations.

   Stop if: Do not press hard on brittle seals, remove the flush valve, or use cleaners containing chlorine or other chemicals in the tank.

   Why this matters

   Why: Water entering the overflow points to fill-valve or float shutoff trouble. A bowl ripple with the tank below overflow points to a flush-valve seal, seat, chain, or siphoning path instead; the two faults need different parts and checks.

3. Check 3

   Inspect the trip lever, handle return, chain or strap, and flapper or canister movement from the open tank; correct only obvious slack or a chain caught under the seal as the toilet manual allows.

   Expected result: Record whether the handle returns fully, the chain is tight or tangled, the seal hangs open, or the seal closes flat when the handle is released.

   Next step: Restore only the model-specified chain slack and confirm the seal closes; if the seal is cracked, warped, or still leaks, identify the exact replacement or arrange plumber service.

   Stop if: Do not shorten the chain until the seal is held open, force the lever, or use the toilet with a loose chain that can fall into the flush valve.

   Why this matters

   Why: A binding lever or tight chain can hold the flush valve partly open and send water continuously into the bowl. A chain with appropriate slack and a seal that still leaks points toward the seal or flush-valve seat rather than the handle.

4. Check 4

   Inspect the refill hose end and its clip or connection from above the tank, comparing its position with the exact toilet instructions; do not push the hose below the tank waterline.

   Expected result: Record whether the hose end is below the waterline, detached from the overflow port, spraying outside the tube, kinked, or secured at the intended position, and whether the bowl flow is slow or intermittent.

   Next step: Restore the hose to the model-specified overflow connection or clip only if the correction is obvious and safe; if the hose or port is damaged or the bowl still receives water, arrange service.

   Stop if: Do not seal the hose into the tank with adhesive, leave it submerged, or remove the fill valve to reach a concealed connection without model guidance.

   Why this matters

   Why: A hose below the waterline can siphon water through the fill valve into the bowl, producing a slow leak and periodic fill-valve operation even when the flush seal looks closed. A detached or spraying hose can also create refill noise or poor refill behavior.

5. Check 5

   Observe one refill cycle with the tank lid off, keeping hands clear of the valve and float; compare the final water level with the model's overflow reference and note sediment or water continuing after the float rises.

   Expected result: Record whether the fill valve shuts off below the overflow, water spills into the overflow, the float binds or is set high, or the valve continues admitting water after the tank is full.

   Next step: Use only the exact model's fill-valve adjustment or approved cleaning procedure; replace the fill valve only when its failure is confirmed and the compatible model is known, otherwise call a plumber.

   Stop if: Do not bend an unknown float arm, disassemble a pressurized valve, remove the tank, or allow the tank to overflow onto the floor.

   Why this matters

   Why: Overflow indicates a high or binding float, debris in the fill-valve cap, or a fill valve that cannot shut off. A normal final level with a bowl ripple makes the flapper, flush-valve seat, chain, or refill hose more likely.

6. Check 6

   Prepare a service record with the toilet model, supply-stop condition, tank water level, overflow behavior, bowl ripple, flapper or canister condition, chain slack, refill-hose position, fill-valve response, and any floor or tank damage.

   Expected result: Confirm whether the water path is through the flush seal, overflow, refill hose, or an unknown location, and whether the leak returns after one safe correction.

   Next step: Keep the supply off when the running cannot be stopped or damage is present, and give the model and observations to a qualified plumber for diagnosis.

   Stop if: Do not keep flushing, leave the tank overflowing, remove the tank, or use the toilet while the supply or internal leak is uncontrolled.

   Why this matters

   Why: A defined path supports a compatible flapper, fill valve, or flush-valve diagnosis. An unknown or recurring path, damaged seat, cracked tank, failed stop, or floor leak needs plumber inspection rather than another part swap.