Expert’s Simple Tip Will Save You From Flushing Money Down the Toilet By Realtor.com

This one helpful maintenance tip could keep homeowners from flushing money down the toilet.

A home maintenance video that went viral on TikTok warns about a certain sound coming from the toilet that could lead to a very expensive water bill.

The video posted by @therealestatefamily for The Gibbons Group, a Bethesda, MD–based real estate group, is labeled: “Stuff you may not know as a homeowner, but you do now.”

‘That sound right there’

The video starts with a view of a toilet and a few seconds of sound like a running faucet coming from within.

“That sound right there,” the narrator notes. “If that sound keeps going, you’re going to get a massive, massive water bill.”

He warns, “Do not let this sound keep going in your bathroom.”

The video ends, but not before it sent people running to their loos to have a listen.

“I ran to the bathroom when I heard that,” one commenter noted. “I’m not paying more than I have to. I couldn’t fix it fast enough.”

Toilet talk

Viewers had plenty to say about the toilet with the running water problem.

“Change the little flapper in the tank or move the chain if it’s getting stuck,” notes one.

“It’s the flap,” confirms another.

“It’s always surprising how ppl dont do anything when they hear that sound,” laments another.

Toilets 101

For those of us who aren’t versed on how a toilet works, the basics are this: When a toilet is flushed, water from the tank empties into the toilet bowl to force waste and wastewater into the drain line.

You should hear the sound of water running at the time of the flush. If you hear that sound at other times, that might be an indication that a fix is needed.

Some issues could be with the parts in the tank that may need to be replaced or adjusted.

“Either the float cup is positioned at the incorrect height, the chain on the toilet flapper has an issue, or the flapper seal or fill valve needs to be replaced,” according to Architectural Digest’s online how-to section. The site advises sticking to the same brand and model when it comes to replacing parts.

Tanks a lot!

For those not versed in toilet tanks, it might be better to have a professional take a look. After all, according to the TikTok video, the fix might save you some dollars.

The Better Homes and Gardens home improvement section estimates that a DIY running toilet project fix requires an “intermediate” skill level, takes 1.5 hours, and can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 for the parts.

A plumber might set you back on average $200 for the repair, according to a Yelp estimate.

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Source: www.realtor.com