Running or Leaking Toilet in Louisville: Repair It or Replace It?
A running toilet may need only a repair, while an old toilet that uses up to 6 gallons a flush may be worth replacing. Durbin Plumbing repairs and replaces toilets for homeowners in Louisville and Jefferson County, and this guide shows you how to check for a leak with a simple dye test, then how to decide between a repair and a new toilet.
Toilets are nearly 30 percent of a home’s indoor water use, according to the EPA’s residential toilets page.
How do you tell if a toilet is leaking?
Use the EPA’s dye test. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank, wait 10 minutes without flushing, and look in the bowl. If color shows up in the bowl, water is leaking from the tank into the bowl, as the EPA explains in its Fix a Leak Week guide.
The EPA says household leaks waste more than 9,300 gallons a year in an average home, and fixing them can save about 10 percent on a water bill. The dye test takes 10 minutes and costs a few drops of coloring.
Can a running toilet be fixed over the phone?
Sometimes. The fix can be smaller than you expect. When Doug called Mabyn Pappas, he knew what was going on from very little information and talked through the fix on the phone.
“…all I had to do was tighten one bolt on the back of my toilet.”
Many times we can talk you through it over the phone, and if we cannot, we come out.
When is a repair enough?
If your toilet is not one of the old 6-gallon models, ask about a repair before a replacement. Doug Durbin usually goes on site to give an accurate quote, and you can ask him to price a repair and a new toilet, then pick.
“Tina and Josh went above and beyond to make sure my toilet was fixed!”
When does replacing the toilet make sense?
Replacement makes sense when the toilet itself is the problem, or when it uses far more water than a new one. The EPA says older toilets can use as much as 6 gallons a flush. The federal standard today is 1.6 gallons, and WaterSense labeled toilets use 1.28 gallons or less.
The EPA says replacing old toilets can save a household nearly 13,000 gallons and more than $170 a year. If your toilet is the original in an older house, the numbers lean toward a new one. Our guide to plumbing in older Louisville homes covers the other fixtures worth checking in a house like that.
We install new toilets, including brands like Gerber, and our toilet replacement and repair page covers how a visit works.
“Called before they came, assessed the situation, went and got parts and all was done in about an hour. He was very polite and cleaned up after himself.”
Sherilyn LawsonDurbin Plumbing customer
Questions about running and leaking toilets
Have a question that is not here? Call the office.
(502) 266-9408Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
How much does it cost to fix a running toilet?
We give you a price after we know what is wrong, and often Doug sees the toilet first. What changes the price is whether it is a repair or a new toilet, the toilet you choose, and how easy it is to reach and remove the old one. Tina or Doug can talk it through on the phone first.
How much water does an old toilet use?
Up to 6 gallons a flush, according to the EPA. Today’s federal standard is 1.6 gallons, and WaterSense models use 1.28 gallons or less.
Should I replace a toilet just because it keeps running?
Not by itself. Run the EPA dye test first, then have the inside parts checked. If the toilet is an older model that uses up to 6 gallons a flush, a new one may cost less over time, given the EPA’s estimate of more than $170 a year in savings.
How soon can you come out?
We usually answer the phone live, and we give you a two-hour arrival window instead of making you wait all day. Call (502) 266-9408 between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday.
Request service
Tell us what is going on
Send the form during business hours and we usually call you right back. After hours or on a weekend, we call or text you back. If you would rather talk now, call (502) 266-9408, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
- We call you backTina or Doug, the owners, usually pick up live.
- You get a two-hour windowInstead of waiting all day for the plumber.
- We can call when we are on the wayIf you need to leave work to meet us.
- Doug quotes on siteHe sees the job first, then gives you an accurate quote.