Toilet repair and replacement in northern Utah

A toilet that keeps running is letting water out of the tank, or it is not shutting off the water coming in. Lift the tank lid and look. There are four usual causes:

• A worn flapper. The flapper is the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank. When it hardens or warps, water seeps into the bowl, and the tank refills again and again.
• A chain that is too short or tangled. It holds the flapper open a crack.
• A fill valve that does not shut off. Water rises until it spills into the overflow tube, the open pipe in the middle of the tank.
• A float set too high. The water level should sit below the top of the overflow tube.

High water pressure is hard on a fill valve. The City of Saratoga Springs says its water pressure can vary from 40 to 150 psi depending on where you live in a pressure zone (source).

To stop the water until the repair, close the shut-off valve on the wall or floor behind the toilet. Turn it clockwise.

A toilet that leaks at the base usually has a failed wax ring. The wax ring is the seal between the bottom of the toilet and the drain pipe in the floor. When the seal breaks, a little water escapes with every flush.

A wax ring fails for these reasons:

• The toilet rocks. Loose bolts or an uneven floor let the toilet move, and the movement breaks the seal.
• The flange is broken or sits too low. The flange is the fitting in the floor that the toilet bolts to.
• The wax is old. It can dry out and stop sealing.

Water on the floor can also come from above. A dripping supply line, loose tank bolts, or a sweating tank all run down to the base. Dry everything with a towel and watch where the water shows first.

Use another toilet until the leak is fixed. Water from a failed wax ring has been through the bowl, and it soaks into the floor. Do not tighten the bolts harder. Too much force cracks the porcelain.

A toilet that flushes weakly is not getting water into the bowl fast enough, or the water cannot get out. These are the usual causes:

• Mineral scale in the jets. On most toilets, water enters the bowl through small holes under the rim and a larger jet at the bottom. Hard water leaves scale that narrows them. Provo's 2025 Water Report lists typical hardness of 10–15 grains per gallon (source). Weber Basin Water Conservancy District's 2025 report says the hardness of its water can range from 10 to 18 grains per gallon (source).
• A low water level in the tank. A float set too low, or a flapper that closes too soon, cuts the flush short.
• Something stuck in the trap. A toy, a wipe, or a bottle cap lodged in the toilet's built-in trap catches paper.
• A clog past the toilet. If a tub or sink gurgles or drains slowly when the toilet flushes, the clog is probably in the drain line. That is a drain cleaning job.

Flush only toilet paper.

Repair a toilet when the porcelain is sound and the problem is a part. Replace the toilet when the tank or the bowl is cracked, or when the same problem keeps coming back.

Repair makes sense for:

• A worn flapper, fill valve, or flush handle.
• A leaking supply line or shut-off valve.
• A failed wax ring or loose bolts.
• Something stuck in the trap.

Replacement makes sense when:

• The tank or the bowl is cracked.
• The toilet still flushes weakly or clogs after the jets and the drain have been cleared.
• The finish inside the bowl is worn rough and no longer rinses clean.
• Parts for the model are hard to find.
• The toilet is an older model that uses much more water.

The EPA says older toilets use as much as 6 gallons per flush. The current federal standard is 1.6 gallons, and toilets with the WaterSense label use 1.28 gallons per flush or less (source).

A toilet replacement takes out the old toilet and sets the toilet you choose on a sound flange with a new seal. The steps are:

1. We close the shut-off valve, flush, and remove the water left in the tank and the bowl.
2. We disconnect the supply line, take off the nuts at the base, and lift the old toilet off the flange.
3. We scrape away the old wax and check the flange and the floor around it. A broken flange is repaired before the new toilet goes down. If the floor is soft from an old leak, we show you before going further.
4. We set new bolts and a new wax ring, lower the toilet onto the flange, and tighten it evenly so it sits level and does not rock.
5. We connect the water supply and let the tank fill.
6. We flush several times and check the base, the tank, and the supply connection for leaks.

We give free estimates and do not post prices. These are the things that change the cost of toilet repair or replacement:

• Repair or replacement. A new flapper or fill valve is a smaller job than pulling the toilet or setting a new one.
• The toilet you choose. One-piece toilets, taller bowls, and dual-flush models cost more than a basic two-piece toilet.
• The flange. A broken or low flange has to be repaired before any toilet can seal to it.
• The floor. A long leak can rot the floor under the toilet. That has to be repaired before a toilet is set on it.
• The shut-off valve and supply line. An old valve that will not close, or a corroded supply line, adds to the job.
• The rough-in. A drain set 10 or 14 inches from the wall, instead of the common 12, limits which toilets fit.

We tell you the cost before we start the work.

A toilet with a silent leak lets water slip from the tank into the bowl, with nothing on the floor and little or no sound. The EPA says an old or worn flapper can cause a toilet to flush on its own or silently leak thousands of gallons a year (source).

Watch for these signs:

• The tank refills for a few seconds when no one has flushed.
• A faint hiss or trickle comes from the tank.
• The water in the bowl ripples when the toilet has not been used.
• The water bill climbs with no change in how you use water.

Then check your water meter. The City of Orem says the meter is typically near the front sidewalk under a metal lid, with a small red dial near its center (source). With every faucet and fixture off, a dial that keeps turning means water is moving somewhere.

A few drops of food coloring in the tank confirm a toilet leak. Our leak detection page explains the test.