What is ghost flushing? If you don’t already know, ghost flushing is when your toilet flushes on its own. Don’t worry, there are no supernatural beings involved. In fact, the cause and the fix for ghost flushing is simple. In this article brought to you by Mr. Rooter Plumbing, we will go over reasons why your toilet is ghost flushing and some things you can do to fix this problem. If you would like to hire a professional plumber, then look no further than Mr. Rooter Plumbing. Our plumbers are trained and equipped to detect, diagnose, and repair a wide range of toilet issues. We are available around the clock, so don’t hesitate to call.
What Is Ghost Flushing?
Normally, your toilet flush is only activated when you pull a lever or push a button that releases water from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl, pushing the waste and wastewater in the toilet bowl down the drains. Ghost flushing is when this process activates automatically or on its own. If there is a leak in the system, for example, then water will fill the toilet bowl and trigger a flush. So, what causes ghost flushing and how can you stop it? We explore these questions in the next two sections.
Causes of Ghost Flushing
The usual suspect is a leak, but this can be an internal leak or an external leak. You can determine whether the leak is internal or external with a dye test. Grab a food dye and put a few drops into the toilet tank. Come back after about an hour and check the toilet bowl’s water. If the dye has made its way from the tank to the toilet bowl, then your leak is internal. Otherwise, you might have an external leak.
Resolving Internal Leaks
The usual culprit in an internal leak is a worn or damaged flapper. The flapper is a rubber piece that seals the pipe between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl. A manual flush lifts the flapper, allowing water to rush into the toilet bowl and trigger a flush. If the flapper is damaged or otherwise not forming a snug seal, then water will leak from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl. Adjust or replace the flapper to resolve this leak.
You can also check the refill pipe. Make sure it is not too far in the overflow pipe. You do not want the refill pipe to enter the overflow pipe. If it is, then pull it out.
Addressing External Leaks
External leaks are much more problematic and difficult to repair on your own. If the dye test did not change the color of the water in the bowl, then you likely have an external leak. The sources are usually a loose supply tube, damaged toilet bowl, faulty shutoff valve, or leak from underneath the toilet. Repairing these takes some extra equipment and expertise, so consider calling Mr. Rooter Plumbing to hire a professional plumber. We are always ready to help.