Residential plumbing · Denver Metro, Colorado
Toilet repair and replacement
A running toilet usually needs a new flapper, fill valve or float adjustment. Water at the base means the wax seal or flange needs attention, and a rocking toilet should be fixed before it breaks the seal. We repair toilets and install new ones.
Toilets are simple machines with a few parts that wear out. Running water, weak flushes and leaks almost always trace back to one of them. A few minutes of checking usually tells you which.
Running and phantom flushes
Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 15 to 30 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper isn't sealing. If the water level is at the top of the overflow tube, the fill valve isn't shutting off or the float is set too high. A chain that's too short holds the flapper open; too long and it can get trapped under it.
Leaks at the base
Water around the base after flushing usually means the wax ring has failed, often because the toilet rocks or the flange is damaged or too low. Left alone, it soaks the subfloor. The fix is pulling the toilet, inspecting the flange, and resetting with a new seal. A ceiling stain below an upstairs bathroom is a common way this shows up first.
Weak flushes
Weak flushes come from a low tank water level, a partly closed shutoff, a worn flush valve or, in older toilets, rim holes narrowed by mineral scale. A toilet that flushes weakly even with healthy tank parts may simply be an older or poorly designed model where replacement is the better fix.
Replacing a toilet
Replacement makes sense for cracked tanks or bowls, a weak flush that new tank parts don't fix, very old high-volume toilets, or a remodel. Measure the rough-in (the distance from the wall to the center of the floor bolts) before buying. A new install includes a new seal, supply line and, usually, a new shutoff if the old one is tired.
Choosing a new toilet
- Flush volume: Colorado's SB14-103 requires toilets sold in the state to carry the EPA WaterSense label, which means 1.28 gallons per flush or less, compared with 1.6 under federal rules and far more in older toilets.
- Bowl shape: round bowls suit small bathrooms; elongated bowls are more comfortable but longer.
- Height: comfort-height models sit a couple of inches higher, easier for many adults.
- Rough-in: measure from the finished wall to the floor bolts; most are 12 inches.
- Flush performance: independent test scores are worth checking before you buy.
When an older toilet flushes poorly
A toilet that never seems to flush with enough force usually has a fixture problem: rim jets narrowed by Colorado's hard-water minerals, a worn flush valve or flapper that doesn't open fully, a tank water level set too low, or simply an old bowl design. Cleaning the jets, adjusting the fill height and replacing the flapper or flush valve can bring it back. If the toilet is a decades-old model, replacing it with a well-rated WaterSense toilet is often the better fix.
Signs your toilet needs attention
- Toilet runs or hisses
- Tank refills on its own
- Water on the floor after flushing
- Toilet rocks
- Weak or incomplete flush
- Cracked tank or bowl
How a visit goes
- Check the tankFlapper, fill valve, flush valve, chain.
- Check the baseSeal, flange and stability.
- Repair or replaceParts or a new toilet.
- TestSeveral flushes and a dry floor.
What's different here
- Mineral buildup. Scale collects in aerators, cartridges and fill valves.
- Two-story homes. Many metro homes from the 1970s through the 1990s have bathrooms over finished ceilings, so base leaks show up as ceiling stains.
- Original shutoffs. Old angle stops behind toilets often drip or seize when turned.
What affects the cost
Every home is set up differently, so we price the job after we've seen it. These are the things that move the number.
- Tank partsFlapper, fill valve or flush valve.
- Wax seal and flangeFlange repair adds time.
- Shutoff and supplyReplacing old angle stops.
- New toiletModel and rough-in.
- Floor conditionSoft subfloor needs other trades.
- AccessTight bathrooms.
Questions we hear
Why does my toilet keep running?
Usually a worn flapper, a fill valve that won't shut off, or the float set too high.
Why does my toilet refill by itself?
That's a slow flapper leak. Water seeps from the tank into the bowl until the fill valve tops it up.
Is water around the base serious?
Yes, it usually means the seal has failed and water is reaching the subfloor. Fix it soon.
What does a rocking toilet mean?
The floor or flange isn't level, or bolts are loose. Rocking breaks the wax seal over time.
How do I measure my toilet's rough-in?
Measure from the finished wall to the center of the floor bolts. Most are 12 inches; some are 10 or 14.
Should I repair or replace an old toilet?
Repair tank parts on a sound toilet. Replace a cracked one, or one that still flushes weakly after new tank parts.
Do new toilets in Colorado have to be low-flow?
Yes. Under SB14-103, toilets sold in Colorado must be WaterSense-labeled, using 1.28 gallons per flush or less.
Is a comfort-height toilet worth it?
Many adults find it easier to sit and stand. It's a personal choice; it fits the same rough-in.
Why does my toilet hiss?
The fill valve isn't shutting off fully, often because of debris or a worn seal. Replacing the fill valve usually fixes it.
Can I replace a toilet flapper myself?
Often, yes. Turn off the supply valve, flush to empty the tank, and match the flapper size to your flush valve. If the shutoff won't turn or drips, stop and call.
Related services
Faucets, Toilets & Fixtures
Dripping faucets, running toilets, tired shower valves and new fixtures you've picked out.
Leak & Pipe Repair
Pinhole leaks, failed fittings, frozen and split pipes, leaking shutoff valves and supply lines.
Toilet repair and replacement near you
We're based in Thornton and work across the Denver Metro:
Emergency plumber by city
Water leaking now? Shut off the main, then call.
Something leaking, dripping or cold?
Call and tell us what's going on, or pick a time online. If it's not something we handle, we'll say so.