Toilet flush repair: fill valve, float or button, we replace the faulty part

Each symptom points to a specific part. Tell us what you see: we often know which part to bring before we set off.

Water keeps running into the bowl

Two likely causes. Either the flush valve seal no longer closes (worn, misshapen or scaled up) and water leaks from the cistern into the bowl. Or the float no longer shuts off the fill valve and water spills down the overflow pipe. It won't flood, but it can push up your water bill.

The cistern won't refill, or fills very slowly

The fill valve is stuck or furred up with limescale, the inlet filter is clogged, or the isolation valve has been left half closed. Once the part is cleaned or replaced, the cistern fills normally again.

The flush button does nothing

The cable or rod linking the button to the mechanism has come loose, or the button itself is broken. On a concealed cistern we work through the access opening behind the flush plate, without breaking the wall.

Leaking cistern, water at the base of the toilet

Seal between cistern and pan, supply connection or a cracked cistern. See also water leak.

• Close the toilet's isolation valve (small valve on the supply pipe, behind or beside the pan). The water stops running straight away.
• To use the toilet anyway: open the valve to refill the cistern, flush, then close it again.
• On a visible cistern you can lift the lid and look inside: if water is running into the top of the overflow pipe, it's the float; if the level is lower and water still runs, it's the flush valve seal. Lay the lid flat on a towel: ceramic breaks easily.
• Don't force off the plate of a concealed cistern: the clips break easily.
• Take a photo of the open cistern or the plate: it often lets us identify the brand and the part.
• Want to adjust the float or change the seal yourself? Our guide toilet keeps running: how to fix it walks through the safe steps.

We shut off the water, empty the cistern and replace the faulty part. Depending on the model, the flush mechanism lifts out from the top or the cistern has to come off to reach its fixing: that's our job, not yours.

• Float and fill valve: descaled or replaced, then the water level is set. Side-entry or bottom-entry supply, we bring the matching part.
• Flush valve seal: replaced if it's split or misshapen. If it's only scaled up, cleaning is sometimes enough.
• Complete flush mechanism: replaced when the body is broken or the part is no longer made. On a dual flush, we set both volumes.
• Button and linkage: cable, rod or button replaced, then the travel is adjusted.

Customers tell us so: where another company wanted to replace the whole toilet, replacing the flush parts was enough. We only suggest a full replacement when it's genuinely needed, and we explain why.

On a wall-hung toilet the cistern sits inside the wall, in a concealed frame. Access is through the opening behind the flush plate: the fill valve, flush mechanism and linkage can all be changed that way, without breaking the wall. For a plumber it's routine work.

If the pan itself needs to come off (outlet seal to redo), we tell you and price it first. An object stuck in the waste outlet is a job for our blocked toilet service.

The price depends on the part, the type of toilet (floor-standing or wall-hung) and the time of day. You hear the total including 17% VAT before we travel, and the quote is free.

A running toilet can usually wait for a daytime appointment, with no surcharge. See our prices.