Mud can get in the pipes when they work on them somewhere along the main, which 
around here is every few years. It can also be a leaky float if it's a balloon 
type, which will take on water and not rise as far.

If it's a lever arm and float, bend the arm and see if it needs additional 
pressure to close. The further down it points, the harder it will force the 
valve. There is a similar adjustment on the other types too.

Also, turn off the water and see if the tank drains down. It really could be 
the flapper letting enough go that it never finishes filling...


Sean Breheny wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> Happy Easter!
> 
> I struggled a bit with whether to make this OT or EE (Everything
> Engineering), but here it goes:
> 
> One of the toilets in my mom's house is leaking. The problem is that
> the fill valve never closes completely. The interesting thing is that
> this is about the fifth time that this has happened in 15 years or so.
> Is it normal to have to replace that valve assembly every three years?
> All the sites I've checked indicate that the flapper is most often the
> cause of leaks, but with this toilet, it has never been the cause of
> the leaks. She never uses in-tank cleaners or anything which should
> hasten the demise of the valve. The only thing I can think of is maybe
> high or erratic water pressure? Her water is not very hard. It may be
> chlorinated but I don't taste it as excessive.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Sean
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist