Does the fill valve hiss or sound like water running, even when no one is using the toilet? That's the tank refilling because water is escaping. A running toilet is almost always an internal leak.
Remove the tank lid. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, then wait without flushing for 15 minutes. If the color shows up in the bowl, water is leaking through the flapper. You have your answer.
Look inside the tank. The flapper is the rubber disk at the bottom. If it's cracked, warped, or has mineral buildup, it won't seal. The fill valve is the tall mechanism on the left. If it's hissing, it's failing.
Toilets in Scotts Valley homes run on simple mechanics that wear out. Inside the tank, a flapper seals the opening so water stays put. When you flush, the flapper lifts and the bowl fills. Then it closes again. If the flapper cracks or wears, water leaks into the bowl continuously. The tank senses the water level drop and the fill valve kicks in to refill. This cycle repeats all day. Mineral deposits from our local water speed up wear on both parts.
A running toilet sounds quiet but costs real money. It's not a repair you can put off for a month. We've seen homeowners in Watsonville and Aptos lose hundreds of gallons a month to a flapper that's finally failed. Sometimes the flapper is cheap to replace. Sometimes the fill valve needs it too. A plumber checks both, orders parts if needed, and fixes it right.
Most toilet repairs take under an hour. We can get to you in about 45 minutes from your call. If it's a straightforward flapper, we replace it on the spot. If the fill valve is the problem, we diagnose it first and walk you through what it costs before we do the work.
Describe what you're seeing to a real Scotts Valley plumber: call (831) 555-0179 or send the form. Free, no obligation.