Phantom Flushing Toilets 

Our toilet has recently started to flush on its own. What is happening?

In the plumbing industry, this is called a phantom flusher. Toilet affliction issues and woes are one of the most common problems, only because the toilet is one of the most used plumbing devices in a home. The phantom flushing more than likely simply means the tank is leaking; a leaky flapper valve. You can confirm this issue by pouring some food coloring into the tank after the tank has filled with water and the water has stopped running. Check the toilet after 10-20 minutes and if the bowl water is colored you will know that the flapper is not sealing properly and needs to be replaced. To replace the flapper, turn off the water supply to the tank. Flush the toilet to drain out the water. Replace the flapper valve. With easy to follow instruction, turn the water back on and test flush the toilet. It would be good insurance to perform the color dye test one more time to ensure that you replaced the flapper correctly.

There is one more cause that might be creating the phantom flush and that is if the refill tube is stuck inside the overflow tube. If it is, this means the refill tube needs to be reattached.