# Did you jiggle the handle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 20, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416 "2024-01-20T23:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/1 "2024-01-20T23:41:13Z")
I guess not. Some used the toilet in the house we just bought, and didn’t notice that it never stopped running. In the time between when they did this and when we took possession of the house (around a month later), that little bit of carelessness cost us 110,000 gallons of water and $800. Not to mention the panic that we might have a burst pipe. I was very lucky to have a nice person from the city go out and look at the meter for me and confirm that it’s not running. It would have been 16 hours round-trip for me to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/2 "2024-01-20T23:55:24Z")
One question; why are you responsible for bills incurred prior to taking possession of the house? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/3 "2024-01-21T00:06:16Z")
It’s not straightforward. I suspect we could fight it, and get some money back, but the majority of the bill occurred after closing, but before we actually spent any time in the house. My guess is the people who were cleaning the house for the walk-through did it. That was only a few days before we closed, but we then left town and didn’t come back for nearly a month. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/4 "2024-01-21T00:23:37Z")
Oh. The jiggle the handle is a pet peeve of mine. I hate when it’s a thing. I hate to remind people. I hate to have to do it. I’m on a well. It gets very hot here in the South. Gallons of wasted water make me very mad. So I hate to hear a toilet running, most of all. My ears have developed super powers for that sound in my house. Nothing will make me threaten to call a plumber faster. (Well there was the unfortunate incident of two pairs of socks getting flushed, kinda). Mr. Wrek knows I’m serious, he’ll jump right on the job, if I threaten to call a plumber. It’s a tall order to get one out here and very pricey. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/5 "2024-01-21T00:38:56Z")
I have jiggled the handle, and I have liked it. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/6 "2024-01-21T01:01:09Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > 110,000 gallons of water and $800 You should check and see if the water company does some kind of “leak forgiveness”. My Dad had an issue with his sprinkler system, and they forgave a bunch of the bill in exchange for proof of repair and maybe an inspection. 16 hours away makes this difficult, but if you’re at all handy replacing the flapper and other parts of a toilet is a very simple DIY job. The parts are $20, and the first time it will take you 45 minutes, and the second time 10 minutes. (Those comments apply to the basic Toto toilets I have, no promises about something a plumber installed as job security.) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/7 "2024-01-21T01:17:40Z")
Oh, I fixed the toilet as soon as I discovered it. The chain to the flapper valve was too short - one more link and it worked every time. I’ll have to check with the city and see if there is anything they will do - thanks for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/8 "2024-01-21T01:35:35Z")
I don’t suppose homeowners would cover this accident. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/9 "2024-01-21T02:26:36Z")
Homeowners typically covers only the damage caused by the water (ruined floors, etc), not the plumbing repair itself, which is just general maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/10 "2024-01-21T02:38:44Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I’ll have to check with the city and see if there is anything they will do I really hate to the one to say this… ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/11 "2024-01-21T02:47:52Z")
Water companies are the mob enforcers of the utilities world. They don’t care who, but _someone_ is going to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/12 "2024-01-21T02:49:58Z")
Remember when you got a mortgage and went into escrow and had to sign checks for all that weird insurance? Surely one of them covered expenses from things damaged by cleaners and other extraneous people traipsing thru the house you haven’t occupied yet. WAG ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/13 "2024-01-21T03:04:29Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Surely one of them covered expenses from things damaged by cleaners and other extraneous people traipsing thru the house you haven’t occupied yet. What was damaged? ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/14 "2024-01-21T03:30:54Z")
Not likely to be covered, and even if it were, $800 might not even exceed the deductible. But if it did ($500 deductible say) the money received from a claim would probably be quickly wiped out by future increased premiums. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/15 "2024-01-21T05:40:24Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > But if it did ($500 deductible say) the money received from a claim would probably be quickly wiped out by future increased premiums. Yeah, after 33 years of no claims, I filed 2 in the last 10 years for under $2,500 each. My agent told me not to file any more unless they were significant because my rates would shoot up. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/16 "2024-01-21T18:20:30Z")
I’ve got three toilets in my three-floor townhouse condo (four levels if you count the toiletless finished basement), all replaced over the course of the almost 30 years I’ve lived here. The stopper in the first floor half-bath toilet once in a great while will not seat properly and the water keeps running, as I found out to my dismay after I’d gone out and come back to find it still merrily gurgling away. Lift the cover, tweak the chain, and it’s fine. It happens so rarely it’s not worth the hassle of trying to correct the one-link-or-so incorrect chain length myself, and sure as shootin’ not worth the expense of getting my plumber in to adjust it, or replace the inner workings, not when a simple jiggle tells me whether the flapper seated properly. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/17 "2024-01-21T18:32:03Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > My agent told me not to file any more unless they were significant because my rates would shoot up. Or they might even refuse to renew your policy. Yeah - we made the mistake of making what we thought were reasonably claims at our agent’s advice. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/18 "2024-01-21T20:17:08Z")
Let’s do a little math: - One month = 720 hours (24x30) - 110,000 / 720 = 153 gallons per hour - [Standard faucet flow rate](https://lulani.com/blogs/lulani-blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-faucets-water-flow-rate) = 1 - 2.2 gpm = 60 - 132 gph The running toilet was draining faster than a wide-open high-flow faucet? I’m not a plumber, but ISTM that most toilet supply lines I’ve seen were about the same size as faucet supply lines. So even if the flapper valve had been wide open, not merely leaking a little, I don’t see how it could have drained that much water. To be clear, I’m not doubting the facts as stated by the OP, it just seems that a running toilet couldn’t have been responsible for wasting that much water. How certain are you that that was the culprit, and the only culprit? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/19 "2024-01-21T20:24:18Z")
> A toilet will normally use about 2-3 gallons per minute (gpm), a shower from 1.5 to 3.0 gpm, a bathroom or kitchen faucet from 2-3 gpm, a dishwasher from 2-4 gpm, and a washing machine from 3-5 gpm. From: [What is the water flow rate to most fixtures in my house? – Drinking Water and Human Health](https://drinking-water.extension.org/what-is-the-water-flow-rate-to-most-fixtures-in-my-house/) Also, the bill is rounded to 10,000 gallons, so it might be “only” 100K gallons. And no, I’m not sure it was the only water usage. But, when I fixed the toilet, the water usage went to zero. There may have been some water that was used in the time when we were away that was stopped (hose outside?). ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416/20 "2024-01-21T20:45:59Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > (Well there was the unfortunate incident of two pairs of socks getting flushed, kinda) My lonely mismatched sock asks me to inquire whether one was dark grey, size 44 (European). He misses his sibling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-jiggle-the-handle/996416.md?page=2)