Is it OK to keep flushing an overflowing toilet in Millcreek while waiting for help?
No — shut off the fixture's own valve first. Flushing again while it's already overflowing just adds more water to a floor that's already wet.
Toilet Help in Millcreek
Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026
24/7 Express Handyman Service answers running-toilet calls in Millcreek. 180 gallons of water a week is what household leaks — a running toilet is one of the most common — can waste, according to EPA WaterSense. (Residential Toilets — US EPA WaterSense) 4,850 feet is the elevation of the NOAA climate station on Salt Lake City's east bench, near Millcreek, whose 1991-2020 climate normals record a January average low temperature of 22.8 degrees Fahrenheit. (NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Monthly) — Salt Lake City E Bench, UT)
Do this now
- Shut off the toilet's own water valve, usually on the wall or floor just behind the bowl — turn it clockwise until it stops.
- If it's already overflowed, protect the subfloor with towels and check whether water has reached an outlet or a ceiling below.
- Lift the tank lid and, if you can reach it safely, hold the flapper down or lift the fill-valve float to slow the running water until the shutoff takes effect.
Call now
East Bench & Downtown Salt Lake CityAnswered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.
24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee before rolling.
What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site
- Shut off and isolate the fixture's supply.
- Extract standing water and dry the area.
- Make safe: clear the area around the toilet so nothing is left sitting in water.
What the licensed partner does
- A licensed plumber handles the flapper, fill valve or flush handle and anything beyond the fixture itself — a cracked tank, a wax ring failure, or a clog in the branch line — and that work is contracted and billed by the plumber.
What to have ready when you call
- Whether the shutoff valve is on or off now
- Whether the floor around the toilet is wet
- How long it's been running
- The address and access details
What happens next
- The dispatcher confirms your address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, then Tom rolls.
- On arrival Tom stops the water and dries the area, then brings in a licensed plumber for the fixture repair itself.
- Photograph the damage before anything is moved and keep every receipt; 24/7 Express Handyman Service provides an itemised invoice your insurer may ask for. The dispatch fee and job cost are paid by you on the day.
In Millcreek
The upper Mill Creek Canyon road closes to vehicle traffic every year on November 1 and does not reopen to cars until late spring, depending on weather and road conditions, restricting motorized access to canyon-area properties through the winter. Dogs must be on-leash at all times in the canyon on even-numbered days, and are allowed off-leash on trails on odd-numbered days. (Mill Creek Canyon — Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation) Millcreek's municipal code prohibits parking a vehicle on any city street when it is snowing or snow is on the street during November, December, January, February, March, and April. (Millcreek Municipal Code §11.20.130, Parking Prohibited When)
Calls come from around Olympus Cove, Millcreek Canyon, the benches.
Questions people ask
More questions about toilet won't stop running or is overflowing
Sources
- Residential Toilets — US EPA WaterSense — retrieved 2026-09-22
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Monthly) — Salt Lake City E Bench, UT — retrieved 2026-09-19
- Mill Creek Canyon — Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation — retrieved 2026-09-19
- Millcreek Municipal Code §11.20.130, Parking Prohibited When — retrieved 2026-09-19