Sir Thomas Crapper invented the flush toilet on this day in 1861 in merry old England. Today, we celebrate his invention with our annual reminder to check on and tune up your toilets. They, on average, represent about half your monthly water bill. If your toilet seeps water and runs around the clock, that figure starts to climb and dollars go down the drain. First, lift the tank lid to see what's happening. You'll find a tall plastic overflow tube. If water is trickling down its inner surface, the level is too high. It'll need adjusting by bending the float-tank arm downward. If this doesn't work, the entire fill-valve unit probably needs replacing. The bottom flush valve can leak too. If it does, it's usually caused by only one or two problems -- either the flapper ball doesn't seat properly and needs cleaning, or, if worn, it needs to be replaced. And that's the On The House tip for today.