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We have a 1+ yr old Sterling toilet Which worked fine until about a week ago. Now, nine times out of ten, it won't automatically refill after being flushedunless you take the (very) heavy cover off the water tankand manually lightly tap the black tab which is part of the black & red plastic assembly on top of the refill valve. The toilet works fine otherwise.
My 86 yr. old blind & disabled husband has already dropped & broken one heavy toilet tank cover and I don't want him to risk hurting himself by dropping another. I also don't want to pay for an expensive plumber visit for what is probably a very simple fix or adjustment.
Sounds like the fill valve float is stuck. It doesn't drop when you flush, signaling the need for more water to flow in and refill the tank.
Your local home department store - lowes, home depot, etc - will have the replacement part. It won't cost more than $15 and it's very simple to install - I just did one of ours this past month.
If you are considering getting a new water fill valve rather than just the part of the fill valve that is malfunctioning, I would suggest the Korky brand fill valve. It's the quietest fill valve I have found. Read the reviews on Home Depot's website. Many customers agree that it's much quieter than other brands.
I recently had my toilet "guts" replaced with a kit purchased from Home Depot. The fill valve in the kit could wake the dead. It was awful. Right away I had it replaced with a Korky brand quiet fill valve--which what was in my tank before I thought I needed to replace it. Since I knew I had to get the flapper replaced, I thought it would be a good time to replace all parts inside the tank. Bad idea! The Korky brand fill valve is less than $10 at my Home Depot. Hopefully you have access to this brand where you are.
These can be replaced with a pair of slip-joint pliers and a little effort, essentially, everything easily unscrews. A handyman can do this if you don't feel capable, cheaper than a plumber.
If you are considering getting a new water fill valve rather than just the part of the fill valve that is malfunctioning, I would suggest the Korky brand fill valve. It's the quietest fill valve I have found. Read the reviews on Home Depot's website. Many customers agree that it's much quieter than other brands.
I recently had my toilet "guts" replaced with a kit purchased from Home Depot. The fill valve in the kit could wake the dead. It was awful. Right away I had it replaced with a Korky brand quiet fill valve--which what was in my tank before I thought I needed to replace it. Since I knew I had to get the flapper replaced, I thought it would be a good time to replace all parts inside the tank. Bad idea! The Korky brand fill valve is less than $10 at my Home Depot. Hopefully you have access to this brand where you are.
Replacing the fill valve is the simplest fix for a problem with a sticking fill valve. There is only a slight difference in price between parts and the entire fill valve. If you had the toilet less than a year almost all brands of toilets are covered by a one year defective parts warranty (some American Standard toilets have 5 and 10 year parts warranties, Sterling and Kohler toilet warranties are one year).
Below are links to two videos from Lowe's How to website that show how to replace or repair various toilet parts including the fill valve. Almost all 2 piece toilets (tank is bolted or otherwise mechanically attached to the bowl) use universal fill valves. Note that one-piece toilets require different types (often model specific) parts. Fluid Master and Korky are the two biggest brands of toilet repair parts.
Simple Toilet Repairs
Learn all about toilet parts, how a toilet works and common repairs with this helpful how-to guide.
There are small particles which flow along with the water in water pipes. These small particles clog sink aerators and the little tube in the toilet which refills the bowl.
Plumbers keep installing plumbing this way because THAT IS THE WAY THEY ALWAYS HAVE! They don't think to design things better. They also keep installing the shower heads at "nose height"!
With that said, you can install or have installed a mesh screen "spin down filter" to filter your entire home's water and/or a spin down filter at the toilet water supply. Those filters will keep the small particles out of the toilet mechanism and it will no longer clog.
Thank you to all who took the time and effort to respond to my query about the tank frequently not refilling when flushed. My husband and I are both elderly and disabled, and neither of us is now able to replace this fill valve ourselves anymore, and I wanted to avoid calling an expensive plumber if there was a simple 'adjustment' I could do myself.
I think I may try the manufacturer's tech support, and if no satisfaction, the plumber it is.
Do you have a (no offense) younger aged friendly neighbor that can help replace the fill valve? It's so easy to change out that any person that's capable of reaching down to switch off the water , unscrew the old fill valve, pop in the new and do the reverse (rescrew and then turn on the water again).
The only thing is that sometimes the nut that's underneath the tank can get "stuck" and you'd need a wrench, but otherwise no tool is needed. I'd hate for you to waste $75 on a plumber if a strapping young lad living next door could help you out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by madgalb
Thank you to all who took the time and effort to respond to my query about the tank frequently not refilling when flushed. My husband and I are both elderly and disabled, and neither of us is now able to replace this fill valve ourselves anymore, and I wanted to avoid calling an expensive plumber if there was a simple 'adjustment' I could do myself.
I think I may try the manufacturer's tech support, and if no satisfaction, the plumber it is.
thank you QTBrye ... you seem like a very kind man, indeed. Here in NYC (Queens) you couldn't get a plumber to answer his phone for $75.00. We're probably talking $200+.
We don't have any strapping lads for neighbors, but you gave me an idea. I would have to get myself to a hardware store to pick up the new valve in any event, so maybe I will give them a call first and see if they have a handyman who will do it for less than a plumber. There is one old-time hardware store in Ridgewood that always has a lot of retired guys hanging out there, so that a possibility.
Thanks for a GREAT idea!!!
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Replacing or repairing Defective Fill Valves
