quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Thanks everyone for the advice and help!

I replaced the Fluidmaster fill valve with the same and all is well again.

I guess I should plan on replacing them every 3-5 years with our extremely hard water?

Sorry I just saw this. But we have the same toilet and think the float valves last about two years.

If you haven't replaced the flapper yet, plan on replacing it soon. they don't last very long either.

Between my rentals and my house, I have twenty toilets. Some valves are decades old, some go bad in a year. There’s no point in replacing them on a schedule. Just do it when they go bad.

Fill/float valves yes. Flappers you'd do well to change them yearly.

Reach in and touch it, if you get residue on your fingers, replace it.

Dye test it. Pour some form of coloring in the tank. If it shows up in the bowl in less than 45 minutes or so, change it.

^ You should do that a week or so after you replace it as well, I've seen plenty of new ones that weren't any good. Older toilets also have brass seats that will get grooves worn in them over time and cause them not to seal.

I've beat this drum here for years because I've done it my whole life and people just won't listen. My great uncle started a cesspool business in 1946 and my father is still doing it today. I would say 75%? 85%? 90%? of the people who call with full cesspools have toilets running. Take the customer by the hand and show them water running into the pool or septic tank. Open the house trap and show them water running through it. Open the toilet tank and touch the flapper and have the rubber come off all over your fingers. And they say "Oh no, it's not running, if it were I'd hear it!" Ahhhh! You want to choke them. These are the same people who call you back in two-three weeks complaining they have trouble again.

I've got very hard water here.

In my 18 years living in this house, I had some trouble with flappers. The first 5 years or so I had to replace them annually.

Since then I haven't had to replace a single one in either bathroom.

I have no idea why.

Update: Just replaced the other two toilet fill valves with the (blue top) Fluidmaster universal fill valves.

Super easy! I think the hardest part was sopping up the excess water left in the tank with a sponge. And to think I was about to call in a plumber at $180/hour or so for this!

I’m also going to take the advice given and order 3 more spares to have on hand.

Funny, since this thread started, I had to change out the flow valve in one of my toilets. I will head for Home Depot tomorrow to get two more valves to have when called for.