FAQs

Toilet Repair Information and FAQs

General Toilet Parts

What is the difference between 'OEM' and 'will-fit' parts? And what do these terms mean anyway?
What are the most commonly replaced toilet parts?
How long 'should' the parts inside of my toilet last?
Why does my toilet continue to run after flushing?
I do not have water flowing into the tank of the toilet. I have checked the valve behind the toilet and it is in the open position.
I'm replacing an old toilet water valve. The old brass compression ring seems to be stuck on the copper pipe and does not come off. I tried re-using it with my new valve, but there's a slow drip. How do you get that old compression ring off the pipe?
I need to replace a toilet in our home and have heard coworkers and friends complain that the new low-flow toilets do not flush properly, and that they require multiple flushes. What is the recommendation for toilet replacement?
What are the dimensions of chair/comfort/ADA height vs. standard height toilets?
When you sell your house, do the toilets have to be low flow?

Fill Valves

How are the lengths of toilet fill valves measured?
I installed a new fill valve and my new valve comes on (and then goes off) for a few seconds about once per hour?

Flush Valves & Flappers

What's the best way to replace my toilet flapper?
My toilet flapper is going only half way down which makes the water flow constantly. How can I fix this?
I constantly have to hold the handle to keep the flapper from resealing before the water flows out. Does this mean I need a new flapper?
I have a leak around my toilet flapper. I tried replacing it with a universal one but it doesn’t help. What else can I do?

Toilet Trip Levers

When I press on the handle to flush the toilet, nothing happens.
How do I tell what type of mount my trip lever is?
What are trip levers usually made of? What's the best kind?

Miscellaneous Toilet Parts

I've replaced the 'bad' wax gaskets on my toilet a few times and my toilet still leaks! What else can I do?

Toilet Seats

Which material do you feel makes a better seat, plastic or wood?
There seems to be a seam or a line in the plastic toilet seat I received. Is this a crack or a weak spot?