Alexei Volkov
A faulty toilet flapper is usually characterised by a toilet that continues to run after flushing, requiring you to hold the toilet handle down for an extended period, or a constant trickle of water in the bowl. In most cases, the best solution is to replace the toilet flapper. This can be done by first turning off the water supply to the toilet and draining the tank by flushing. Then, disconnect the flapper chain from the flush handle lever, unhook the chain from the flapper, and remove the flapper by slipping its side ears off the pegs. Finally, a new flapper can be installed by reversing these steps. The cost of replacing a toilet flapper is typically between $20 and $30 for a full kit, or $5 to $10 for the flapper itself.
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What You'll Learn
Identify the key parts and locate the flapper
To identify the key parts and locate the flapper, start by removing the toilet tank cover. The toilet tank is the large container above and behind the toilet bowl that holds water to flush away waste in the bowl.
The flapper is a red or black hinged piece made of plastic or rubber. It is connected to the chain hanging down from the flush handle lever. The lever connects to a lift chain that lifts the flapper away from the flush valve. The flush valve is the opening at the bottom of the tank that connects to the toilet bowl.
The chain and attached lift wire are located inside the tank and respond to pressure from the toilet handle. They lift the toilet flapper to release water into the toilet bowl. One end of the metal or plastic lift wire is attached to the back of the toilet handle, and the other end is attached to the stainless steel toilet chain. The lift wire acts like a crane arm to raise the toilet chain, raising the toilet flapper at the bottom of the tank.
The flapper is a round rubber gasket, similar to the part that covers a hole in the bottom of the tank. It works with the water to seal the tank, keeping the water in the tank. The chain connected to the flapper goes upward, connecting to the arm of the toilet tank lever. The chain and flapper are pulled up each time the tank lever is pulled down. The toilet flapper is removed from the hole, and the water is released into the tank.
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Turn off the water supply and drain the tank
To turn off the water supply, locate the shutoff valve on the water supply line that leads to the toilet. Rotate the valve clockwise until it stops—this will ensure the water supply to the toilet is shut off. Next, drain the toilet tank by flushing it. If the tank doesn't empty completely, hold the flush handle down until most of the water is out of the tank. This step is crucial as it ensures that you're not working with a full tank, which can be messy and cumbersome.
The toilet flapper is a hinged piece made of plastic or rubber and is usually red or black in colour. It is connected to the chain hanging down from the flush handle lever. Before you begin any work on the flapper, ensure that you have identified the key parts and understand how they function together. The handle and lever mechanism is an important part of the flushing process. When you flush the toilet, the lever connects to a lift chain that lifts the flapper away from the flush valve, allowing water to rush down into the bowl and initiate the flush cycle.
As the water empties from the tank, observe how the flapper drops like a trap door, closing the valve. Once the tank is empty, you can begin the process of replacing the flapper. This is usually necessary when the flapper has hardened, cracked, or broken, and can no longer seal the valve properly. A faulty flapper can cause the toilet to continue running after flushing or result in constant trickles of water within the bowl.
It is important to note that simply replacing the flapper may not always solve the problem. In some cases, a full inner tank replacement kit may be necessary to ensure a leak-free seal between the flapper and the neck. These kits are readily available at local hardware stores and online retailers. They offer adjustments to change the cupping of the flapper, ensuring a better seal.
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Disconnect the flapper chain
To disconnect the flapper chain, start by flushing the toilet to empty the tank. This will ensure that the water level is low enough for you to work without spilling water all over the place. Once the tank is empty, locate the flapper at the bottom of the tank. The flapper is usually a circular, plastic piece connected to a chain. This chain is attached to the flush lever, which is the handle that you push to flush the toilet.
Now, you need to disconnect the chain from the flapper. To do this, simply unhook the chain from the small hook or clip that is attached to the flapper. If the chain is connected by a paper clip-like connector, you can use needle-nose pliers to gently pull the chain free. Be careful not to break the chain or damage the connector, as you may need to reuse them with the new flapper. Once the chain is disconnected, move it out of the way so that it doesn't interfere with the rest of the process.
If your flapper has a chain with a float attached, you will need to remove this as well. The float is usually connected to the chain with a small clip or a knot. Carefully disconnect the float from the chain, again being mindful not to damage any parts that you may need to reuse. With the chain and float disconnected, you can now completely remove the old flapper. Lift it out of the toilet tank and set it aside, making sure to note how it was positioned for reference when installing the new flapper.
In some cases, the chain may be connected to the toilet handle with a hook or clip. If this is the scenario, you need to detach the chain from the handle instead. Employ a flat-head screwdriver to gently pry open the clip or hook, and then slide the chain free. Be extra careful not to damage any parts, especially the toilet handle mechanism. With the chain disconnected, you can now proceed to remove and replace the flapper, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of how the chain and flapper were originally positioned for proper installation and functionality.
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Unhook the chain from the flapper
Before you begin to unhook the chain from the flapper, you should turn off the water supply to the toilet by rotating the shutoff valve clockwise until it stops. Then, drain the toilet tank by flushing the toilet.
Now, you can begin to unhook the chain from the flapper. First, disconnect the flapper chain from the flush handle lever. Next, unhook the chain from the flapper. Depending on the type of flapper, you will either snap or slide the flapper's side ears off the pegs. If your flapper is made of hard plastic, the ears will snap loose, whereas if it is made of soft rubber, the ears will slide off the pegs.
If you are unable to locate the hook that you would normally use to attach the chain to the flapper, you can use a small paper clip in place of the hook to attach the chain to the flapper. Alternatively, you can use wire cutters to clip off any excess chain.
Once you have unhooked the chain from the flapper, you can move on to installing the new flapper. Make sure to purchase an identical model and install it in the same way that your old flapper was installed.
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Cut excess chain if it's too long
If your toilet continues to run after replacing the flapper, the most common cause is that the toilet chain is too long. The chain may be preventing the flapper from sealing tightly on the toilet valve. To fix this, you will need to cut the excess chain to prevent it from impeding the flapper.
First, make sure you have turned off the water supply to the toilet by rotating the shutoff valve clockwise until it stops. Then, drain the toilet tank by flushing it. If there is still water in the tank, hold down the flush handle until most of the water is out.
Now, disconnect the flapper chain from the flush handle lever. Unhook the chain from the flapper. At this point, you can cut the excess chain to the appropriate length. Make sure to leave enough slack for the flapper to function properly.
Finally, reconnect the chain to the flapper and handle lever. Turn the water supply back on and test the flush to ensure that the flapper is functioning correctly.
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