Slow Filling Toilet

Hello,

A low volume toilet installed about five years ago now takes on the order of 15 minutes or more to refill. I didn't notice it until recently as I don't usually use that particular toilet in my house.

I have made sure the feed line valve is full open. There is nothing visually wrong that I can find except that the water goes into the tank extremely slowly. I have no evidence that any of the line is clogged but I have not dismantled any lines either Water to the shower and sinks in the same bathroom run just fine.

Any thoughts?

TIA

Reply to
Baron
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bowlesm had written this in response to

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: Ususlly this is a piece of dirt that gets lodged into the fill valve. Some valves can be taken apart (take the top off) and flushed out. OR just put in a new valve (the one inside the tank).

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Reply to
bowlesm

If this is the Fluidmaster (float goes up and down a shaft) it may just be a bad diaphragm. They are easy to replace. The top is a quarter turn type thing. Just be sure the water is off.

Reply to
gfretwell

It wouldn't hurt to replace the diaphragm while you are in there, but usually you just need to remove the top part, give it a squirt with the supply line & reinstall. I used to have to do that every couple of months, then I installed an elaborate filter system before the entry to the house, & haven't had that or even a faucet drip since.

Reply to
Eric in North TX

I agree.. this sounds just like a ruptured Fluidmaster diaphragm/seal. (The rupture will not be immediately apparent until the seal is removed, and the center part is 'rocked' around while holding the seal up to a light.)

Take the top off the tank, and check the top of the fill valve... make sure it says 'Fluidmaster' on it. You might need a flashlight. (If it isn't a Fluidmaster, your on your own...)

If it does, go get a new seal... it's Fluidmaster part number 242 and comes on a small green & red 'blister pack' card. It should run somewhere in the $2.00 range, and is a very common plumbing item. Any hardware store should stock them.

Once home, find your magnifying glass, and follow the (tiny) replacement instructions on the back of the package... it's pretty simple. (The step

3 flushing part is important, and can save you a lot of grief.)

Another 'common' failure mode of these valves is foreign particles getting stuck in and/or embedded in the seal. The valve will not shut off completely when this happens. The fix is to remove the top like your going to replace the seal, clean off the seal surface... and/or pick out any foreign material embedded in it... usually rust particles. Flush the valve as in step 3 of the instructions and reassemble. Should it still leak, replace the seal.

I like Fluidmaster products, they make good stuff.

They're:

Easy to install/replace, with minimal or no tools.

Reliable.

Fill the tank quietly and fast, then quickly shut off.

Simple to service... again with little or no tools.

Reasonably priced, have a long service life, and no threaded metal parts to rust or corrode.

Far as the fill valves go, the seal is almost always the problem... even then they don't fail often unless your water contains a lot of particulate matter. When/if they do act up, the seal only takes a minute to clean or replace.

No, I don't work for Fluidmaster...

Good Luck! Let us know how it goes.

Erik

Reply to
Erik

I heard Fluidmaster products have good quality. I hope it works. Posted from the Free Home Improvement Forum at

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Reply to
Jmmv08

Home Depot, new Fluidmaster fill valve, $7, done.

If the supply tube is rigid copper, also pick up a flexible plastic supply tube in case you can't get a tight seal between the copper supply tube and the new fill valve. Return it if you don't need it.

Reply to
Sharp Dressed Man

flexible lines, the stainless braid type can fail internally, the inner rubber hose delaminates or comes lose and buckles under high flow, so flow starts good then drops a LOT.

I have had this occur on my toilet line, my handheld shower, and finally my vans front brake. in the brakes case the line started acting like a check valve, one side would drag and wear out the pads and overheat the rotor.........

Reply to
hallerb

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