# What's your favorite tank style flush valve?



## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

I've been through a few different ones and so far the ultra cheap ones I don't like. The nut on the bottom is way too thin and/or the threads are cut way too deep and you can't get it tight enough without the threads skipping.

The fluidmaster one doesn't have that issue, but what I don't like is that the seating portion of the flush valve is 2" off the bottom of the tank. I've come across a few toilets that just won't flush with that style in there.

I've also used the korky one with the adjustable overflow. It's probably my favorite in terms of overall ease of use, but that is definitely reflected in it's price. (my cost is about double the other styles)

Wondering which one everyone else likes the best.

Happy Independence day.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

You meant the fill valve?

I buy mostly korky quiet fill and I also buy cheaper ones, I offer customers which one they want. Even that on 2 recent occasion they had bought their own and I sold the better one.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Alan said:


> The fluidmaster one doesn't have that issue, but what I don't like is that the seating portion of the flush valve is 2" off the bottom of the tank. I've come across a few toilets that just won't flush with that style in there.



I install either the fm pro57 or the wb 57731. The wb one is as low as possible but I haven't had any with the pro57 being so tall it lowers the flush volume enough to hinder flushing, but I can see it being an issue with some toilets. Frankly I never rebuild low flush toilets, I just tell them to get a new one. I do however always rebuild higher volume toilets.


The height can be real handy if they have sediment build up issues. Which ever I use I never use the provided flapper. The fm ones don't stay open long enough and the black flappers on the wb ones always leak by. If they don't leak by immediately it's two days later and it's a call back for a stupid flapper!


Wb also offers a big orange brand chloramine resistant model, seems nice but we don't have chlorine issues which are bad enough to affect the flush valves. Plenty of flappers shrivel up though.





Tango said:


> You meant the fill valve?


No, he said and meant the flush valve. But if you want to talk fill valves, personally I prefer the pro45 fm fill valves. The pro45u can be handy. Either way make sure to remove the spiral sediment filter/hammer arrestor from the shank. I hate the wb hush valves with a passion. The fms can very easily be changed by pulling the top off of the old shank and putting a new top piece on. As long as the stop works fms are the easiest to change or clear sediment from, they are also the most sediment resistant.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Alan said:


> I've been through a few different ones and so far the ultra cheap ones I don't like. <SNIP>
> 
> I have never heard this question asked before. Is this new style plastic junk causing so many problems that you guys have to change flush valves. or is the problem occurring when you have to change a tank to bowl gasket. I can see a plastic thread jumping and creating a loose joint. Other than that there is not too much that can go wrong with a flush valve other than a flapper or some dead rubber from a flapper fouling the seat. Years back when the valves were brass some times corrosion would mean - - some real tight nuts. I still have flush valve reamers that I used frequently. The best tool was set of hard wood wedges wedged against the tank, to allow the use of a 24" channel-lock pliers to loosen the nut and not twist the valve. Or maybe the new way replace everything prevails!


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

the only time I had to mess with flush valves was on 1 piece kolher crap toilets and that was a freaking nightmare and dam expensive if you could even locate some of the older flush units...


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> the only time I had to mess with flush valves was on 1 piece kolher crap toilets and that was a freaking nightmare and dam expensive if you could even locate some of the older flush units...


* Can't bash only Kohler a lot of manufacturers used Curtan Flush Valves, the one with the brass can and the flat leather washer. IE: CRANE, American Standard, T/N , Maybe Rheem and Universal Rundle.**







*


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> * Can't bash only Kohler a lot of manufacturers used Curtan Flush Valves, the one with the brass can and the flat leather washer. IE: CRANE, American Standard, T/N , Maybe Rheem and Universal Rundle.**
> 
> 
> 
> ...



kohler seems to be the biggest PITA and high priced, not that I have done a lot of tank repairs latley other than changing fill valves...


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## VictorPlumber (Feb 26, 2019)

I use korky flush valve with adjustable overflow. It comes with 3 tank bolts. 
I buy it for 19.99 canadian. 

Well I just checked lowes.ca and it is 18.99

I think it is good price for made in USA quality flush valve.

How much do you pay for your flush valves ?

Regards


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> I have never heard this question asked before. Is this new style plastic junk causing so many problems that you guys have to change flush valves. or is the problem occurring when you have to change a tank to bowl gasket.





Honestly bill, half the time you just keep changing the flapper, the whole house filter, flushing sediment out, cleaning the flush valve face every time and they just keep leaking by the flapper seal face. So I replace the flush valve if it's a good toilet otherwise I tell them to get a new one.


The other half of the time it's a leak at the seal on the inside of the tank under the flush valve or a rotted over flow tube on the brass ones. Sometimes the plastic ones fail from the chlorine making them get tiny cracks but that is rare.




ShtRnsdownhill said:


> the only time I had to mess with flush valves was on 1 piece kolher crap toilets and that was a freaking nightmare and dam expensive if you could even locate some of the older flush units...



I hate one-piece toilets and so does every other plumber I know. I could write an essay on why I hate one-piece toilets. The most complicated ones are the american standards from the late 70's early 80's.




PLUMBER_BILL said:


> * Can't bash only Kohler a lot of manufacturers used Curtan Flush Valves*




Those things are expensive but extremely rare around here. I have only had to deal with two of them and that was in the same house on two matching toilets from decades ago which were being moved back after renovating the bathrooms. Each got a completely new curtan flush valve. Months later we changed both toilets out for 1200$ st thomas creations one-piece toilets with a seashell design. I kept the old curtans and the new ones when we pulled the toilets.


My only gripe with those curtan flush valves is the leather seal, holds sediment easily. They are cool though. I want to make some copper mugs from the canisters.




VictorPlumber said:


> How much do you pay for your flush valves ?


Don't know, don't care. Us guys almost never see prices and frankly it doesn't matter most of the time. I carry the parts I know will work. Sometimes when I am ordering a part to stock on the van I will make sure the price isn't ridiculous but if it's a common style of that particular part I don't bother. 



Sometimes ordering small parts is near impossible so we will order something larger that includes it. Like those poly trap adapter nuts with the built in washer. I order hubbed trap adapters and take the nut off. If I can reuse the trap adapter on a sump pump as a male adapter I do but eventually I have so many extra I just toss them.








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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

Actually the issues I find most frequently are cracked overflow tubes. Some of them are so brittle that they snap off as soon as I stick my hands in the tank.

The thread jumping issue on the flush valve is something I have found with new cheaper flush valve mechanisms that i'm trying to install on the tank (the 4 dollar ones) 

I've had luck re-using the old nut in a pinch, but I hate re-using old parts. Why am I buying this new kit just to reuse part of the old unit?

I like being able to offer complete tank rebuilds because it's a fraction of the cost of a decent toilet. Some people try to argue that they can get a glacier bay for 70.00, but there really is no argument by the time we're done with that discussion.

Speaking of glacier bay and flush valves, anybody tearing out those pieces of junk with the elevated water tray inside of them? :vs_laugh:


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Alan said:


> Actually the issues I find most frequently are cracked overflow tubes. Some of them are so brittle that they snap off as soon as I stick my hands in the tank.
> 
> The thread jumping issue on the flush valve is something I have found with new cheaper flush valve mechanisms that i'm trying to install on the tank (the 4 dollar ones)
> 
> ...





Yeah, some people get on the "Do you think I should just get a whole new toilet?" kick and have a hard time giving it up. Usually it's when I am there for the toilet having clogged because they have hard poops or they used too much paper. 



If the toilet is fine(good glaze, no clogged rim holes) then I tell them they are the issue and that if the glaze is fine and the rim holes aren't plugged than toilets don't go bad. And that even if the internal parts are bad I am there now and can change them in a half hour versus us coming back and charging at least another full hour and them buying a toilet.


If they have an older high volume toilet I explain that switching to a newer model can cause even more issues.










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## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

Korky is my favourite by far.
fillvalve/overflow/flapper/kit
I charge $100-$120, for the Korky W/C rebuild kit with water line. 
+ Labour. 
I don’t mind paying a little bit more for better quality parts.


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## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

Added to the above..

When using a Korky fill-valve, make sure the tube from the “fill valve to the overflow” is looped up and over the top (height) of the FV itself. 
Like a D/W drain loop, or the fill valve will syphon water out of the tank into the overflow.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

I have found a lot of the problems with flush valves and internal tank guts is the crap that homeowners drop in the tank. Like the self cleaning toilet bowl crap that has a high chlorine content that ruins the plastic and rubber products. Not so much the chlorine content of the drinking water.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

I used to work on a lot of American Standard one piece toilets and changing the flush valve what a nightmare. It was hard to get the flush valve to seal. Sometimes when I removed the flush valve the pottery was all wavy. I used silicone sometimes on a new valve and they still leaked. They flushed really quiet and were expensive toilets. A lot of customers bought them in color which raised the price and they matched their bathroom fixtures. I still hated them and did not have a lot of luck fixing a flush valve. The disc style flapper or the ballcock rebuilt kit generally worked or.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

Logtec said:


> Added to the above..
> 
> When using a Korky fill-valve, make sure the tube from the “fill valve to the overflow” is looped up and over the top (height) of the FV itself.
> Like a D/W drain loop, or the fill valve will syphon water out of the tank into the overflow.



Yes you are right I watched a few toilets that had the bowl fill tube down the overflow siphon the water out of the tank causing the toilet to constantly fill.


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## brayanjack (Jul 29, 2019)

Alan said:


> I've been through a few different ones and so far the ultra cheap ones I don't like. The nut on the bottom is way too thin and/or the threads are cut way too deep and you can't get it tight enough without the threads skipping.
> 
> The fluidmaster one doesn't have that issue, but what I don't like is that the seating portion of the flush valve is 2" off the bottom of the tank. I've come across a few toilets that just won't flush with that style in there.
> 
> ...


I mostly use Tower-Style 3-4 Inch Flush Valves. The major reason is the feature of 360 degree water evacuation. It makes it a good choice for great flushing power with less water.


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