It is very likely that at some point in your household, you will have to replace a toilet fill valve. The toilet fill valve is perhaps the most crucial part of a flush toilet. However, there are many options to choose from, and at different price points making the correct choice is not necessarily easy. Therefore, we decided to write this buying guide to help you find the best toilet fill valve for your home. And keep your toilet performance reliable and perfect.
Fluidmaster 400CRP14 Universal Toilet Fill Valve and Flapper Repair Kit
Fluidmaster is a well-known brand in toilet repair. Namely, they’ve been around since 1957, delivering great products.
In this particular case, you will receive the 400A Fill Valve. This Fluidmaster fill valve is one of the best because of how easy it is to use.
Moreover, it is perfect for those looking for a toilet valve that won’t cost them much money in the short term or long term, thanks to its 5-year warranty and durability.
In addition to the fill valve, you get a 501 Flapper that comes with Microban, which was great for preventing those collapses caused by bacteria.
Additionally, it is chlorine resistant, something that sone of the best universal toilet valve options does not have.
There is no way you can go wrong with this product, as long as you remember that this toilet fill valve is suitable for toilets over 3.5 water gallons.
Moreover, it includes a repair valve kit, thus making it a great durable choice with lots of features and pros, while helping you save water.
Fluidmaster 400AH PerforMAX Universal High-Performance Toilet Fill Valve
Another Fluidmaster product, the 400AH toilet fill valve, is one of the best valve products out there. Not only is it very affordable, but this toilet fill valve comes with one of the best warranties you will find at 7 years.
It is best for those who aren’t experienced with toilet repairs. Namely, it is easy to install the toilet fill valve. Moreover, it is a universal fill valve, necessarily a good fit for most toilets and eliminating noise from your toilet.
It has an adjustable height valve shank design, which most toilet fill valves do not have. This is a better version of the Fluidmaster 400a, in our opinion.
If you are still on the fence about it, consider that it has a dual flush capability.
And, it guarantees a quick installation for those who are not experts at home maintenance, making it one of the best toilet fill valves out there.
Korky 818BP QuietFILL Universal Toilet Fill Valve
One of the few toilet fill valve options that are manufactured in the United States, Korky 818, is an excellent option for those looking to try a toilet fill valve from a brand other than Fluidmaster.
This valve will make sure that the noise from running water is the least of your concerns.
It is a universal fill valve that will go with just about any quality size toilet, whether a two-piece toilet or one-piece toilet.
Among the brands it is compatible with, we have Kohler, TOTO, and American Standard. It has genuine frequent reviews and quite popular in some of the bigger department stores.
Rating this toilet fill valve, we can say it is in the level of Fluidmaster toilet fill valves as one of the best.
There are no tools needed to do the replacement, unlike other models. Additionally, you do not need to remove your toilet tank, cutting your average time of installation significantly. Additionally, its twist-lock adjustment also makes high-quality valve replacement an easy pick.
Moreover, it is one of the few toilet fill valves with proprietary rubber formulation.
Which, is resistant to hard water, well water, any time of city water treatment, and bacteria.
Simply put, it makes for a brilliant purchase and not at all expensive.
Finally, it also offers a Toilet Tank Flapper, thus making sure you save money with this model.
TOTO TSU99A.X Adjustable Replacement Fill Valve
TOTO is perhaps one of the most prevalent toilet fill valve companies. When you think of a toilet repair kit or a flush tank, it is not uncommon to think of TOTO.
When you think of a unique feature in this particular fill valve, it is the fact that it is compatible with any type of TOTO toilet on the market(thus keep in mind that it does not have a universal design). It comes with straightforward DIY installation instructions. Furthermore, they include a 7/8 inch inlet connection.
It is a great option, especially if you have a TOTO toilet. It is a trademark of TOTO to make sure their toilet flush valves are usable with different models, regardless of the tube or flow of the water level. That being said, this toilet fill valve is a bit more expensive than the others on this list.
Additionally, we find that in the review posts, you can search and find answers to most questions looking through the comments in places such as Amazon. Overall it is one of the best toilet flush valve options, and while the price rate is a bit high, it is worth the deal.
How do I know if my Fill valve is bad?
There are multiple ways to tell if your toilet valve is malfunctioning. Let’s take a look:
One of the most common ways to detect any issue is a leaking toilet. It is an immediate reason to take a look at the tanks when this happens.
Another way is if you have a very noisy toilet, which is one of the reasons why most toilet companies nowadays make sure to invest in components that will eliminate any toilet noise.
Finally, a slow flow rate of water is another easy way to determine the state of the valve.
Namely, the refill tube is not doing its job, and your toilet is not refilling water as fast as it should when you flush it.
Toilet fill valve types: are they all the same?
While it may seem like toilet fill valves are quite alike, there are different types(hence the distinction between a universal fill valve and those that are not universal).
Diaphragm Ballcock
This type of fill valve is made out of plastic. Hence, because it is made out of plastic, it is considered as a true ballcock, and it operates using the trendy float ball. It is important to note that parts for the Diaphragm Ballcock are hard to find. Thus, it is better to replace it with a Float Valve:
Float Cup Valve
Also made out of plastic material, it is commonly identified because of its O shaped cup that adjusts accordingly around the valve shaft. It is one of the more popular fill valve types because it does not require much maintenance. The seal of the cup is made using a metal spring that is attached to an actuating rod.
The water levels in the tank are kept in check (when talking about a refill) by adjusting where the rod connects to the cup.
Also, the Float cup valve is the most purchased type of valve in the market, not only to use on new toilets but also to replace older valves making it one of the best toilet valves available.
Plunger Ballcock
When rating these by age, the plunger valve is one of the oldest ones out there. They have a substantial brass body that is surprisingly quiet in operating.
It operates using a floating ball linked to a lever that operates a plunger stem that is placed against a water inlet port to moderate the refill of water in the tank.
While the Plunger Ballcock was great, if you have any o these old styles, keep in mind that they do not meet current plumbing standards that ask for things such as Anti-Siphon protection.
Floatless Fill Valve
These valves are tiny. Usually, these sit at the bottom of the tank underwater.
Therefore it is very likely that you will not see it at first. Moreover, a lot of these are older models, and no longer fulfill the current standard for plumbing codes. Therefore, you may have to replace it if you have one.
Some newer models are within code, but some codes simply do not allow any Floatless Valve, so it is best to check.
Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that these are the easiest in turns of being able to adjust the water, something to keep in mind.
Tips for finding the best valve
Firstly, avoid metal as much as possible. The majority of toilet fill valves that fail are usually due to the corrosive nature of metal.
Metal is very durable, but it corrodes as time passes. Hence why the best toilet fill valves do not have many metal compositions.
Secondly, having an anti-siphon capability should be a must for you. This makes sure that the water is flowing in one direction.
Namely, by having anti-siphon, you make sure that the dirty water of your toilet is not flowing back(and mixing with) to the clean supply of water.
The main benefit here is keeping your water supply clean.
Thirdly, you want to make sure the valve is low water inlet holes.
This will allow your toilet to save water every time you flush it. This is perfect if you have a low flowing toilet, and is not a feature that every valve explicitly states. Therefore make sure to check it.
Finally, the best toilet fill valve should be adjustable, often it is quite impossible to determine the exact size of your toilet.
Having an adjustable valve is vast in this regard. This goes in line with the ease of installation! Which is our last point.
Namely, you don’t want to have to pay extra to have somebody install a valve.
Most of the best toilet fill valve options nowadays are DYI and with pretty easy instructions to follow.
Having to pay somebody to install it is in our opinion money you could use towards something else.
Therefore, do not complicate your life and find one that is clearly DIY friendly.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best toilet fill valve comes down to a matter of preference and your type of toilet.
The best fill valve might not be the best one for someone else.
Our final verdict: we believe you cannot go wrong with any of the 4 products reviewed above.
A lot of people will tell you the same if you go through the reviews on places like Amazon.
Keep in mind the type of valve you are looking for, and your toilet model, and you should be good to go.
If you have any questions, please leave a reply below or reach out to us by email.
Additionally, make sure to take a look at some of our other product reviews for your home.
References:
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