Friday, May 26, 2017

That leaky Flapper



Ma's comment brought to mind something I learned recently. Her comment was that she had a humungous water bill lately due to a leaky flapper in the commode tank.  Everyone at one time or the other has experienced a commode that caused excessive water use.


I discovered a replacement part by accident that can save you big if your commode were to keep running while you are on vacation or away for a long period of time.  When we bought the house in Deltona the commode needed rebuilding because of age.  I  purchased the parts. Never once thinking there was anything special about this filler valve.  I replaced the filler valve. Not the flapper yet.  The next day I went in to check the commode, flushed it and nothing happened for a few seconds. Then the tank began to fill. In a couple minutes it flushed normally.  


Later that day I used the commode and it would not flush, I quickly looked inside the tank and it was just beginning to fill. Ah, something is not right, a tank should stay full and ready to flush, not fill before flushing, we all know that. So I went to the trash to get the paperwork and packaging just in case I needed to return the valve.

I had not read the information on the valve. I have replaced probably 30-40 valves over the years.  Looking, I noticed these words, “This fill valve will not refill a leaky tank”. Then I ‘axed’ myself, “How do it KNOW?”

Now I was interested.  I READ the information and looked at the valve. It has two flush chains. One to open the flapper, the other to open the fill valve. SOOOO this sucker will never put water in the tank unless the flush handle is used. In other words, if your flapper is leaking, you will only lose one tank full.  If you are gone a week, you only lose ONE tank not thousands of gallons. If you come back from vacation and the commode does not flush at first, you will know you have a leaky flapper, and you have saved yourself some money.  I decided I like this.

Nite Shipslog
PS: Info on the valve.
Disclaimer: While I like the valve I just talked about, I cannot speak for everyone. I am a handy man and it works for me.  If you are not handy, ask your plumber about it when you get the commode worked on. Note: older plumbing can be tricky. 
 It sells for less than $15 Walmart/Lowes/Amazon and is a simple job.
Company info:
Help keep your toilet working correctly and more efficiently with the Fluidmaster Fill Valve 400LSRP4. It will automatically save water in two ways. This Pro45 fill valve prevents automatic refill of a leaky tank, which helps to alert you to a problem with your flapper. It will also only allow the right amount of water to be delivered to the bowl. Preventing too high of a refill to the bowl will reduce waste of water down the drain. This toilet tank fill valve will also help avoid too low of a fill, which can cause an improper flush or allow sewer gas to leak into a room. 
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 1056 Ford and matching Tear Drop

9 comments:

Paula said...

Wow that sounds handy. Is it something new or has it been around and we didn't know? Thanks for telling us about it. A part behind my commode is what flooded my house a few years ago.

betty said...

I like that "invention." Very useful indeed and a money saver (and water saver too!)

betty

shirl72 said...

Thanks goodness my commode is not leaking. I guess I have a good flapper.
Is that flapper the same as the Flapper Dancers?? hee hee

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Oh Wow! I certainly could have used that advice ! Hope it helps someone else though. It would have saved me a lot for sure ! Thanks for the info ! I really do learn something new every day!

Lisa said...

Hmmmm interesting. I have never seen one of those. I guess it could be a good thing. This reminds me of what happened to our daughter a few weeks ago. She moved to a new apartment in february. She has been complaining the her toilet does not flush good. We finally told her to call maintinance. She did and they explained to her, "down for pee, up for poop". So when she flips the handle up its a regular flush and if she pushes down, its a light flush. Maybe tiolets need to come with instructuons now! Yep, learn something new every day.

Keep learning.
Lisa

Rick Watson said...

I'm going to get these to go on my commodes.
R

Mevely317 said...

Aha, another something for Tom's to-do list! :)
(I don't understand, but he will when I get him to come in and read this ... lol.)

Now, if someone would just invent an inexpensive timer for the thermostat. I think we were already gone 5 days when it occurred to me I hadn't turned up the a/c. Hope AZ Power enjoys their little bonus.

Unknown said...

Interesting.
I just replaced the flapper recently, but I am still having an issue with the float not dropping as it should. (It is not the old timey rubber bulb-type float, but sort of a plastic float on the fill tube.
I'll have to tell you my story of what happened because of my leaky flapper.

TARYTERRE said...

good information.