To know if your flush valve or flapper is leaking look to see if the toilet flapper is sealing and not allowing water past it.
If the toilet flapper is leaking it will cause water to enter the toilet bowl which can be at a slow or fast rate depending on how bad it's leaking.
If your toilet flush valve is leaking it will cause water to not shut off and leak through the fill tube into the toilet bowl.
The numbers on the bottom of a toilet flapper means that your toilet flapper is adjustable.
The dial on the toilet flapper sets a secondary hole in the toilet flapper cone to release air and force the toilet flapper to close.
By turning the dial on the toilet flapper to higher numbers it closes the holes off which allows the toilet flapper to float longer which causes more water to enter the toilet bowl.
And when you turn the dial to the lower numbers the toilet flapper takes on water and closes faster and uses less water.
A leaky toilet flapper can cause a high water bill as the leaky toilet flapper can cause high water usage and go through 500 to 1,000 gallons of water a day.
Toilet flappers should be replaced as often as every 3 years to every 5 years.
After 5 years the toilet flapper is ready to be replaced and it's a good idea to do so before the toilet flapper goes completely bad and causes a leak and high water bill.
To adjust the length of a toilet flapper chain take the hook that connects to the toilet flush handle rod and remove it from the chain.
Then place it into another link on the chain until it is adjusted to the proper length.
Take the toilet flapper chain in the toilet tank and adjust the toilet flapper chain length until there is only about 1/2 inch of slack.
If your toilet flapper is bad the toilet flapper will become dried out and won't seal properly or it may also have cracks on it.
If the toilet flapper is not sealing properly and holding the water in the toilet tank then it is bad and should be replaced with a new one.
If your toilet flapper won't seal it's either because the toilet flapper is not going down far enough because the chain is holding it too high or the toilet flapper is bad or the wrong size.
Toilet flappers last between 3 years to 5 years before needing to be replaced.
It's always a good idea to replace your toilet flapper every 5 years as they do dry out and degrade and not seal eventually which can lead to wasting water and a high water bill.
A running toilet can cause a high water bill and can leak thousands of gallons of water a month.
The toilet flapper being bad is the most common cause of a toilet running and causing a high water bill but sometimes it may also be a bad toilet fill valve that is not shutting off or an improperly adjusted toilet fill valve.
Another cause of a toilet running is the chain not being adjusted properly to allow the flapper to seal.
A bad toilet flapper can cause a high water bill.
When the toilet flapper goes bad and does not seal even a little bit it can cause the water in the toilet tank to leak out and cause the toilet fill valve to come on or stay on and keep your water meter moving which causes an increase in your water bill.
Toilet flappers have leaked and caused water bills as high as $400.00 to $500.00 per month and sometimes more.
It's always good to check your toilet flapper often and replace it every 3 to 5 years as they are cheaper compared to a high water bill they can cause.
You can tell if you need a 2 inch or a 3 inch toilet flapper by measuring it or by looking at the size of the hole that it fits in.
If the opening that your toilet flapper fits in looks about the size of a baseball or orange, you need a 2″ toilet flapper.
If the opening that your toilet flapper fits in looks about the size of a softball or grapefruit, you need a 3″ toilet flapper.
Toilet flappers are not all universal and not all toilet flappers will fit the same toilets.
Some toilet flappers for certain brands are universal and will fit several different toilets but you must make sure you get the right size and fit of toilet flapper or it won't work in your toilet.
If you're unsure of what toilet flapper you have, it's best to remove turn the water off to the toilet and remove the toilet flapper and then take the old toilet flapper with you to the hardware store to find the correct one.
Toilets and their flush valve systems come in different sizes and shapes.
Toilet flappers are available in two sizes which are standard two-inch, and large three-inch.
Most toilets use the standard two-inch toilet flapper, but large three-inch flappers have become popular recently.
Toilet flappers tend to need to be replaced every 3 years to every 5 years and they are cheap and easy to replace and can prevent a high water bill should the old toilet flapper start not sealing and leak thousands of gallons of water
Toilet fill valves can last between 10 to 20 years or even longer depending on your water quality.
If the opening that your toilet flapper fits in looks about the size of a baseball or orange, you need a 2″ toilet flapper.
If the opening that your toilet flapper fits in looks about the size of a softball or grapefruit, you need a 3″ toilet flapper.