How to Repair a Manual Flush Valve

Problems with the toilet manual flush valve can be frustrating and you may not be able to immediately see the problem inside the toilet tank. The workings may look complicated, but the flush system works on a simple process. When you flush, a connecting rod opens the flush valve, emptying the tank. As the tank refills, the tank ball floats to the surface of the incoming water, shutting the valve when the tank is full. The flushing system will not work if this sequence is not carried out. Toilet tanks may vary in size and layout, but all work on the same principle.

• 1

  Remove the lid from the toilet tank.

• 2

  Look into the tank to see if the tank ball is obstructed in any way. Free the tank ball if it is not clearly moving up and down. On occasion, the tank ball may lodge itself under the flush valve.

• 3

  Turn off the water supply. Flush the tank dry.

• 4

  Unhook the clip on the top of the flush valve that connects to the outside toilet handle. The clip usually is an S-shaped hook. Release the hook so the handle is unattached.

• 5

  Remove the flush valve. The manual flush valve is clipped onto the central toilet plunger. The flush valve is a plastic oval object nearest the flush handle. The unit is detached by moving it upward slightly.

• 6

  Inspect the vertical mechanism. Verify that it moves up and down freely.

• 7

  Turn the flush valve upside down and check the gasket. A common fault with manual flush valves is damage to the gasket, an oval membrane that pulls off the central mechanism.

• 8

  Remove the gasket if it is damaged and install a new one. Reassemble the toilet tank and turn the water supply back on.