The flush valve is an essential component in your toilet’s design. Essentially, the valve is the part of the toilet responsible for moving water from the cistern or toilet tank and into the toilet bowl. When you flush a toilet, the flow of water from the cistern into the toilet bowl helps wash the bowl and force waste to flush down the drain. The valve also refills the bowl with water after the flush, to make sure there is water for the next use. Flush valves differ slightly in design from one toilet to the next, with some toilets—mostly newer and more expensive models—bearing larger valve designs. A larger valve moves water from the cistern into the toilet bowl more rapidly, which helps create a more effective flush.

Needless to say, your toilet cannot function properly without a flush valve that works. Not so surprisingly, broken or malfunctioning valves are among the most common toilet maintenance problems. This blog post will discuss what signs to look for when you believe your valve is malfunctioning and what steps to take if you need to replace the valve on your toilet.