Traditional flappers use air to hold the flappers open, adjustable flappers don't allow the flapper to trap or hold air inside their cone/bulb. Adjustable flappers should not be used on toilets made before 1994. Adjustable flappers may use a float to delay the flapper from closing right away.
If the toilet doesn't flush completely unless you hold the handle down for the entire flush cycle, it's usually because the flapper is not fully lifting away from the flush valve. This problem is caused by too much slack in the lifting chain that connects the flush lever to the flapper.
Using a medium sized float you can adjust the closing rate of the flapper by positioning it's location on the flapper chain. The higher up the quicker the flapper closes / the lower on the chain the longer the flapper stays open. Also make sure that there is not to much extra slack on the flapper chain.
Worn Out or Warped Flapper: Over time, the rubber material of the flapper can deteriorate, become brittle, or warp. This wear and tear can prevent the flapper from creating a proper seal, allowing water to leak continuously into the bowl.
A leaky flapper doesn't reseal properly after the toilet has been flushed. If your flapper is worn, broken or damaged, replacing the unit should help your toilet function normally. If the flapper looks to be in good shape, check to see if it is aligned with the opening.
The toilet flapper is the component inside your toilet tank that lets water flow out of the tank and into the bowl when you flush. This round, rubber disc is attached to the bottom of the overflow tube, usually by mounting arms that hook onto ears on either side of the overflow tube.
There are four main types of toilet tank flappers: rubber, silicone, standard or universal, and adjustable.
The flapper is closing too soon.
Remove the lid from tank and make sure the chain has only 1/4 inch of slack. (When you hit the trip lever, the arm should only move 1/4 inch before activation.) Adjust the water level.
Toilet flappers usually last for about 3 to 5 years, but the lifespan can vary depending on factors such as the quality of the flapper, the water quality, and the frequency of use.
Replace the Flapper
If the rubber of the flapper is old and cracked, it will be unable to seal the flow of water into the tank. In this case, you'll need to replace the flapper. Or, you can replace the entire flush valve/flapper assembly with a convenient repair kit.
Check your water levels
Low water levels in your tank are common causes of toilets filling up with water when flushed. They can also cause slow-draining toilets. You can manually top up your tank with water to help the flush. Then, check the flush tube for cracks and bends that lead to leaks.
The flapper, over time, can become loose or damaged, and it will need to be replaced. The total average cost of this repair is also between $70 and $200.
When learning how to adjust the water level in the toilet bowl, check whether the toilet has a mark on the inside of the tank that indicates the proper water level. It should be 1 to 2 inches below the fill valve and the overflow tube.
Ghost flushing, or phantom flushing, occurs when your toilet tank refills independently without anyone pressing the handle. Water leaks from the tank into the bowl, causing the fill valve to activate periodically to refill the tank. It's similar to your toilet flushing itself, but it's just refilling.
But there's hope for our poor little flapper in the form of Vaseline, which can partially restore its youth and suppleness. Drain the toilet tank. Dry off the toilet flapper. Rub Vaseline on the flapper and its connecting washer until they soften.
A faulty flapper means your toilet tank will empty and fill up repeatedly. This constant filling and refilling of the tank over days or weeks can result in a lot of wasted water—and wasted money.
Signs of a bad toilet flapper include continuous running water in the toilet tank, weak or incomplete flushing and phantom flushes, which is when the toilet spontaneously flushes without anyone using it.
1: Toilet is Running (Phantom Flushes)
This problem is almost certainly caused by a bad flapper or flapper seat. The solution is to drain the tank and bowl, check and clean the flapper seat and then replace the flapper if it's worn or damaged.
If you've replaced the flapper and adjusted the float ball, but the toilet continues to run, the most likely cause is a leaking flush valve. Usually, such a leak is around the mouth of the flush valve where the flapper is supposed to make a good seal.
Flapper Chain Misalignment: If the flapper chain has too much slack or is too tight, it can cause it to remain open for too long. We recommend only having 1-2 chain links in slack.