While toilet flappers are normally pretty durable, they can wear out over time. The average toilet flapper lasts about 4 to 5 years. It is important that you replace your toilet flapper when needed to prevent damaging leaks.
You may need a new flapper if:
Your toilet bowl is running (if you have to jiggle the handle to make it stop, your flapper is probably bad) You touch the flapper, and it starts to fall apart or rub off. The eyelet hole (where the chain hooks into the flapper) is torn.
A typical flapper lasts between 3 and 5 years. When a flapper begins to fail, it loses its ability to create a water-tight seal with the flush valve, resulting in a leak. You can typically tell there is a leak in your toilet from the telltale sound of dripping water.
Flappers tend to deteriorate over time, usually because of their constant interaction with in-tank cleaning products and chemicals found in the water. They can cause the flapper to warp, crumble, and eventually lose its seal over the flush tube, allowing water to leak through.
However, the tradeoff is they corrode over time and will generally need to be replaced about every two years or so. There's more good news: you can replace a toilet flapper yourself! They cost just a few dollars at your local hardware store, and require no specialized tools or training to replace it.
Gently lift the flapper and scrub it with an old toothbrush or scouring pad. Scrub the seat assembly as well. Turn the water back on and test your work. If cleaning doesn't fix the leak or the flapper is physically damaged, you need to replace it.
Are all toilet flappers universal? No. There are universal designs like the Fluidmaster flappers that replace most other flappers and there are specialty flappers for specific flushing systems.
According to Fixr, the average toilet valve repair cost is between $75 and $200 to replace a flush valve or up to $400 to fix a constantly running toilet. This includes the cost of the plumber's time for the toilet repair and the cost of the toilet parts.
Petroleum jelly is waterproof, but to get it to stick to your flapper, you need to drain the tank and let the flapper dry out. A liberal coating around the bottom of the flapper will revitalize the rubber and make it supple again. It should once again mold around the rim of the siphon hole and make a seal.
If your toilet flapper is worn out, it won't be able to seal up the bottom of your toilet tank properly. When this happens, water from the tank will seep through the openings in the flapper and drip down into the bowl.
Look at the flush valve drain opening at the bottom of your tank. If the opening looks about the size of a baseball or orange, you need a 2″ flapper. If the opening looks about the size of a softball or grapefruit, you need a 3″ flapper.
It is a good idea to turn the water off to the toilet before replacing the flapper, though you can replace some styles in under a minute! Just one less distraction from doing the best job you can.
On average, most toilets will have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years, even with regular use. The lifespan may vary depending on the toilet model and the wear and tear it experiences over the years. Most toilets will start to give you warning signs indicating the time for replacement is near.
Over time, the flapper can wear out or become out of position, so it no longer forms a tight seal. When this happens, water can slowly leak from the tank into the bowl, so when you go to flush, there's lower flushing power. Luckily, the flapper is easy and cheap to replace on most toilets.
The easiest way to test for a bad flapper is to drop some dye tablets into the tank and then check to see if the dye moves into the bowl. If this happens you will want to replace the flapper. If you are unable to find dye tables at a local plumbing or hardware store you can use food coloring as an alternative.
Replacing a Flapper Valve
Although durable, the flapper can wear out over time, providing a less-than-perfect seal. The result is an audible trickle, punctuated by an occasional surge of supply water topping off the tank.
Get a Flapper with a Chain Float
A chain float helps the flapper stay open a bit longer, allowing more water to enter the bowl for a better flush. You can adjust the float up or down on the chain to fine-tune how long the flapper remains open.
Leak Around Toilet Base
A damaged wax ring doesn't seal the connection between the toilet and sewer line. This causes water to leak out and pool around your toilet. If you catch this issue quickly, then it may not damage your subfloor and require additional repairs.
Flush the toilet to empty the tank. Lift the flapper and examine its sealing surface. Replace the flapper with a new one if the surface is warped, corroded or pitted. With the flapper raised, examine the valve seat for signs of deterioration and replace it, too, if necessary.
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 the flapper is damaged or malfunctioned, there will be a constant draining of water in the tank. This makes an audible and continuous "filling" noise, which is the first sign you have an issue with the "guts" of your toilet.
A majority of toilets will use the two inch flapper; however three inch flappers have become popular in recent years and can be found in newer toilets manufactured since 2005. An easy reference for determining your toilet's flapper size is to look at the flush valve drain opening at the bottom of your tank.
Replace the flapper if it's old and well used. It's probably waterlogged, which means the conical pocket in the center has filled with water, making the flapper too heavy to rise.
For most toilets, a 20-year lifespan is the outer limit. A toilet may continue to work after this, but it will be at a higher risk of starting to leak and suffering from numerous clogs and other repair issues. Get ahead of the problem and replace a toilet that's 20 years or older.