Toilet Fill Valves

Fill valves are essential to a fully working waste system in the home. Designed to fill the bowl upon flushing, the valve fills the toilet to the required water level as needed. This is not to be confused with a flush valve, which controls the water release upon flushing.

You might require a new toilet fill valve if you experience problems frequently when flushing such as the toilet tank simply doesn’t fill up or takes too long to fill up, meaning that the toilet can’t be successively flushed in a short period of time.

Are all toilet fill valves the same?

No. There are a multitude of toilet fill valves that come in different brands and sizes. However, most are interchangeable and due to most toilets being universal in size, you can usually fit a toilet fill valve in any toilet. That being said, it is increasingly more common that modern toilet tanks are getting smaller (as to reduce space in smaller homes) and as such you should always check that the stem on the toilet fill valve is short enough to fit. Many modern toilet fill valves are adjustable for this scenario.

If your toilet is particularly old, then you might need to check before purchasing that the toilet fill valve will do the job you need it to. Bespoke or older toilets might require a specific part from the manufacturer in order to function.

Is a ballcock a toilet fill valve?

It’s still common for the toilet fill valve to be referred to as a “ballcock” although this isn’t strictly correct. A ballcock is an older form of the toilet fill valve and is rarely installed anymore in toilets. However, the name has stuck and so it’s not uncommon to confuse the two together.

How do I choose a toilet fill valve?

Ultimately the most important aspect of choosing a toilet fill valve is the fit.

However, there are other reasons that might influence your choice, such as:

• Modern toilet till valves is now designed to be quieter so that the rest of your property isn’t awoken in the night by any trips to the loo!
• Environmentally conscious owners can purchase valves that delay the fill as to reduce water wastage.

What’s the difference between a toilet fill valve and a toilet flush valve?

Toilet fill valves help fill the bowl/tank upon flushing so that the toilet can be reflushed next time it’s used. A toilet flush valve is a self-closing valve that allows you to release a large volume of water when activated i.e., flushing the toilet.