The 7 Best Toilet Repair Kits – No More Leaks
Last Updated on May 18, 2022 by toilethaven
What is the Best Toilet Repair Kit?
Even the best toilets will from time to time call for your attention with a minor or major problem. The thing with common toilet problems is that they require instant fixing which if not done will lead to more expensive repairs.
If you have an idea as to how a toilet works ,then you will understand that the toilet tank is a very vital part of the toilet. Toilet tank parts must work in harmony to ensure that both the flushing mechanism and the refill mechanism are in tandem.
Although there are many toilet tank repair kits in the market, you should do your due diligence to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth. And that is the idea behind writing this review; to help you buy the best toilet replacement parts.
Toilet repair kits come in different sizes. For instance, the size of toilet flappers, flush valves and tank to bowl gaskets vary from 2 to 4 inches. Luckily, toilet fill valve heights can be adjusted to fit toilet tanks of different heights. Overflow tubes can also be cut into size.
It actually makes more sense to buy a complete toilet repair kit instead of just the only part you need to replace. Toilet problems appear without a warning and you will be able to fix it if you already have a kit ready.
Although we recommend that you try as much as possible to fix your toilet by yourself, if you are planning to call in a plumber it is cheaper to just bring him once and replace everything. What is even better is that the complete kit is cheaper than buying a part at a time.
Fluidmaster and Korky are 2 of the best toilet repair kits manufacturers. But which is better between the 2?
Both Fluidmaster and Korky toilet repair kits are very good. Korky offers an a soft adjustable toilet flapper and a quiet-fill fill valve with an internal float. On the other hand, the Fluidmaster fill valve is both quiet and fast and adjusts higher than the Korky fill valve
These are the best toilet repair kits to buy:
1. Fluidmaster 400CRP14 Fill Valve and Flapper
This kit contains a universal toilet fill valve and flapper. If you don’t wish to buy a complete kit then this is the best option for you.
Most of the time when you are having issues with your toilet the problem is normally the toilet flapper or the fill valve. Replacing both of them at the same time makes so much sense. This kit is inexpensive and when it comes from a reputable company such as Fluidmaster then you are sure it is going to last long.
If you have the old-style ballcock fill valve you can replace it with this one. The ballcock fill valves are now being phased out and replaced with the more compact float cup valves.
It is important to note that this toilet kit is designed to be installed on standard 3.5 gallons per flush toilets and not the low flow toilet (1.6 gallons per flush and below).
Also note that the toilet flapper fits a 2-inch flush valve. If you have the modern powerful low flush toilets with a 3 or 4-inch flush valve then you cannot buy this kit.
Depending on the height of your toilet tank, the fill valve can be adjusted from 9 to 14 inches. This should be enough to cover a wider range of toilet tanks.
2. Korky 4010PK Universal Kit
This is a complete kit. It contains the fill valve, flapper, flush valve, tank bolts and tank to bowl gasket. You can also opt to buy the fill valve only or the fill valve and the flapper.
Before you dive in any further, I would like to inform you that this kit is designed for a toilet with a 2-inch flush valve. If your toilets flush valve is bigger than that then this will not work.
So what makes the Korky 4010PK universal kit worth your money? First, the Korky fill valve is what is referred to as internal float valve. This type of float works the same way as a float cup but is quieter while refilling.
If you therefore hate that sound of a noisily refilling toilet tank then this is the kit for you. Another advantage of the internal float is that it has a more precise shut off. You therefore gets the correct water level in the tank.
If you are not happy about your flush valve or you have a wobbly tank as a result of loose and/or corroded bolts, you should go for the complete kit. While replacing the flush valve, it is always a good opportunity to also replace the tank bolts and the tank to bowl gasket. This way you don’t have to do any other repairs that involves removing the tank for a couple of years.
The rubber components of this kit are made of chlorazone rubber which resists chlorine, bacteria and other hard water elements deterioration.
The quiet fill valve can be adjusted to fit in toilet tanks of different heights. The adjustable height is 7-3/4 – 13-1/2 inches. This toilet repair kit has a 5-year warranty.
3. Fluidmaster 400AKRP10 Universal kit
If you need to completely rebuild your toilet tank then this is the kit to buy. It has all the toilet tank parts including a flushing handle. I can guarantee you that your toilet will start flushing like it’s new.
This toilet kit caters for toilets with a 2-inch flush valve. If you own a 3 or 4 inch flush valve this will not be suitable for your toilet.
If you have 2 or more old toilets that you need to rebuild this kit offers you the chance to buy 2 or more packs at a relatively cheaper price than buying 1 kit at a time. The best thing is that it’s a universal kit and can therefore be installed in most toilet brands.
The Fluidmaster’s PerforMax water saving flapper can be adjusted to choose the amount of water you want to use per each flush. Once you install it try to play with it to see the setting that will work best for your toilet. This toilet repair kit is best suited for 1.6 and 3.5 gallons per flush toilets.
For people who are not very experienced in plumbing DIYs they might be a little bit overwhelmed by the installation process especially when you decide to rebuild the entire toilet and not just part of it. As soon as you figure out what should go where you will then realize how easy it is. If you are a handy man/woman then this should be a piece of cake.
For this kit, you cannot just buy one part and leave the others. You will need to buy the entire kit or 2 or more. If you need to buy only one piece consider other alternatives.
The fill valve can be adjusted to fit a height of 9 to 14 inches. That should be sufficient for most toilet tanks if not all.
4. NEXT BY DANCO HydroRight Kit
This HydroRight kit from Danco is a bit different from the others. It converts a standard single flush toilet into a dual flush toilet.
Upon installing this kit you will therefore not have a flush level, flapper or ballcock. On its stead flush buttons will be installed on the flushing level opening which will give you the option of using a half flush to flush liquids and a full flush to flush solids.
If you don’t wish to install the flush buttons there is still a dual flush lever option. There are basically 2 levers, a big and a small one. The small one is for a half flush while the big one is for the full flush.
The dual flush valve is installed directly on top of the flush valve and you will therefore not need a flapper. Interesting enough is that during the entire installation you will not need any tool, and you will also not need to remove the tank.
This kit is designed to be used in toilets with a 2-inch flush valve. If your toilet has a bigger than that flush valve then it will not be compatible with this kit. Also, if you also have a super-efficient 1.28 gallons per flush toilet this kit is not for you.
Another requirement that your toilet has to meet before installing this kit is that the overflow tube and the flush valve have to be separate. If you therefore own a Mansfield toilet whose overflow tube is joint to the flush valve then this kit is not for you.
It is also good to note that this kit does not come with toilet tank bolts, tank to bowl gasket or flush valve.
You will receive a 5-year warranty after buying this kit.
5. Fluidmaster 400ARHRKP10 PerforMAX Kit
You must be wondering the difference between this Fluidmaster 400ARHRKP10 and the Fluidmaster AKRP10 kit. If you have the new models of dual flush or low flow toilets (1.6 gallons per flush and below) then this is the kit for.
The high performance fill valve is designed to fill the tank faster but quietly which is not the case with the fill valve in the AKRP10 kit. As the fill valve refills the tank, the refill tube fills the bowl faster/with more water.
If you have carefully looked at a low flow toilet you would have noticed that the bowl has more water than high gallons per flush toilets. The PerfoMax fill valve is therefore a very important feature for the low consumption toilets.
The AKRP10 is designed for the 3.5 gallons per flush toilets. There is nothing wrong with that flush valve just that it takes a little longer to fill the tank.
The fill valve in this kit can be adjusted from a height of 10 to 15 inches. This should be enough to fit most toilet tanks.
This is a complete kit meaning you can rebuilding your entire toilet tank. This is the way to go if you want an old toilet flushing like it’s new.
One thing you will notice is that the flushing handle in this kit is plastic. If you would want a metallic handle you need to buy one separately.
This toilet repair kit comes with a 7-year warranty.
6. Korky 5030BP 3-Inch Kit
If your toilet has a 3-inch flush valve then this is the kit you are looking for. It is a universal kit which means that it can be installed in major toilet brands without any issue.
This is however not a complete kit. It only contains the flush valve, flapper, tank to bowl gasket and tank bolts. If you need a complete kit you would need to buy the Korky quiet-fill fill valve separately.
Although most tanks are joint to the bowl using 2 bolts, some use 3 bolts and therefore this kit comes with 3 tank bolts.
Other than for the size of the flush valve (and therefore the flapper) this kit is made exactly the same way as the 2-inch kit.
7. Fluidmaster 540AKRP5 3-Inch Kit
This is also a 3-inch kit meant to cater for the low flow toilets which uses less water but flushes strongly. The wider flush valve allows the water to enter the bowl faster resulting in more force and therefore more powerful flushing.
This is also not a complete kit. It contains the flush valve, flapper, tank to bowl gasket and tank bolts. For a complete toilet tank overhaul you should consider separately buying the Fluidmaster PerfoMax fill valve.
An interesting feature about this kit is that the overflow tube can be adjusted up and down and therefore eliminating the need to cut it during installation. This kit however has 2 tank bolts.
Apart from the size of the flush valve this kit is as good as the 2-inch kit. It comes with a 5-year warranty.
Korky vs Fluidmaster Toilet Repair Kit
Korky and Fluidmaster are the largest manufacturers of universal toilet repair kits. They have been doing this for many years and as result have a gained the goodwill of homeowners and private businesses.
So, between Korky and Fluidmaster, who makes the best toilet repair kit? Both of these 2 companies produce quality toilet repair kits but there are some minor differences between the 2.
These are the differences between a Korky and a Fluidmaster toilet repair kit.
| FluidMaster | Korky |
|---|---|
| Has a float-cup valve | Has an internal float valve |
| Fill valve with a 7 year warranty | Fill valve with a 5 year warranty |
| Made in Mexico | Made in USA |
| Quiet refill | Very quiet refill |
| Solid brass tank bolts | Stainless steel tank bolts |
| Kit has 2 tank bolts | Kit has 3 tank bolts |
| Easier to adjust toilet flapper | Flapper a little hard to adjust |
Toilet Repair Kit Buying Guide
Before buying any repair kit make sure that it is compatible with your toilet. It is always a bit challenging especially when you are upgrading from the old ballcock style fill valve to a modern fill valve because you are not sure if the new kit will be compatible with your old toilet.
With the Korky and Fluidmaster toilet kits I can authoritatively confirm that you will be able to upgrade from a float ball to float cup/cylinder.
Another thing that you need to be careful about is the size of your toilet flush valve. This is the hole at the bottom of the toilet tank where water drains into the bowl. Most toilets have a 2-inch flush valve but you could also have a 3-inch flush valve.
With a 3-inch flush valve you will need to buy the 3-inch kit. Toilets with a 3-inch flush valve release water into the bowl faster than 2-inch flush valves and have powerful flushing.
If you decide to buy the Fluidmaster kit please ensure you buy the one which will match your toilet water consumption. They have a a kit for low flow toilets and 3.5 gallons per flush toilets.
If you have a dual flush toilet, the toilet tank is designed a little different from single flush toilets. The best thing in that case is to buy an original flush valve from your toilet manufacturer. In case you only need to replace the fill valve you can go ahead and buy from Korky, Fluidmaster or Danco.
Again if you are rebuilding your entire toilet tank it is also good to take the time to replace the water supply line. This is the line that is connected from the shut off valve to the tank. You can go a step further and also replace the shut off valve. This way you will have a brand new toilet.
Common Toilet Problems and Solutions
After years of usage, toilets start to give home owners all kind of problems. And that is why most people just prefer replacing all the parts instead of one part at a time. The following are the problems that your toilet will exhibit to tell you it’s about time you bought a replacement kit.
Running toilet
A running toilet is one of the most expensive toilet problems to have. With every passing minute water is flowing from the tank to the bowl and down to the drainpipe. Needless to say your bills will shoot up drastically.
Most of the time a running toilet is causes by a faulty flapper or fill valve. It could also be caused by a cracked flush valve.
To be sure what toilet part is causing it to run, remove the toilet tank lid and first check the water level. Ideally the water level in the tank should be about 1 inch below the overflow tube.
If the tank is so full that water is flowing down to the bowl via the overflow tube, you have a problem with the fill valve. Either the fill valve is defective or the toilet float is not properly adjusted.
If the water level is ok, then it could be the flapper. The flapper could be worn out or mineral deposits embedded under it preventing it from making a seal. Replace the defective part or both.
Toilet leaking between the tank and the bowl
If you notice that the toilet is leaking between the tank and the bowl especially after you flush it, it is a sign that the tank to bowl gasket is not sealing.
The toilet tank to bowl gasket which is also known as a spud washer is installed around the flush valve where the tank is connected to the bowl. If it is worn out and therefore not sealing, you will notice that water will leak out every time you flush the toilet.
A worn out toilet tank to bowl gasket will have to be replaced.
Toilet leaking from the tank bolts
A toilet that leaks at the tanks bolts points out to 2 things:
- Wobbly toilet tank – A wobbly toilet tank is caused by loose tank bolts. As a result, water will start dripping from the tank through the bolts and on to the floor. Tightening the tanks bolts might be all you need to do to fix this problem.
- Worn out tank bolts rubber washers – Rubber washers are installed on the tank bolts from the inside of the tank to prevent leaks. If the rubber washers are eaten away by minerals present in the water like chlorine, you will have a leaking toilet tank. In this case you will need to replace the tank bolts.
Hissing/Whistling noise after flushing the toilet
If you hear a hissing noise after you flush the toilet, most definitely you have a faulty fill valve. This problem is caused by a fill that whose opening has been blocked by debris or minerals present in the water. As the water forces its way through the opening it makes the sharp hissing noise.
Replacing the fill valve is a longer term fix but you can also remove the fill valve cap and try to unblock it.
Ghost flushing
So you are just trying to get some sleep after watching a horror movie and all of a sudden the toilet starts refilling on its own! Relax, there are no ghosts in the bathroom.
This problem is caused by a toilet with a very slow leak which is not easily detected. The water level in the tank goes down slowly until it reaches the critical point where the toilet float triggers the fill valve to start refilling the tank.
Investigate the source of the leak and fix the responsible toilet part.
Overflowing toilet tank
A toilet tank is fitted with an overflow tube to prevent the tank from overflowing. The excess water in the tank flows down to the bowl via this tube.
If you have replaced the overflow tube but did not cut it to fit your toilet tank, you will have an overflowing toilet tank. The top of the overflow tube should be 1/2 -1 inch below the flushing handle.
Overflow tubes are sold long, in order to fit into different sizes of tanks. You should always cut yours to properly fit in your tank.
Toilet leaking at the base
A toilet that leaks at the base after flushing indicates that the wax ring is not sealing. The toilet wax ring is installed between the bottom of the toilet and toilet flange and tightly squeezed against these 2 parts using toilet bolts.
A leaking wax ring will need to be replaced immediately lest it destroys your floor, especially if it’s wooden. Bad wax rings are also are sometimes identified by water leaking from the basement ceiling.
A wobbly toilet
A wobbly toilet is caused by loose toilet bolts or a broken toilet flange. A toilet flange is also called a closet flange.
If the problem is loose bolts, just a use an adjustable wrench to tighten them. If you however notice that the bolts are spinning or simply just not tightening enough, you will need to replace them.
On the other hand if you have a broken toilet flange you will definitely need to replace it. In certain cases, a wobbly toilet is caused by an uneven floor. In this cause you should shim the toilet.
Leaking shut off valve.
A toilet shut off valve is the knob on the wall behind the toilet. It provides a means of turning off the water to the toilet while doing toilet repairs.
If the rubber washer in the shut off valve has completely deteriorated, you will hear a vibrating noise as the toilet is the refilling or the shut off valve will be leaking.
Replacing the shut off valve is the only long term fix to this problem.
Broken toilet handle
Flushing a toilet starts from the handle. If it is broken you will have a hard time using the toilet. Sometimes it might not be broken but you will notice that once you push it down it does not spring back up which is just annoying.
In this case you will also need to replace the toilet handle. This is a really easy and inexpensive repair.
How to Replace Toilet Parts
The good thing about replacing toilet parts is that you can easily do it on your own without the need to call in a plumber. This is a good thing if you think about the cost of bringing in a plumber to replace something as simple as a toilet flapper.
1. How to replace a toilet flange
A toilet/closet flange is the pipe fitting that connects the toilet to the drainpipe. It also firmly anchors the toilet firmly on the floor.
Read: how to replace a toilet flange.
2. How to replace toilet bolts
A toilet is secured to the floor using 2 bolts, one on each side. The bolts are hooked on the toilet flange and driven through holes on the base of the toilet.
Often the bolts are covered using plastic caps matching the color of the toilet. This is purely for aesthetics.
Read: how to replace toilet bolts
3. How to replace a toilet wax ring
A wax ring is a ring of molded wax that is sandwiched between the bottom of the toilet and the flange to form a watertight seal. If you have therefore noticed water pooling around the base of the toilet you will need to replace the wax ring.
You can also replace a wax ring with an alternative seal which is a rubber gasket seal.
Read: how to replace a wax ring
4. How to replace a toilet shut off valve
A leaking water shut off valve will need to be replaced. This is also a quick repair. The problem with this repair is that you will have to first shut off water to the entire house.
You should therefore replace the shut off valve when there are less people in the house or when nobody needs to use any fixture.
Read: how to replace a toilet shut off valve.
5. How to replace toilet tank bolts
Leaking toilet tank bolts will mess your bathroom and increase your water bills. If you are lucky, tightening them might be all you need to do.
If they are corroded and won’t tighten no matter what then go ahead and replace them.
Read: how to replace toilet tank bolts.
6. How to replace a toilet tank handle
If you have a broken toilet handle, simply lift off the tank lid and pull up the lift chain. This will lift off the flapper allowing you to flush the toilet.
You however cannot do this forever. You will need to replace it eventually.
Read: how to replace a toilet tank handle
7. How to replace the tank to bowl gasket
The toilet tank to bowl gasket takes a little longer to replace since it involves removing the tank then installing it later. It is however a simple task.
Read: How to replace a toilet tank to bowl gasket.
8. How to replace a toilet flapper.
A toilet flapper is the seal at the bottom of the tank that seals off the flush valve opening. It is connected to the flushing handle using a chain.
Whenever you have a running toilet the toilet flapper is one of the main culprit. Replacing a toilet flapper is so easy and should take you only 10 minutes.
Read: how to replace a toilet flapper
9. How to replace a fill valve
A toilet fill valve is one of the most important toilet tank part. It is connected to the water supply line and is responsible for refilling the tank after every flush.
It is also connected to the toilet float which is responsible for closing and opening it and therefore the water level in the tank.
Read: how to replace a fill valve.
10. How to replace a flush valve
A flush valve is the toilet tank part where water leaves the tank and enters the bowl. It is 2 to 4 inch in size depending on the type of toilet you have.
This repair will take longer since it also involves removing the tank and then reinstalling it after replacing the flush valve.