Spent $40 on a cheap toilet fill valve and it flooded my downstairs unit

I figured a $10 universal valve was fine but after 3 months the flapper sticked open and it ran for 6 hours straight before the tenant noticed. Has anyone else had issues with those no-name parts from the hardware store?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.barbara1mo ago

My brother-in-law is a plumber and he told me those cheap universal valves are basically junk from the start. He said the plastic feels thinner and the gaskets aren't made to last more than a few months. I read somewhere that Fluidmaster makes something like 80% of the fill valves in the US, so their stuff is pretty much the standard. After hearing that I just stick with their brand now. $15 is cheap insurance compared to a water damage claim.

ben6621mo ago

Yeah I had the same thing happen with a cheap universal valve. Switched to a Fluidmaster that was like 15 bucks and it's been fine for over a year now. Worth the extra few dollars.

daniel85721d ago

Whoa, I gotta push back on this a little. In my experience, those cheap universal valves aren't always junk. I've got one on a toilet in my rental that's been running fine for almost three years now. The key is you have to make sure the flapper is seated right and the water pressure isn't too high. @ben662 swears by Fluidmaster, and they're solid, but I've had those leak too after a year. It might just be that the install wasn't perfect or the water in your area is hard on the rubber.