Last Updated on 1 year by Christopher G Mendla
I don’t have the time to replace the valve right now but this quick hack worked.
The problem – a sticking float valve
The toilet valve at the shore home was sticking. When you flushed, it intermittently wouldn’t drop and refill the tank. That meant that you had to remove the cover and tap it. That got old fast.
Lubricate or add weight
I didn’t want to work on it during the peak of the season. I tried WD-40 but that didn’t help. Imagine something that couldn’t be fixed with WD-40 or Duct Tape. Another alternative was to glue some weight on the top of the float. I wasn’t sure that would work.
Adjust the chain and/or float arm
I ended up re-adjusting the connection between the float and the valve arm. It seemed that a small adjustment figuring that would be enough.
Remove the slime and rust
Spraying the post that the float slides on with Kaboom Mold and Mildew remover seemed to be a logical idea. My thought was that any slime on the parts might be making it stick. As you can see it is a bit rusty so I followed up with some white vinegar after flushing it. (You don’t want to mix clorox based cleaners with other chemicals). The vinegar should help remove any rust/calcium deposits between the float and post.
SUMMARY
It worked for now. I kicked the can down the road and can deal with it by replacing the valve at the end of the season. Or, if it is working OK, let it go till spring. If that doesn’t work, you can try a new Fluidmaster valve.