How To Install a Ballcock Fill Valve

To begin replacing a ballcock fill valve, turn off the water supply to the toilet. To do this, look for a knob located behind the fixture. This knob is the toilet’s shutoff valve. Twist it clockwise to stop the intake of water.

If the shutoff valve won’t budge, use an adjustable wrench to loosen it.

You need the toilet tank to be empty and dry before you start your work. Begin by removing the lid from the toilet tank.

Flush the toilet to remove water from the tank. Then, soak up any excess water with a sponge . If a lot of water remains, you may need to use more than one sponge.

If you use toilet tank cleaner tablets, wear rubber gloves while you clean up the water. Remove any remaining tablets or debris from the tank and throw them away. When you finish this job, add a new tablet to the tank.

Your old ballcock fill valve may still contain some water that can spill when removed. To keep your bathroom clean, spread plastic sheeting around the toilet and place a cleaning bucket [https://www.homedepot.com/b/Cleaning-Cleaning-Tools-Mop-Buckets-Cleaning-Buckets/N-5yc1vZcbdt] below the area where the supply line from the wall enters the tank.

Once you have the area around the toilet ready, disconnect the supply line from the toilet. The line is a flexible hose that runs from the wall to the toilet. Loosen the coupling connection with an adjustable wrench, and then unscrew it the rest of the way by hand.

Next, you’ll need to take out the old ballcock fill valve. Start by locating the mounting nut. You’ll find it on the outside bottom of the toilet tank below the valve. Grip the nut with an adjustable wrench and turn it counterclockwise. Continue turning until you remove the nut.

Once you remove the nut, lift the old ballcock fill valve out of the toilet tank. Place it in a plastic bag and throw it away.

To prepare the new ballcock fill valve for installation, attach its cone washer to the bottom or tailpiece of the valve. The washer looks like a small ring. It will screw onto the bottom.

Twist the cone washer upward as far as it will go. Then, slide the ballcock fill valve into the opening at the bottom of the tank. Reach underneath the tank and screw the mounting nut in place. Tighten with the adjustable wrench.

Slide the new float arm into the valve. Line it up so that it will be behind the overflow tube. Once the float arm is in place, screw on the float ball by hand.

Connect the refill tube to ensure that extra water can drain from the tank as needed. It should rest inside the overflow tube. While it’s okay if the tube bends, kinks in the tubing can cause water to back up. If the tube is so long that it forms a kink, trim it with utility shears .

Connect the supply line to the mounting nut. First, twist it by hand, then tighten it with an adjustable wrench. Be careful not to overtighten it, because the toilet tank could crack.

To finish up, turn the supply line valve knob counterclockwise. As the toilet refills, check for leaks. If you see any, tighten connections with an adjustable wrench. Flush the toilet and make sure the tank refills.

If everything works well, put the toilet tank lid back on. Empty the cleaning bucket and remove the plastic sheeting from around the toilet.