Quick Fix to Slow Filling Toilet - Common Problem is Tiny Clog

The Fluidmaster Fill valve (Ballcock) can suddenly quit filling or start filling very slowly.
It happens to be very sensitive to crud in the water supply and it is easily repaired.

To clean and return fill speed back to normal follow these easy steps.

1. First, turn off the water supply to the toilet and check by flushing the toilet and insuring no water is coming to the valve.
2. Grab the valve stem just below the float with one hand and
3. Lift up on the float arm on the top of the valve and twist 1/4 of a turn counter clockwise.
4. The head can be tilted enough to remover the gasket and check for tears.
5. Now with your hand or a cup cover the top of the exposed valve stem and turn the water back on.
6. Turn the water on just enough to purge some water out of the valve, this will purge any rust or impurities that are interfering with proper operation.
7. Reassemble the valve head, with the old washer or new, and turn the water back on.

Your toilet should fill like normal again!

[calamarisafari]

My dad is my Mr fix It, but he passes away two years ago. So when my toilet started to do this I didn’t want to call someone and pay an outrageous amount just for them to come look at it. I typed in my problem and this video popped up. I had my toilet fixed so quickly. I appreciate you for posting this! My dad would have been proud seeing me fix something. Thank you!

[roncoffman]

This video was straightforward and extremely helpful. Thank you so much for sharing an extremely useful tip!! I'm most grateful!!

[raebeez]

Thank you Mr hardware!! Will look over more of your other videos

[hilbert]

Awesome. My first idea was replace the whole flush valve. This was very good.

[brittneyrichmond]

Thank you, mine has been filling slowly. Now I know how to fix it.

[Xevius]

Thanks for this. Made my problem an easy fix.

[VividlyViciousGaming]

Thanks for the video. Helped me get it running again!

Just subbed Mr. Hardware. Thanks for all your precious tips.

[ungarlinski]

What if the water doesn't hit your hand when you turn the main wall valve back on? Like no water at all?

[davedougherty]

Was following this and when I turned the water to do the purge, didn’t cover it… right in face

[Redlined]

I followed what you did there I had black water shoot up, then turned clear. My toilet still fills slowly but I noticed that if I turn the water valve off, then open it the tank will fill quickly

[nelldrik]

This and your other fluidmaster video were so helpful in understanding how the fill valve works, so thank you! I am having an issue where the float cup is not dropping back down and so the tank doesn't refill at all unless I remove the lid and push the arm down manually. Do you think this could also be a blockage or seal issue? Or would you recommend replacing the entire valve?

[Bevieevans]

Great tip, but how do you do that when the tank is under a worktop, you know, a built in toilet?

[crawfordrenwick]

Great video, I followed the steps and it started working great, however as soon as the floaty device that detects water level stops the flow and I flush it goes back to trickling out. I have to take it all apart and it works for one flush. Do I need to replace the black rubber seal thing? If so what’s it called? Are they universal in size?
Appreciate any info you can give me

[TheErd]

I took the cap off and turned ny water back on but its barely trickling through the top of the valve.. any suggestions?

[khshkhshkhsh]

I put a new fill valve and the water fills the tank slower than when I had the old fill valve. Any idea how to fix that?

[knoxm]

Alright so I tried this tonight. I popped off the cap covering the top of the valve body, unscrewed the top, and put a wide mouth Mason jar over the valve, and reached down and cracked open the shut off valve. A geyser of water shot up, knocked the Mason jar clean off the valve body, and watershot up straight to the ceiling. I put my hand over the valve and proceeded to divert the geyser all over myself and the two adjacent walls. I finally got the shut off valve closed. To add to my humiliation, my girlfriend came in to check on me and saw me standing there looking like a drowned rat, then burst out laughing. After reassembling everything, the toilet still fills too slowly. Like, it takes ten minutes to fill. I’m thinking it’s the black gasket 😂

[metsq]

This didnt work for me and I have noticed weather i turn the water off or on it still runs?

[ajg]

I wasn't sure why you took out the gasket from the top when all you were doing - at least from what I could tell - was purging any debris from the tube when you turned on the water with your hand covering the tube?

[Mark-sybx]

When I twist it the cap doesn't come off