How to Change Flapper on American Standard Toilet

How to Change Flapper on American Standard Toilet

The majority of us have experienced running toilets and we’re all familiar with how annoying it gets. Running toilets not only contributes to water waste but may also lead to other problems related to the water level in the tank. Hence, it is very important to first identify the reason behind your running toilet and then find a suitable solution for it.

Most commonly, running toilets are a result of defective flappers. The purpose of a flapper is to control the volume of water being released into the bowel and act as a seal for the flush valve when enough water has been sent to the bowl. In the case of a defective flapper, it no longer acts as a seal and lets the water run continuously. This results in leaking or running toilets. Changing the flapper is the solution to this problem.

To change the flapper, turn off the water supply to your toilet first and then hold the lever down to drain all the water present in the tank. Then unhook the flapper chain from the lever. Now, to remove the old flapper, unclip the old flapper from the flush valve. If the valve seat is dirty, clean it with a paper towel.

Now attach the new flapper by clipping its ears to the tabs of the flush valve. Attach back the flapper chain back to the lever. Turn the water supply on and let the tank fill again!

Steps to Change American Standard Toilet’s Flapper

Steps to Change American Standard Toilet’s Flapper

In this article about replacing the flapper of your American Standard Toilet, we’ll explain how to change your toilet’s flapper in order to get rid of a toilet that’s leaking or continuously running.

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow

  1. Turn off the water supply
  2. Remove the old or defective flapper
  3. Install the new flapper

1. Turn Off the Water Supply

The very first thing to be done while dealing with most of your toilet problems is to turn off the water supply to your toilet. To turn off the water supply, simply rotate the shutoff valve to its fullest, in the opposite direction. The shutoff wall is usually located somewhere on the water supply line that leads to your toilet.

After the water supply has been turned off, the next step is to drain out all the water from the tank. For this, hold the lever/flush handle until it empties the tank. When you’re done, move on to the next step.

Read Now: American Standard Toilet that won’t Stop running

2. Remove the Old/Defective Flapper

Flappers are made of rubber or silicon. Some are also made of plastic. Once they become defective, it is not possible to get them repaired and use them again. So, you’ll have to remove the old flapper and replace it with a new one. Moreover, while making a purchase for a new flapper, try and look for one from the same brand as your toilet is.

Remove the OldDefective Flapper

To remove the old flapper, follow these steps:

  1. Firstly, you’ll have to unhook the flapper chain which you’ll find on top of the tank, connected to the tank lever arm. Simply, unhook the chain.
  2. Now, to remove the old flapper, the next step is to unclip it from the flush valve. You’ll see the ears of the flapper clipped into the tabs of the flush valve. Gently pull up the flapper from both sides until it is unclipped from the mounting posts.

3. Install the New Flapper

To install the new flapper, clip the ears of the new flapper into the tabs of the flush valve. Then connect back the flapper chain back to the lever and adjust the length. Also, make sure that the flapper chain is neither too tight, nor too loose that it hangs. The right adjustment of length would help your flapper work easily.

After you’ve installed the new flapper and attached the chain back, turn on the water supply to the toilet and let the water drain into the tank again. To ensure that the flapper is working fine now, perform 2 to 3 flushes and observe.

What kind of flapper does American Standard use?

American Standard Toilets use Universal Flappers made from plastic. For the size of these flappers, it used to be that most toilets came equipped with two-inch flappers; however, three-inch flappers have started to become popular in recent years and are commonly found in newer toilets after 2005.

How often should toilet flappers be replaced?

Toilet flappers should be changed whenever they get defective. But in general, toilet flappers require replacement after every 3 to 5 years, even if not defective.

Are all toilet flappers universal?

No, they’re not. Not only do the toilets differ in manufacturing brands, but they also differ in sizes and shapes, as would do their flush valve systems. Hence, flappers differ as well. Most commonly, the flappers are two or three inches in size. You can take a look at the drain opening under the flush valve at the bottom of your tank to determine what size you need.

How to Replace Flush Valve Seal of American Standard Champion 3?

How to Replace Flush Valve Seal of American Standard Champion 3

The process of replacing the flush valve seal of the Champion series of American Standard is much similar to that of other American Standard toilets.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Turn off the valve going to the toilet in order to turn off the water supply.
  2. Then remove the chain from the flush arm by unclipping it from the lever.
  3. Pull up the tower and pull off the old seal. You can spin the tower a little and just lift the seal straight up off the top.
  4. Now slide the new seal from over the top of the tower and slide it down from where you removed the old seal. Make sure it fits into the groove. You’ll have to rotate it all the way around so that it sits squarely in the groove.
  5. Then pinch the seal all the way round to make sure it is fit at every point. Pull at the seal until it’s even from all the sides and then put the tower back to its place. That’s all you have to do to replace the American Standard Champion 3 flush valve seal.
  6. Now attach the refill hose to the top of the flush valve, connect the chain back to the lever and turn back on the water supply.

Our Verdict

If you have a running toilet, that’s probably because the flapper isn’t working the way it should. Replacing the flapper with a new one would resolve the issue.

Changing your toilet’s flapper isn’t a difficult thing to do. You can change the flapper by yourself, without even having the need to call a plumber. But we recommend you read about the process before your start it on your own. This would help you understand the process better.

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