Plumber's Review: Best Toilet Fill Valve for Repairing Your Toilet | Fluidmaster Fill Valve

A plumbing product review by a retired Master Plumber with 48 years of experience. Here is Jim's favorite toilet fill valve (ball cock) to replace or improve in your toilet.
Purchase directly on Amazon using the link below. Purchasing with Jim's link helps Jim take his grandkids to the zoo.
Fluidmaster PRO45 Fill Valve: amzn.to/3p8Y0as
Jim recommends the Fluidmaster PRO45 fill valve and other Fluidmaster fill valves as a homeowner can install and replace them in minutes and the high quality of Fluidmaster. Most big brand-name toilet companies use these or fit inside of them.
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[@kilwala2242]

Thanks for showing the trick of reusing the old fluidmaster shank by unlocking the height adjuster, sliding off the old valve body and sliding on the new. Saved me some time, money and mess as I already had the more durable brass shanked Pro model and could use parts from the cheaper all plastic 400a model to fix it.

[@chrispixx]

Thanks Jim... I replaced the fill valve in my Toto toilet with the Fluidmaster. It worked out great. I suppose toilets are toilets, but I love the Toto. I will only repair it if needed, and hopefully never need to replace it. It is a great toilet.

[@ervmoore1111]

Great product but I messed up & changed flapper. No my tank is not stable as before, I’m cautious of over torquing mounting bold/nuts. Thanks for sharing, excellent tips….

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

erv Moore, I always recommend that, when you replace the flapper, get the same flapper as the brand of toilet. American Standard make their own flapper as do Toto and Kohler. The model number for the toilet is usually on the inside of the tank wall. I never use a hardware store flapper unless they sell the brand name of the toilet. When you tighten the tank, go a 1/2 turn on each nut until the tank feels snug to the bowl. Just so you can’t move it.

[@ervmoore1111]

@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thank you sir!

[@keithcronk7980]

hey jim you just keep them COMING YOUNG MAN

[@brittblanton8342]

Hey Jim thanks for the great information , fluid master is what I have used for years they are a simple install. Take care and have a great weekend 👍

[@czechvar6483]

Thanks Jim, just ordered 3 of these from HD for our house. I do appreciate your advice.

[@toy96]

Thanks Grumpy Plumber, your videos are very helpful for DIY especially the ones on water heaters. Hope your subscription goes up!

[@stessys6833]

I changed my flapper and then I wasn't sure if I didn't like how it filled because the length of the chain was wrong (I'll measure first next time) or if it was the valve since black yuck came out of the bottom. Although this did not explicitly address that, it really helped reassure me. Thanks.

[@JonathanFord808]

Thanks so much! I my fill valve was whining and when I went to replace the seal it wasn't going back together right. I had no idea how easy it was to replace the entire top portion of the valve mechanism until watching your video - at $10 I would much rather replace the whole thing every 5-10 years then mess with the seal only to have other part of it fail later.

[@notsohandytim5090]

Jonathan: Prepare to replace it again in about 4 years, max. 😮‍💨

[@Rhaspun]

@@notsohandytim5090 I did a replacement about six years ago and it's still going without issue. I wonder if it's the different water hardness in different cities that is causing some to fail in four years.

[@eddiealvarez5493]

Outstanding job! Grumpy. Thanks a million.👊

[@Soandsoguy]

I have replaced several toilets with Fluidmaster and Korky over the last few years and have monitored the performance. Overall Korky has worked much more reliably with less fuss and an easier install process. KORKY for the win.

[@egg_timer]

These Fluidmaster units seem to be flimsy junk. Are the Korky units better built?

[@Soandsoguy]

@@egg_timer yep!

[@notsohandytim5090]

@@Soandsoguy: Thanks miguelp. Been looking for an alternative to the inferior Fluidmaster.

[@kimappreciateslife]

Do you buy the blue Korky fill valve for Toto? That’s what I usually buy.

[@Pharos234]

So glad I found someone grumpier than I . . .

[@peterpoggi]

Great video! I ordered the last one in stock - need 4 more. but buying it through your link said only 1 left

[@cinefan21]

These are great fillvalves. As a plumber myself been using these for over 25 yrs.

[@notsohandytim5090]

You mean you've been constantly replacing them for 25 years because they are an inferior product. 🤔

[@joeking5864]

I did not know you could just pull the head off and slap a new one on. Great tip. But i have found that all the float valves out there are cheap and only last a few years before constant running.

[@whitetiger8652]

Appreciate your videos.

[@ger3dine]

Plumbing question. How stop the toilet handle from sticking and loosing up?

[@yappering]

I like korky!

[@user-mv5bu2kk8b]

Hello, love your fantastic information for the poor fools (like me) to enable us to do the job correctly the first time. Can you please explain and suggest a good quality water hammer arrestor for a washing machine? Thanks!

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

k*9, I recommend the brands Sioux Chief or Oatey plumbing products which you can find at Home Depot. You can connect them directly to the hose bib at the washing machine and then reattach the washing machine hoses. Are you sure the noise is coming when the washing machine turns off? Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad to help.

[@user-mv5bu2kk8b]

@@TheGrumpyPlumber Sorry for my late reply and thanks for your advice. I picked up Oatey brand and installed both hot and cold sides. Worked out perfectly! Again, thanks for helping out us financially challenged homeowners.

[@fat_head_Carl]

Do they fill from the top, or the bottom? Also, love the content

[@fiamond]

I like korky

[@mike9rr]

Thank you!

[@user8ZAKC1X6KC]

The issue with these aren't how reliable they are or how easy they are to replace. This issue is that when they fail, they are so quiet that you don't always know they did. Until you get a $2000 water bill. Which has happened to me twice with these. The mechanism can get a slow leak that then sends water down the overflow pipe. This is such a minimal amount of water (that flows constantly) that you don't even hear it (usually this is because it's quieter than a bathroom fan).

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

Tyler, fill valves are now all plastic and everyone thinks they have a good one. You might want to spend money on a leak defense system. Talk to the water department about your water bill. They might be lenient when things like this happen. They might give you a one time break.

[@donskin9795]

Thanks for the info.

[@sbartdbarcelona44]

Thanks Jim!

[@stephaniedembski9891]

I have an older model American standard toilet, probably from the 80’s, it’s 2.5 gallon tank, anyway, last year I installed a plumcraft anti siphon fill valve, because that is what was originally in the toilet. Well, I’ve noticed that after I flush and the water starts filling the tank and water is coming out of the fill tube into the overflow pipe, it stops about halfway up the tank, but if you wait a while, the water in the tank has risen, to either just below the overflow pipe or right at it. I’ve adjusted the settings numerous times, but same thing. Does this mean I have to replace it, I get really nervous in doing repairs and don’t know if this fluidmaster will work in my older toilet

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

A Fluidmaster will work. The water going into the overflow tube is going into the bowl to raise the water level to make a trap seal about a half an inch above the outlet. The bowl water will seek its own level, it just has to have enough water to make that seal. If the ballcock that you installed is making the trap seal in the bowl, you should be okay.

[@danaringquist9730]

Thank you sir. But what part has to be under the over flow. I cleaned the valve but it still runs

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

The water level in the tank should be about 3/4” below the top of the overflow tube. The tube coming from the fill valve must be connected to the overflow tube. Do not push the tube down inside the overflow tube. The fill valve should have come with a clip to attach to the overflow tube. If the toilet comes on and off, that means the toilet flapper has gone bad. If the water level in the tank flows over the top of the overflow tube, that means you have a bad fill valve. Hope this helps.

[@danaringquist9730]

@@TheGrumpyPlumberThank you my friend. I called fluidmaster and the kid I talked to was great. He walked me through it. He gave me the same advise as you and he sent me a text a week later to check up on me. He even told me not to buy a new one if the old one is working. Once agin, thank you very much. Dana

[@Rhaspun]

@@TheGrumpyPlumber Yes. I had pushed the long hose down into the water. It will lower the water and cause the water valve to refill the tank over and over. I learned my lesson. Use the clip that the hose connects to and clip it onto the overflow tube.

[@JamesBrown-db9pk]

just got my red swetshirt im grummpy 2

[@TheGrumpyPlumber]

James Brown/AKA Grumpy 2, appreciate your purchase of my sweatshirt!! Wear with pride!

[@shinhochulp]

I like this guy 😂 👍🏽👍🏽

[@mikev.1034]

👍👍

[@Anthony_Spilotro]

3/4" below the over flow os no good. 95/128" is much better.

[@ScrewballMcAdams]

🤣