When the “Toilet Flapper won’t close” the cause could be:

(a). The toilet flapper sticks to the over flow pipe. The flapper is fixed up against the overflow pipe and not bobbing at all.

(b). The flapper is being kept up by air and water coming up through the flush valve seat. Note: This is evident when the flapper is moving and floating over the seat but will not drop all the way down until the water level rises in the tank.

(c). Fill valve water can push the flapper to one side or keep it open.

(d). The chain is catching on the lever arm or the chain is getting tangled keeping the flapper open.

(e). The lever is old and sticking. As a result it holds the flapper open.

(f). The design of the toilet flapper keeps the flapper open until the tank is emptied.If ‘the flapper sticks to the over flow pipe’, use a fingernail file on the flapper frame where it touches the over flow pipe (usually above the clips that attach to the posts on the over flow pipe). File enough of the frame so they do not touch. You can also put Vaseline on the clips as well to prohibit sticking. Flush a few times to check. Read more here.

Since the Adjustable toilet flapper is designed to shut down and stop the water from completely draining the tank this will cause the toilet to have a weak or nonexistent flush.

Which is the right flapper for my toilet?

Toilet flapper

There are two types of flappers: Adjustable Flappers and Non-Adjustable Flappers. Each flapper is designed for specific flushing capacities of toilets. There are 4 main toilet flushing capacities that are commonly used in the United States today: 5 gallon per flush and larger, 3.5 gallon per flush, 1.6 gallon per flush and 1.28 gallon per flush toilets. Here are the flappers you should use for each flushing capacity:

  1. Adjustable Flappers are designed to flush toilets that use 1.28 and 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF). These are toilets that were manufactured in 1994 or newer. Adjustable flappers come in both styles and in both size categories.
  2. Non-Adjustable Flappers are designed to flush toilets that use 3.5, 5 and larger gallons per flush (GPF). Toilets that were manufactured before 1994 are all considered to be the larger gallon per flush toilets. Non Adjustable Flappers come in both Styles but only in 1 size category: 2 inch. See more.

A stuck toilet flapper can result in as much as three gallons a minute entering your system. One thing to consider is to choose the right toilet flapper for you, so that problem will not arise right away when using your toilet often. Depending on the quality of the material and whether bleach or blue tablets were used in the tank for freshness can affect how long a toilet flapper will last.

TOILET FLAPPER TROUBLESHOOTING IN YOUR BATHROOM

A variety of common toilet malfunctions can be traced to the toilet flapper. This large rubber or plastic valve is located in the bottom of the toilet tank. When the flush handle is pressed, the flapper opens to release the contents of the toilet tank into the the bowl and initiate flushing. As the flapper closes, the tank refills. Problems relating to the flapper usually have to do with leakage, improper flush chain length or obstructed operation of the toilet flapper.

LEAKY FLAPPER

A worn or deteriorated flapper valve doesn’t seal properly, leaking water from the tank into the bowl. Placing a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank can reveal a leaky flapper if the color becomes visible later in the bowl. The main symptom of a leaky flapper is the on/off sound of the fill valve automatically adding water to the tank at intervals to compensate for leakage. Replacement of the flapper is a straightforward procedure that can be handled by any plumber. Read more here.