Spent $40 on a cheap toilet fill valve and it flooded my downstairs unit

I figured a $10 universal valve was fine but after 3 months the flapper sticked open and it ran for 6 hours straight before the tenant noticed. Has anyone else had issues with those no-name parts from the hardware store?

2 comments

2 Comments

murphy.barbara2d ago

My brother-in-law is a plumber and he told me those cheap universal valves are basically junk from the start. He said the plastic feels thinner and the gaskets aren't made to last more than a few months. I read somewhere that Fluidmaster makes something like 80% of the fill valves in the US, so their stuff is pretty much the standard. After hearing that I just stick with their brand now. $15 is cheap insurance compared to a water damage claim.

ben6622d ago

Yeah I had the same thing happen with a cheap universal valve. Switched to a Fluidmaster that was like 15 bucks and it's been fine for over a year now. Worth the extra few dollars.