How to Replace Flush Valve Seal on American Standard Toilet

Toilets are one of the most common fixtures in any house. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. 

However, toilets can also cause many problems if they are not properly maintained. For example, if you have an American Standard Champion toilet with a flush valve seal that needs to be replaced, this will pose a problem if not done correctly.

In this article, we will examine the process of replacing a flush valve seal on an American Standard champion toilet – let's get right into it.

Repacing a flush value seal – Steps 1-7

Follow the below process to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

Step 1: Turning off the water

First, turn off the water to the toilet and flush it a couple of times. This will cause any water in the tank to drain into the bowl.

Step 2: Removing the cover

Remove the cover that sits on top of your toilet's tank. Use a screwdriver or a flat-head screwdriver to do this – it is usually located under the tank lid. Adjustable pliers may also be helpful if your toilet has a stubborn screw.

Step 3: Removing the bolts

Remove the bolts with a large wrench or adjustable pliers from both sides of the flush valve seat and lift the flapper and remove it entirely. You can set these aside someplace where they won't get dirty or lost.

The flapper will generally be connected to one side of the chain that controls its opening and closing, which is usually attached to a rod running through the length of your toilet's tank and up into its overflow tube. This setup is different from other toilets in that you have much more control over how fast your flappers open and close as well as how long they stay open. 

If you want to get a little more out of your flapper, all you need to do is lengthen the rod that controls it by unscrewing its nut or bolt and screwing it farther up into your overflow tube – there's no hard limit on how far this can be extended.

Step 4: Using pliers to remove the valve

Remove the flush valve seat from inside the tank using adjustable pliers. To remove the flapper chain from its current position, you will first have to disconnect it from the flapper hook before doing anything else. You should also detach any other parts connected with the flush valve seat such as a water level bracket if necessary at this time – don't forget what came apart where. Take note of the order in which these parts came apart as well.

Step 5: Clean off any residue

Once you've removed the flush valve seat, take it to a nearby sink and clean off any residue from inside the tank that remained on the seat after removal. This is especially so if your tank is made of plastic – this will help prevent leaks when you install your new seal.

At this point, you've done all that there is to do in removing the old flush valve seal. Now we are going to move on to installing our new one by first taking its measurements with some measuring tape or calipers.

The width of your flush valve should match that of your old one – these are often generic parts and there's no hard guarantee that they'll fit perfectly so don't worry too much if they're ever so slightly off but make sure you avoid getting apart with any holes or spaces cut in it as that can significantly damage your ability to operate your flapper properly.

You can also check out the model number of your toilet in order to find a seal that matches the dimensions you require. This American standard model number lookup is there for your ease.

Step 6: Apply the new seal 

After you've found a seal that matches the dimensions of the old one exactly, take some adhesive and apply it to the top of the new flush valve seal and stick it onto your toilet's tank.

Now you can re-attach all of the other parts that you took apart earlier starting with the flapper chain followed by any remaining hardware on either side of your flush valve seat – make sure they match up with the old holes exactly. 

When everything is attached correctly, slowly turn on your water supply and check to see if there are any leaks by pressing down on various places around your toilet's base and paying careful attention to look for drips – adjust as necessary until no water appears around the tank when everything is installed correctly.

Previously, we have covered how to replace a toilet seal on our blog!

Step 7: Test your flushing

Test your toilet by flushing it a few times to see if there are any problems – repeat this step until you're sure that everything is working well and without leakage. You may have to adjust the chain on your new flush valve seal to get it to close all of the ways. 

If you’re in the market to buy a new American standard toilet, we encourage you to check out our American standard toilet buying guide before making any final decisions.

Final thoughts on how to replace flush valve seal on American standard toilet

In conclusion, you should now know how to replace flush valve seals on American standard toilets.

Keep in mind that not all toilets are the same so you may need to make some slight adjustments for the job to go smoothly. 

We hope this guide has helped you learn how to replace flush valve seals on American standard toilets properly. 

Finally, you can also check out our Kohler vs. American Standard vs Toto Toilets review if you’d like to see what other brands have to offer when it comes to a new toilet.