Toilets 101: How They Work

Minor adjustments and repairs to your toilet are common tasks every homeowner will face. This guide gives you an overview of the parts in the tank of a modern toilet and advises where to start when problems occur. 

Understanding the parts in your toilet makes it easier to repair your toilet yourself. Toilet tank and bowl configurations have not changed much over the years – they’ve just become more efficient.  However, the valves that fill and drain the tank have undergone a number of transformations and upgrades. 

If you’re having problems with an older toilet that uses more than 1.6 gallons per flush, now is a good time to consider upgrading to a newer, more efficient model. As a rule of thumb, toilets manufactured prior to 1994 use 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf) or more. The manufacturing date and gpf of your toilet is often printed or etched on the inside of the toilet tank. Upgrading to a newer toilet saves you money, conserves water and will ultimately be easier to maintain.
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