Quote:
Originally Posted by billethkid
I tried a forum search but did not come up with any thing.
Our home (built 2004) is now 21 years old. I need to change the toilet tank fill valve and have been cautioned by neighbors to be careful of the shut off valves as they are fragile and should be replaced.
Your experiences/suggestions will be appreciated.
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This is the easiest DIY job that I've ever attempted, and that's saying a lot, because I'm just not that talented in the home improvement field. However, I replaced every push/pull valve in our home with the Shark-Bite valve. Follow these steps, and when it's over, you'll feel a real sense of accomplishment:
1. Turn off the main water supply valve.
2. Flush the toilet and disconnect the supply line from the toilet tank.
3. Don't forget to put something under the tank to catch the water that will drain out.
4. There will also be a small amount of water in the supply hose, so drain that too.
5. Use a pipe cutter to cut the valve off. There will be a circular, saw-toothed ring that is left on the water line, so cut that off as well.
6. You should now have the water line sticking from the wall with nothing on it.
7. Push the Shark-Bite valve onto the line. Follow the instructions on installation, but you'll know when it's on correctly, because it won't go back any further, so don't force it.
8. Attach a metal braided water line to the valve and the toilet tank.
9. Pour some water into the tank and check for leaks.
10. If no leaks, then turn on the water supply and check for leaks at the hose and valve connection. There shouldn't be if you've tightened but not overtightened the connection.
11. Keep a towel handy to soak up any water that has spilled from the disconnections.
I replaced every valve in my house five years ago, and they've worked very well. I see that Amazon is still selling a package of ten compression valves for $45, which is around the same price I paid. If you simply want to replace the one toilet valve, True-Value Hardware sells SharkBite valves for around $15.