When they aren’t working perfectly, toilets let you know by hissing, squealing, banging, and moaning loudly. Odd toilet noises have a number of causes—from water-flow issues caused by debris and clogs in your plumbing to failing tubes and valves in and around your toilet—which is why it’s important to identify the specific sound and diagnose the problem before you start disassembling and swapping parts.
If your toilet is squealing or whistling after you flush, you’re probably facing a failing fill valve. The fill valve controls the amount of water that refills the tank, and it can wear out and need adjusting or replacing to keep your toilet flushing smoothly. Here’s how to silence your toilet with a new fill valve.
How to replace a toilet fill valve
The only part you’ll need for this job is a new fill valve, which you can get from Amazon or any home improvement store for about $15. DIY YouTuber Jeff Ostroff has a helpful video for replacing a toilet fill valve if you need visual instructions, but here’s the step-by-step:
Locate the water shutoff valve behind your toilet (connected to the wall) and turn the lever so it’s pointing 90 degrees away from the hose.
Flush the toilet to empty the water, and place a bucket or container beneath the toilet tank to collect any excess. Remove the top of the tank and set it aside.
Unscrew and disconnect the hose from the tank, followed by the plastic nut that’s securing the fill valve.
Pull the old fill valve out. Use it to set the height of the new fill valve. (The top of the valve should be about three inches above the overflow pipe.)
Set the new fill valve into place in the tank. Attach the clip to the tube and the clip to the overflow pipe. Check to ensure the tube doesn’t get in the way of the flush lever.
Screw the valve nut back on and hand tighten. Reconnect the water supply line and hand tighten.
Turn the water supply on and wait for the tank to refill. Adjust the float higher or lower so the water is right at the fill line.
Ostroff also notes that this is a good time to assess the water supply hose. If you have a rubber line, consider replacing it with a steel hose. If it’s steel but worn out, rusty, or green, also replace it.