How to Adjust Toilet Flapper Float that Closes Too Soon or Too Fast 

Thank you! After installing a side-mount handle, flapper was closing way too quickly. Other videos talked about adjusting chain on a front mount handle. Your tip was exactly what I needed. I adjusted the float, and all works perfectly. -wannabe repair lady

Dude, I lived with this issue for years of holding handle down to allow enough water to flow. But when I adjusted the float lower, it resolved the problem!!!! Thank you! You saved us a plumbing call.

Thank you so much! I have been trying to find the answer to this for 2 days! Yours is the first video I've found with a reasonable and clear explanation.

Thank you BIG-TIME!!!! No instructions on the box like you said. Making the simple adjustments made all the difference. Much gratitude...

Great tip!!! Adjusting the float did it! Adjusting the chain length alone was not doing the trick. Thanks a lot!

Yup. No instructions and yours was the first video of many that I found. Thank you for taking the time.

Variation: *My flapper's float has plastic disks:* one at the top of the float and one at the bottom of the float. Also, *the chain for my flapper is a ball chain* and not a link chain as see in the video. While trying to slide the plastic disks long , I discovered that my plastic disks have a slit cut in them to allow the disks to be twisted and then completely slid off the ball chain and then be repositioned. So, *if you have a ball chain with plastic disks, locate the split cut in the disks and then slide them off the ball chain so that you can reposition the float.* Thank you for your video!!!

Thank you !!!! I wish I had a more superfluous acalaid to express how eternally grateful I am for this video.

Excellent video and this is the 1st video that I've seen that covered this issue.

Thank you for your video. Because of you, I was able to find an old flapper float in a box of plumbing parts and finally fixed a leaky flapper

Life saver! You are totally correct that no one else mentions this. Everyone talking abt the slack on the flapper, but like that's so obvious and (in my case) didn't solve the problem. Your advice here worked perfectly - thanks!

Thank you - I just installed a Kohler flapper with a float and the instruction did not describe how to move the float. The Kohler flapper had a chain. This video saved me time and saved me from frustration and rage. Appreciate your posting these instructions.

Thank you! This has been driving me crazy for months! Who knew it was such an easy fix!

YES! Thank you so much!! I could see that the float needed lowering, but had no idea that it was that simple! Excellent video!

Thank you SOOOO much for this video! I was driving myself nuts as to why the flapper slowed too soon! Can’t believe it was as easy as behind that floating thing closer to the flapper! Thanks again!

Bingo! Simple, easy and plain! Thanks for sharing 👍

My hero!!! Thank you! None of the other videos had this and only said it was the chain length. It wasn't.

thanks for posting! this is what was happening with mine. and you're right...the manufacturer's video made no mention of this.

excellent video. this helped me as well. i too switched out the old flapper. the old one had that almost impossible plastic clip. My problem before i switched it out was i adjusted the chain but didn't solve the problem. Had to hold the handle to do a complete flush. Solution: exactly what this video showed. Get an adjustable float with the rubber washers not the stupid plastic clips then adjust it so that it drains the tank properly without holding the handle down.

Thank you!!!! No one else mentioned this and I didn’t know you could move the rubber washer. Thanks again!

Great info, without this information you'll be adjusting the FLOAT and CHAIN until the cows come home..

Thank you for the video! Finally it makes sense, been having huge problems with two upstairs toilets with leaking flappers but no issue at all with a downstairs toilet installed at the same time, thanks again, now I understand how to set them up properly.

Something else that you might find interesting and I just saw this myself in a video is the little hole in the front of the rubber cone part of the flapper, the smaller hole, is what allows the air that enters the cone through the bottom hole (bigger hole) to escape and fill with water which weighs the flapper down and causes it to shut. On adjustable type flappers you can turn the cone which changes the position of the small hole more to the side which allows the air to escape slower and therefore the flap closes later allowing more water to flush. With the adjustment to maximum it puts the small hole all the way to the side of the cone and allows it to stay open the longest amount of time for the best possible flush. Another way to do this is to plug the small hole in the front or put a rubber patch over it and add a new hole somewhere between the front to the side depending on how long you want the flapper to stay open during a flush. One way to add a new hole is with a soldering iron.

Thank you!! Not one of the multiple videos I had to watch cleared this up for me.

That's always been the finickiest part of the whole process to me! Thanks for the video.

Thanks. I hadn't worked out how the float needed to be positioned to slow down my flapper shutting so quickly. Well explained. Problem fixed.

Thank you for your help. We did this and now the toilet is working fine.

I don't think I've ever seen a flapper that had a float on it.

It took me less than two minutes to push the float down. Now I don't have to hold the handle down with each flush. Thank you for this great tip.

Thank you so much! My float doesn't have the rubber washers, so I tied the excess chain in a loose knot above the float to keep it submerged.

Thanks so much!! Just installed new flapper and directions don’t talk about the float! My float is all the way up towards the top! I think I need to move it down toward the flapper.

Finallly!!!!! I have been fussing with this damn flapper for a week!!! Thank you!

You are SO RIGHT!!a no other video I watched nor the package instructions mentioned this. Thank you so much!

Thank you for explaining it so clearly to understand.

Thanks! This tip just saved me from replacing a perfectly good flapper!

Thank you! You are right... the instructions did not say where to adjust the float if the flap was closing too fast, nor did any of the first videos I found. I know how to connect a chain to the handle and even the flapper. I just couldn't figure out how to adjust it. The other videos just didn't go far enough.

Thanks I was removing chain links, which works okay, but this is much better!

Thanks for this video. Had this problem and your video enabled me to fix it.

This is a very helpful explanation. Thank you ☺️ 🚽

thank u SO much! that float adjustment was exactly what i needed!!

Thanks . Problem solved . Perfect . Saved me a bunch of money.

You are correct that the instructions don't tell you to adjust those two black disks, just shows the yellow float going up or down. Got my toilet going again, Thanks!

Thank you so much for this!!! Saved me a lot of money $$$!!!!

How does no one else mention this little floatie?! I wondered what the point of it was. You saved me having to call the plumber (again) to fix this same problem! Many thanks!!!

Thank you so much. Your advice worked like a charm.

Perfect! Thank you so much! Solved the problem!

Thank you so much for your help. My foam stopper was not on the chain. I used a small crocket hook to feed it over the chain.

I had been holding the handle down to flush forever, After the chain in my toilet finally broke I replaced the chain and couldn't figure out which direction to place the float...thank you, thank you, thank you for saying it has to be lower for the flapper to stay open longer...I now have a properly operational toilet 😊

I just came up with this solution. There is no float on the chain. I thought of a counter balance for the chain but settled for a fishing bobber clipped to the chain.

Very helpful. Obvious once explained, but not documented anywhere.

OMG, I just fixed my toilet...Thanks so much...I had to move that thing higher up.

Great video, but I'm trying to determine the correct height. A float too high will not provide a sufficient flush, and a float too low will waste water. I'm guessing the correct answer for my 1.6 gallon toilet is the height which will flush 1.6 gallons.

Nice video. My kingdom for a 3" flapper with a float! I can't find them anywhere!

I've never seen any floats on any toilet I've ever seen and I'm 73 years old. Are they only used in certain areas?

Great video! But what if the float is already as low as it can go (on the flapper) and the flapper still doesn't stay open long enough? Thanks!

This helped me, we were wasting so much water, flushing! 🚽

Thank you!

Saved me a lot of aggravation. Thanks!!

Thank you thank you thank you. You made my day.

Thanks for the video. Seems like easiest things are the most aggravating

Worked like a charm. Thank you.

Thanks bro for this video. I work at Home Depot and you answered the customers question. Man I didn't even know what this was for !! Thanks 👍🏽🙏🏽🤎

Thank you so much for an easy fix that I couldn't find anywhere else!

Awesome video, thanks so much. Fixed my issue.

Exactly what I needed, thank you Sir

You Sir, are a lifesaver! It worked like a charm! Thank you for sharing video! I subscribed.

Thanks

Thanks, very helpful information I really appreciate it

Thank you very much.

Solved the issue I had after installing a new flapper.

i have the exact same flapper and it still closes too quickly - even with the float all the way down.

Just amazing video Thx❤

I have a lower end sterling made by Koehler. I’ve bought new flapper,adjusted chain tight,loose in all 3 handle holes and moved cork almost touching the rubber. Still closes quickly. 2nd toilet just started doing same thing.

Thank you.

When is the float actually supposed to close in a 1.6gpf American Standard? Mine closes when the flush is almost complete but a little bit before the flush is complete. Is the float supposed to close at the VERY end of the flush, or slightly before, or somewhere in the middle of the flush? I can hear when it closes, but just wonder where it is "offically" supposed to close to get 1.6gpf and still get a good flush.

When I flush my toilet the water goes down then back up in the bowl then down again and then refills the tank. Therefor I’m using almost double the water everytime. Any clue if this can be the float and if so what direction should I move the float to? Thank you

My rebuild kit didn't come with a float and the flapper is closing too soon so it won't complete the flush. Did you have to buy the float separately?

You (my good sir!) have lowered the level of my hysteria this morning!!!! Candidate for CEO of KOHLER!!!!

Thank You ! Problem fixed!!

Thanks, my clips were no longer on the blue style float, I used a zip tie on either end of the float... problem solved!

I have the float down as far as it will go in the flapper is still closing too soon. What can I do?

Thank you! Finally able to fix this issue.

Worked great! Awesome advice! 👍👊

Nice thumbnail and good video :)

Explain how to get the flapper to stay open longer even when you have the float adjusted all the way down

Your float adjust guidance seems to make perfect sense but is actually opposite to what Kohler says in their flapper instructions. They say that if the water level remaining in the tank with the new flapper is above the old flapper water level (meaning less water left the tank into the bowl) then "raise the float", and conversely if the new water level in the tank is below the old level (meaning more water drained into the bowl) then "lower the float". To me this seems backwards given my understanding of buoyency but it's what Kohler states in their flapper directions.

why can't they leave things alone.

My float is getting caught under the flap when flushing and is preventing the creation of the tight seal. I have it down the chain with no slack and it’s still getting lodged. Open to suggestions

I think I tossed that piece. Thank you 🙏.

Yessss life saverrrr thank you

This is great! Tank you very much.

worked great thanks!

Whats that brown stuff on the side of the flapper?

I have had to fix the float so it sits right on top of the flapper. It's better but it still closes too soon, is there something I am missing?

need that handle and rod any part #?

thank you!!

thank you ,, my problem solved

You saved my marriage! She wanted to call a plumber! ON A SUNDAY!

Been watching these videos and it's not helping my issue. First I have to say that the floater I have has clips, the floater can not be adjusted unless these clips are removed. I have lived here for 12 years and this issue started about a couple months ago, now unless maintenance snuck into my apt, no one has messed with it. I adjusted it myself, to the lowest it can go, and I still have the same issue.

I adjusted the the float as close as I could towards the flapper and the flapper still closes too fast, guess my one-piece old toilet is the exception to the rule.