"What does 'will fit' mean?"
"Will Fit" is a term used to define an item that may or may not be made by the original manufacturer (OEM), but will function just like the original part.
"What is the difference between "OEM" and "will-fit" parts? And what does OEM mean anyway?"
"OEM stands for "Original Equipment Manufacturer". This means anything from the original manufacturer that is sold to a second company to use in production of that second company's product. In other words, many toilet manufacturers outsource for the internal working parts of the toilet, such as the fill valves, flush valves, or flappers. When this happens, they have the opportunity to use an existing part, or to spec something for the specific toilet. When the toilet manufacturer chooses to use an existing part, the manufacturer of the part can still sell that piece under their own name. If the toilet manufacturer chooses to spec something for the specific toilet,
the part manufacturer can then only provide that part to the toilet manufacturer. What this means for you is that you can sometimes get the *exact same part* (by the original manufacturer of the OEM part), but under another name and at a better cost! So when your toilet's internal working parts need to be replaced, you may have the option to use either the "OEM" part number or use the "will-fit" part number to order what you need. Please note that only some "will-fit" items are manufactured by the OEM manufacturer. If this is essential to your repair, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to check for you.
"Are all American Standard® parts 'standard' and are ALL their products and parts made in America?"
A number of their products are made overseas (as is the case with many other plumbing manufacturers as well). Please do not assume that all products made by American Standard (Am. Stan.) are made in the U.S. The word "standard" and "American Standard®" are NOT identical. Most of their faucet parts will only fit their brand (as is the case with their competitors as well). Many of their toilet parts will only fit their brand of toilet. Not all of American Standard® parts are universal ("standard"). We get this question frequently, and it is probably because some people assume that since they have the word "standard" as part of their name that they must be using parts that are "standard"; as in universally fitting. Just as car bumpers don't fit on all brands of cars, parts for "standard" toilets and faucets will generally not fit on other brands. Generally you must buy parts specifically made for (designed to fit) your specific brand of toilet/faucets, etc.
"What are the most commonly replaced toilet parts?"
This depends on several factors; each time you use your toilet the trip lever, flapper, and fill valve are operated. You will find, however, that the flapper and fill valve are the most exposed parts and will be the first ones to wear out in most cases.
"I installed a new fill valve and my new valve comes on (and then goes off) for a few seconds about once per hour?"
This could be caused by many things. The most common is with a Fluidmaster 400. This is a great valve but be sure to install the 1/4" tube per their instructions. Use the clip that comes with it and do not just stick it into the overflow tube or it will go on and off every so often by itself. If that isn't it, take some food coloring and place it in your tank. Wait a few hours and if some of the color has gone into the bowl then you probably need a new flapper.
"Why does my toilet continue to run after flushing?"
If, after flushing, you find that the toilet continues to run, and you have discovered that by jiggling the handle it will stop; then the problem may be that the chain controlling the flapper is too long. When installing your flapper, you want the flapper chain's S-hook in the hole closest to the handle with very little slack in the chain itself. By doing so, when the toilet is flushed, the chain will fall behind the flapper where it won't snag and cause problems such as keeping the flapper from closing properly. Check to make sure that the flapper has enough clearance to close, i.e. not hitting the float ball when the water level drops. You also want to check to see that the toilet's flush handle (aka tank lever) is installed securely so it can't rotate too high, hitting the tank's lid or other parts and sticking.
"What's the best way to replace my toilet flapper?"
Generally, with most toilets: turn off the water supply and flush the toilet. Reach in and unhook the ears of the flapper and unhook the chain from the trip lever. Install an identical flapper to the original that came from the factory. Do expect to get your hands dirty from the old flapper. Simply reinstall the new one in reverse order. Note that should you have very old brass pipes inside of your toilet, be careful not to be rough on them. They can easily break and end up leaking. After you have replaced your flapper, and the toilet tank bowl has refilled, the water fill valve should not leak (be going on and off in cycles). If it does, then we recommend putting some food coloring into your tank. This can help diagnose the problem. The colored water should not be going into the bowl (unless you flush the toilet of course). If the food color does go into the bowl, then possibly the flapper is not the correct one, the surface where the toilet flapper sits, has eroded (feel below where the flapper touched the toilet and see if you can feel erosion/grove) or you may only need to add some slack to the chain.
"How long 'should' the parts inside of my toilet last?"
That depends on a number of variables and which parts. Water quality is one of the major factors. If your water source is heavily chlorinated then many parts won't last long. Or if you have a lot of sand or grit or have a low pH or "aggressive" water source then parts simply won't last as long as the 'average' length of time. Also the quality of the parts matters. The replaceable parts such as flappers and washers/seals generally will last at least 4 to 5 years on "average." If you use a chemical bowl cleaner some flappers won't even last one year. However, some toilet bowl cleaners isolate cleanser from the internal workings of the toilet therefore, maximizing the life of your toilet parts. If your flapper has black "goo" on it then it is either due to age or quality of your water and if it feels soft then it's best to change it.
"Why are toilet seats non-returnable?"
For hygiene reasons, we cannot allow or accept return of any toilet seat or bidet seat once it has left our warehouse. When you order your seat from us, you can be absolutely certain the seat is brand new, and has never been used by anyone before you. Once a seat has been delivered and has been in the possession of the purchaser, there is no way for us to be completely sure the seat was never installed or tested; even if we're told the box had only been opened to look at the color or design of the seat, how would we then be able to guarantee the cleanliness of that seat to any other customer? We want you to rest assured any toilet seat you purchase from us is sanitary, brand new, and was never used or installed by anyone before you. If we accepted the return of toilet seats, then we could not make the same guarantee to the next customer.
"When I received my toilet seat, the manufacturer's box was not sealed and had already been opened. Did you send me a seat that was returned to you by a previous customer?"
The seat you received was brand new and unused by anyone before you. When we receive a shipment of seats from our supplier into our warehouse, their boxes are often opened for inspection, to make sure the seats are not damaged or defective; we also inspect the seats before we ship them to you, to make sure they're correct and in good condition.
