Anatomy of a Toilet

Have you ever wondered how a toilet works? It's pretty simple! Understanding toilet anatomy, especially the toilet parts names, will help you maintain your toilet. There are a few parts of a toilet tank that are crucial to a powerful flush.

When you flush the toilet by pressing the flush handle down, the rubber flapper, sometimes known as a float valve, is lifted. This causes the water in the toilet tank to rush into the bowl and flush the old water and waste. As the water moves from the tank to the bowl, the flapper slowly sinks again to sit on the flush valve, closing off the water to the bowl. 

When the water level drops inside the toilet tank, the float of the fill valve drops, activating the refill cycle. While the tank is refilling, the fill valve also refills the bowl through the refill tube that connects to the flush valve, recharging for the next flush.

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How a Flush Handle Works

The flush handle is the mechanism that starts the toilet flushing process. The toilet handle attaches to the lever arm that is inside the tank. When you press or pull the handle, the lever arm lists the flapper off the flush valve. This triggers the release of water from the tank into the bowl, flushing away the waste.

A working flush handle and lever are key to keeping a toilet working properly. Some handles need to be replaced more frequently, depending on the design. Korky tank levers are made of engineer-grade materials and are corrosion-resistant, lasting longer than standard flush levers. Our different styles and finishes allow you to improve your toilet's functionality while matching your bathroom's decor.

Toilet Flapper

Fill Valve

Flush Valve

Tank-to-Bowl Gasket

Wax Free Seal

This image describes the components of a toilet tank, and how a toilet workshow a toilet works video thumbnail