When the toilet handle sticks or shows signs of being loose or broken, you may be tempted to call a pro to fix it. But you can fix that broken toilet handle on your own, and keep your money in your pocket! ForRent.com is here to show you how easy that can be.
A toilet handle is connected to the trip lever, and when that connection is loose, the toilet becomes more difficult to flush. To fix the connection, first use a wrench to tighten the handle to the lever from the outside.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, you’ll need to go inside the tank. It may seem overwhelming but you can handle it! (no pun intended) Remove the tank lid and find the nut located where the broken toilet handle attaches to the lever. Unscrew it with the wrench, though you may be able to do this by hand if it’s a plastic nut. Remove the nut completely, then pull out the handle from the hole, removing the lever as well. Replace the toilet handle with a new one, then thread the lever through the whole. Once the new handle is in place, you can tighten the nut back on. Make sure you attach the chain to the lever afterwards to complete the toilet handle repair.
If problems persist, check the tank chain. If the chain is loose and doesn’t pull hard enough on the flapper, you may need to shorten the chain. You can do this by unclipping the chain and taking off several links before reattaching it.
And just like that, you know how to fix a toilet handle. Now it’s time to treat yourself for your hard work and the money you saved.
Get started today on your search for your next apartment home on ForRent.com.
*We can’t promise you that the following techniques won’t get you in trouble with your property manager. Before you start any of these projects, make sure that you get written permission.