How To Repair A Broken Toilet Handle

Toilets are one of the most used items in your habitation, and information technology's important they piece of work effectively. Even the best toilets can develop faults over fourth dimension, and frequently it's the handle that goes. Once a handle becomes loose or starts to hang downwards, then you won't be able to flush the toilet properly.

This guide volition not only take you through all the things you need to wait out for when it comes to resolving toilet handle problems merely as well how to replace toilet handle hands.

How Toilet Handles Work (Why Are They Important?)

The average person uses the toilet five to 7 times a 24-hour interval, simply not many people actually understand how a toilet works. The toilet handle is a fundamental part of the machinery, and without it, your toilet won't operate as yous need it to.

When yous printing the toilet handle, it operates a lever inside your cistern. This is connected to a valve, called a flapper, and the water drains down through a siphon into the toilet bowl. The water pressure gets the waste to menstruum downward the s-bend of the toilet and out into your plumbing.

Why Doesn't My Toilet Handle Work? (Causes + Signs They Need Replacing)

Toilet handles run into a lot of use, and there are many unlike reasons they can terminate working. Understanding the issue can help you solve the problem, and these are the main causes:

Causes:

• Chain Unattached To The Ball
  Defects in your toilet, and habiliment and tear, can mean that your chain tin can become unattached from the brawl. This means the handle is no longer connected to the valve and isn't doing annihilation when you affluent.
• Chain Is Too Long
  If your concatenation is too long, there isn't enough tension to operate the valve and release water from the cistern.
• Flapper Inside Of Your Tank Is Worn Out
  If the flapper valve within your cistern is worn out, and so it may leak water through to the toilet bowl fifty-fifty without you flushing. If there isn't plenty water in the bowl, and then your flush volition become weak.
• Broken Toilet Handle
  The toilet handle itself tin interruption off or snap, so it's no longer connected to the cistern.

To prevent your toilet handle from breaking, you need to human activity early on. Expect out for these telltale signs that might indicate a problem with your toilet handle:

Signs:

• Rusted, Pocked, Or Broken Toilet Handle
  Visible damage to your handle is the virtually obvious sign that something is wrong. Rust or keen is oft a sign that the toilet handle needs to be replaced.
• Jiggling Toilet Handle
  If yous accept to jiggle the toilet handle to cease the flush, and so information technology ways that the valve is loose in the cistern. The jiggling will piece of work for a time, but eventually, you will demand to replace the valve and handle.
• Holding Toilet Handle Downward
  If you lot have to hold the toilet handle down to get all the h2o into the basin, this means the concatenation is too long. This actress length means that the flapper doesn't lift high plenty, so at that place's a lot less volume of water flowing into the toilet bowl.
• Phantom Flusher
  A loose part within your toilet mechanism, often caused by rust, tin can lead to the toilet flushing itself. This phantom flush is a clear sign you need to replace your handle as soon equally possible; otherwise, you'll be wasting a lot of h2o.

Steps By Stride Guide For Replacing & Installing A Toilet Handle

How To Install A New Toilet Affluent Handle

• 1

  Cull Your Handle
  First, you demand to discover a handle that matches your toilet and your bathroom.

• 2

  Open The Tank
  Lay a make clean towel on the flooring. Carefully lift the porcelain peak from the cistern and place it down.

• 3

  Disconnect The Chain
  A metallic arm inside your toilet will be attached to a chain fastened to the toilet handle. Advisedly disconnect the handle and exist sure to note which holes information technology's fitted into.

• iv

  Remove The Erstwhile Toilet Handle
  Y'all should now be able to remove the toilet handle past undoing the nuts that hold information technology in place. This will be located on the inside of the cistern near the elevation of the toilet. Brand certain you turn information technology the correct way and don't button likewise difficult, or you tin can crevice the porcelain. One time removed, brand certain you make clean around the hole with soap and water.

• 5

  Attach The New Handle
  Now yous should attach your new handle. Slide the arm through the pigsty and use the O-ring, washer, and nut to attach it securely. Use a wrench to go this as tight every bit possible, but be careful not to crack the porcelain.

• 6

  Reattach The Concatenation
  Finally, reattach the concatenation inside the cistern and then it tin flush. Supplant the hat on acme of the toilet and test the handle to ensure the toilet flushes as it should.

How To Replace A Toilet Handle And Flapper

• 1

  Turn Off The Water Supply
  Use the lever on the dorsum of the toilet to plow off the h2o supply. You tin then affluent the toilet, so information technology'due south completely empty. Lift off the peak and set up it downward carefully on the floor.

• 2

  Get A New Flapper
  You can find these at most hardware stores. There is a standard size, but brand sure you measure up showtime before ownership considering there is quite a fleck of selection.

• 3

  Replace The Old Flapper
  Disconnect the chain within the cistern and remove the old flapper. Advisedly put your new flapper in and brand sure information technology fits deeply over the pigsty.

• 4

  Reconnect The Chain
  Advisedly reconnect the chain to the flapper, making sure there is enough tension in the chain so the affluent will operate.

• 5

  Follow The Steps Above
  Replace the toilet handle and ensure it's all continued to the new flapper.

• half dozen

  Turn On The H2o Supply
  Replace the lid on pinnacle of the toilet and plow the water supply dorsum on. Once the cistern has refilled, test the flush and brand certain it's all working as it should.

How To Replace Toilet Handle & Arm

If your toilet handle stays downwards, then you might have an effect with the arm. The lever arm connects the chain to the flapper valve, and often it volition need to exist replaced at the same time as the handle. This is how to set up and replace a toilet handle that stays downwards:

• 1

  Shut Off The Water
  Shut off the h2o supply and flush the toilet to empty it. Advisedly lift the porcelain hat from the toilet and so you can access the mechanism.

• 2

  Disconnect The Concatenation
  Disconnect the chain from the arm and disconnect the arm from the flapper valve. This should exist easy enough to practise by hand.

• 3

  Select Your New Arm
  Detect a replacement arm. These are available in most hardware stores but be sure to observe the right size. These should be long plenty to reach the chain but not and so long that there isn't plenty tension in the chain to affluent the toilet.

• four

  Attach The New Arm
  Attach the new arm to the concatenation and the flapper.

• v

  Replace The Handle
  Follow the steps further up in the guide to replace the handle.

• half dozen

  Turn On The H2o
  Plow the h2o supply back on and permit the toilet fill upwards. Test the flush to make certain all the parts are functioning correctly. Carefully supplant the toilet lid when you're satisfied.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

What is the handle on a toilet called by a plumber?

Toilet handles are often referred to as levers or a cistern lever; all the same, many plumbers will but phone call them toilet handles.

Can you purchase only a toilet handle by itself?

Yes, there's a wide selection of toilet handles available online and in hardware stores to match any design or style.

What are some of the top-rated toilet handle brands on the market?

Some of the highest-rated and most popular toilet handle brands on the marketplace at Kohler, Danco, TOTO, Glacier, Moen, and Fluidmaster.

How long does it take to replace a toilet handle?

Toilet handles are like shooting fish in a barrel to supercede and tin exist washed in under 15 minutes.

How much does it cost to supersede a toilet handle?

If you're replacing the toilet handle yourself, you just need to pay for parts. Typically this volition cost betwixt $20 and $50 depending on the brand and model you get for. If you ask a plumber to install it, then it volition cost you more.

Are toilet handles universal?

The bulk of toilet handles are universal and volition work on whatever toilet. You should look for a way and design that matches your toilet, though.

Conclusion

Toilet handles are essential for a working toilet and tin can get damaged more easily than you might call back. Thankfully, it's easy and inexpensive to supervene upon a toilet handle yourself, and hopefully, this article has given you everything you need to do this with confidence.

Holly Curell is the editor extraordinaire for Plumbing Lab. Having grown up in Michigan, Holly has spent fourth dimension living in New York, Virginia, & currently N Carolina, where she lives with her married man & family. Holly loves DIY & has years of experience with at-abode plumbing problems that arise from having 3 kids & living in colder climates. When she'south not writing about her plumbing knowledge, Holly enjoys reading, hiking & relaxing with family.

Holly Curell is the editor extraordinaire for Plumbing Lab. Having grown upward in Michigan, Holly has spent fourth dimension living in New York, Virginia, & currently North Carolina, where she lives with her husband & family. Holly loves DIY & has years of experience with calm plumbing problems that arise from having 3 kids & living in colder climates. When she's not writing well-nigh her plumbing knowledge, Holly enjoys reading, hiking & relaxing with family.

Source: https://plumbinglab.com/how-to-replace-toilet-handle/

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