How to Fix Common Toilet Problems by Yourself
Your toilet is broken, and you’re rushing to call the plumber. But why not stop for a second and think about fixing it yourself instead of spending good money on services you may not really need?
These are three of the most common toilet malfunctions I’ve encountered over the years, and tips on how to fix them. For some, they may seem very basic, but they may save others a few bucks. So what problems can I help you fix?
1. My toilet is clogged up and won’t flush. The simplest, most common toilet problem, this one is usually the result of someone using too much toilet paper. You may already know how to fix it: Go grab the plunger. If you don’t have one, go buy one from the grocery store–I promise, it’ll be a worthwhile investment over the years.
To unclog the toilet, center the plunger over the drain the water usually flushes down. Start pressing it down and letting it back up. It may take some vigorous pushing and a little experimentation, but before long, the toilet should flush.
To avoid a mess while doing this, the best time to do it is when there is a little water in the bowl. Even though your toilet is clogged, it may be draining water gradually. Unclogging the drain usually doesn’t work too well when there’s no water, but it’ll make a huge, disgusting mess if you do it while the toilet is completely full of water. So if your toilet is draining, wait until it gets below half full to plunge.
2. My toilet won’t flush. The handle doesn’t do anything! If there’s no resistance when you try to push down the handle to flush your toilet, and nothing happens, that means the chain inside the reservoir (the large back of your toilet) probably broke. Open up the back of your toilet by lifting off the cover gently, and look inside while pressing the handle. Do you see a chain swinging freely in the water?
If so, this is usually a fairly easy problem to fix. Surprisingly, a paper clip works wonders in these situations. The chain usually attaches to a round rubber or plastic piece at the bottom of the reservoir; if you look, you should see a spot where it can attach. Attach a paper clip to an unbroken link of the chain, and then attach it to the rubber piece at the bottom. Now when you press the handle, the stopper should lift up off the bottom and the water should drain out, causing the toilet to flush. If there’s too much slack on the chain, put the paper clip on a higher link instead.
3. When I flush my toilet, water sprays out the back. This may seem like a really serious problem, but don’t worry–it may not be a big deal. Again, open up your toilet’s reservoir. Examine the inside for a loose, unconnected tube, probably near the top of the reservoir. If you find one, when you flush the toilet, the water should be spraying out of this tube. Good.
The dominant feature inside the reservoir should be the fill valve, a big mechanical contraption usually tower up the back left of the container. On this valve there should be a place to connect the loose tube. Look carefully, it’s there, I promise. Once you find it, reconnect the loose tube as firmly as you can. Try flushing the toilet and see if the problem is fixed.
