Toilets are one of the main fixtures that come with a house. And since they are used daily, it won’t be surprising if they exhibit a variety of problems in the long run.
Although a toilet issue can be major which might require new toilet replacement, most of the time it won’t. Oftentimes, you could fix your toilet without any help from the plumber.
For example, to stop more leaks, just turn off the water supply via the shut-off valve near the toilet base. For other easy DIY fixes for common toilet issues, keep reading this guide.
How to Fix Common Toilet Issues Easily
Modern toilets come with instruction manuals, and if you have a certain toilet issue, you can flip through the pages and find the answer to it.
If that’s not possible, no worries, as we’ll show you how to fix common toilet issues easily. Note that you may need certain tools and parts for that—depending on the flaws of your toilet.
1) Broken flush handle
Flushes come in different kinds. For residential properties, these include the traditional lever on the tank’s side and the new button switch on the top of the tank.
Nevertheless, they operate using the same concept that has always been used. If the flush handle is broken, something inside the tank must have worn out.
The first thing you have to do is open the tank. Check the cause of the broken handle—it could be a loose nut, an overly slack lift chain, or damage from rough usage.
If it’s a loose nut, tighten it counterclockwise using an adjustable wrench. However, be careful as some nuts are made of plastic and can break if they’re not correctly handled.
The lift chain must only have 1/2 inch of slack. So if it is outstretched, make sure to adjust it to achieve that.
That said, if these quick DIY fixes didn’t produce the expected result, you’d have to get a new flush handle from the hardware store.
Before installing it, remove the existing one and its bolt, put the new one through the hole, crown it with the mounting bolt, tighten it with a wrench, and adjust the lift chain. Finally, test out the new handle to see if it works smoothly.
2) Loose or Wobbly Toilet
A toilet may move, wobble, and shift under a person’s weight. This needs to be fixed at once to keep the toilet stable, as well as to prevent water leaks and damage due to the broken wax seal.
One thing is for sure: the initial installation of the toilet wasn’t done well. If it had been good, the toilet should have been firmly fixed in place on the floor in the house.
Now, to be more specific, the cause may be loose flange bolts or mispositioned flange that’s higher than the bathroom floor. The second one is responsible for making the toilet rock back and forth.
An easy fix for this is to place toilet shims under the toilet. Toilet shims look like door stoppers that level the toilet to the ground.
You have to try different kinds of shims and placements to get the right balance. Along with that, tighten the bolts on the toilet flange, but not too much, as this can crack the toilet.
After that, apply caulk sealant to fill gaps and cracks around the toilet. This helps to keep water, air, and pests from entering your home from the drainage pipe.
3) Clogged Toilet Bowl
A clogged toilet bowl often happens if you flush tissues or wipes in it. It could also occur due to kids playing and accidentally flushing small items like toy soldiers into the toilet.
The DIY fix to this is to use a bathroom plunger. That’s because a sink plunger may not be strong enough to unstop the drain and may just damage the toilet.
This should work for minor clog problems. For more serious blockage, you could use an auger, which is a pole-like tool with an extendable spring and hook at its end to reach and retrieve the stuck item.
If the problem still hasn’t been resolved, you should leave it to the professionals. These plumbers can even uninstall the toilet and unclog it from below.
4) Moist toilet tank
Does your toilet tank have a lot of condensation? It has something to do with the moisture level of your home as caused by your air conditioning and the hot season.
The downside to this is the damp appearance of your toilet. Furthermore, the condensed water can drip to the floor continually, which can cause water damage to your bathroom floor.
Because of the pooled water on the floor, it becomes slippery when stepped on by occupants. So you have to get rid of this for everyone’s safety at home.
To achieve a dry and normal-looking toilet tank, turn on the exhaust fan whenever you’re in the bathroom. Keep your air-conditioners clean so that the room won’t be too cold and damp.
Doing these will significantly reduce moisture in your home and bathroom, in addition to preventing mold and mildew growth, which can trigger coughs and asthma.
