How to Fix a Toilet Handle

For such simple devices, we rely on our toilet handles to be durable and always bail us out. And, while they are typically durable, there are a couple of different ways they can fail and leave us in a predicament. Whether it’s because they’re old, faulty, or overused, they can fall apart, become disconnected, or stick in place.

They might not have a lot of moving parts, but most modern toilet handles are primarily plastic. This means they can strip, dry rot, or snap. This guide will explain how to fix a toilet handle and get your commode back up and running in no time.

What You’ll Need

In most cases, these are the only tools necessary to fix a broken toilet handle:

• Water pump pliers for loosening and tightening the nut inside the tank
• Needle nose pliers to bend and reattach the chain
• Plumber’s tape to repair stripped threads

Depending on the issue, you may also need a replacement toilet chain or toilet handle. Before you buy a new one, it’s important to note which type of of toilet handle you have:

• Front-mount right
• Front-mount left
• Front-mount universal
• Side mount

If you’re wondering how to fix a toilet handle with no chain, this might be confusing. Some have plastic filler valves, and they have loops that are designed to receive the arm of the toilet handle. These plastic filler valves can break too, and the solution is to replace the entire filler valve.

How to Fix a Toilet Handle

The following are some of the most common ways that toilet handles can malfunction and how to fix them.

Note: For any of these repairs, it’s a good idea to drain the tank first. Shut off the water valve feeding the toilet and lift the flapper in the tank to drain as much water as possible.

How to Fix a Broken Toilet Handle

Lift the lid off the toilet tank and look inside. If the arm is broken or separated from the toilet handle, the nut around the handle is cracked, or any other part of the toilet handle is damaged, you’ll need to replace the entire handle. Here’s how:

1. Disconnect the chain from the end of the toilet handle by slightly opening the hook with needle nose pliers and lifting it off the arm. Don’t lose the hook or bend it unnecessarily.
2. Using water pump pliers, loosen the plastic nut on the inside of the toilet handle. Remove the nut and the plastic washer. Slide it off the arm and remove the handle.
3. Remove the nut and washer from the new toilet handle. Then feed the arm of the new handle through the tank hole. Position it so that the arm sits parallel to the floor. If the handle is hanging down on its own, it’s either the wrong type of handle or it’s installed incorrectly.
4. Slide the plastic washer over the arm followed by the plastic nut. Carefully tighten the nut so that it is snug to the toilet, being careful not toon’t over-tighten which could crack the porcelain.
5. Attach the chain to the new handle arm so the handle lifts the flapper when pressed, but not so loosely that the handle hits the top of the tank lid. Turn the water valve on and flush the toilet to test if it works properly.

How to Fix a Broken Toilet Chain

If your handle is operating but the toilet isn’t flushing, there’s a good chance that the chain is disconnected or even broken. Luckily, this is one of the easiest repairs to make. Lift the lid and look for a chain connecting the arm to the flapper. If it is hanging loose, simply reattach the unfastened end to either the handle arm or the flapper, keeping the chain slack. After attaching, make sure to bend the link completely closed with the pliers to ensure it won’t come loose. If the chain is damaged or rusty (and there isn’t a plastic fill valve), you’ll have to replace the chain with a new one. Here’s how:

1. Remove the chain from the flapper at the bottom of the tank. This may require using the needle nose pliers to bend open the metal ring at the end of the chain.
2. Remove the chain from the toilet handle, using pliers, if necessary, to open the hook and remove it.
3. Install the new chain on the toilet flapper by opening the small metal ring at the end with the pliers and inserting it into the hole in the flapper. There should not be any excess links on the flapper side of the chain, so be sure to use the last link on the chain. Make sure to bend the small metal ring back so that it will not come loose.
4. With the handle in the down position, hold the opposite end of the chain up to the handle arm to judge how long the chain should be. There should be some slight slack, but no looping in the chain. Find the chain link that allows for the just right amount of slight slack.
5. Open the appropriate link with pliers, then attach the link to the hole in the arm of the toilet handle and close the linkAllow the excess chain to hang down.
6. Turn the water valve on and flush the toilet to test that the flapper can close and that the toilet handle doesn’t slap the tank lid.

How to Fix a Sticking Toilet Handle

A toilet handle can get stuck in the up position. This causes the flapper to stay open and waste water because the toilet will constantly run, raising your water bill. It’s important to fix.

There are three reasons why a toilet handle may seem to stick. The first is that it does stick, and the repair is easy (see below).  Another reason could be that the handle isn’t sticking, but that the flapper isn’t closing all the way, allowing water to continuously run—this will require replacing the flapper. The third possibility is that the chain or arm are hitting something in the tank. While this is extremely unlikely to happen out of nowhere, it’s still worth looking for.

If the issue is the nut:

1. Lift the tank lid and inspect the handle arm or the nut for damage (if so, you will need to buy a new handle to replace it). If either one is not damaged, in most cases, the plastic nut holding the arm in place is probably too tight.
2. Use the pliers to loosen the nut slightly. Test the handle to see if it operates properly.
3. If the nut or threads on the toilet handle are stripped, remove the nut completely and wrap the threads with the plumber’s tape.
4. Retighten the nut enough so that the handle doesn’t wiggle in the hole but not so much that the nut pops loose.

If the issue is the flapper:

1. Shut off the water at the supply valve and drain as much water out of the toilet tank as possible.
2. Open the lid of the tank.
3. Reach into the toilet tank and remove the two rubber tabs that hold the flapper onto the filler tube.
4. Use the needle nose pliers to remove the chain from the flapper.
5. Attach the chain to the new flapper.
6. Center the flapper over the filler tube and reattach the rubber tabs to the toilet tanks.

If the issue is the arm or the chain:

1. Open the tank lid and watch the arm as you flush several times. Look for anything the might be getting in the way of the arm or that the chain might be hanging on.
2. If the arm is metal, bend it so it doesn’t hit anything.
3. If the chain is too long, use the needle nose pliers to shorten it so there is less slack in the line.
4. If the excess chain is hanging up on the filler tube, use the cutting edge of the needle nose pliers to cut and remove the excess chain.

How to Fix a Loose Toilet Handle

A toilet handle can come loose when the nut holding the handle into the toilet loosens or strips. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Open the tank lid and inspect for any broken components. If anything is broken, replace the entire handle.
2. Inspect the nut. If it is loose, tighten it with a pair of water pump pliers until the handle is secure in the tank. Don’t over-tighten as you could strip the threads or crack the porcelain.
3. If the nut doesn’t adequately tighten and keeps coming loose, the nut or threads on the handle are stripped and the handle will need replacement. Until you can buy a new one, you can buy your handle some more time by removing the nut, wrapping the threads in plumber’s tape, and re-tightening the nut until the handle is secure.

Enjoy Your Newly Operational Toilet

With these steps, your toilet handle should now be fully operational. If there’s any doubt about the condition of the toilet handle, simply replace it. This is an easy, affordable repair and it ensures you won’t be left with an unexpected mess to deal with down the road.