Get A Handle On Your Toilet

If you are a regular reader you know that we bought this new and rather expensive toilet for the redo in our half bath. 

You would think that a $330 toilet would come with a decent handle.  Instead it came with an ugly plastic feeling handle.  Yuck!  So I have to change it right now.

This should be easy but the directions read like they were translated from an other language by a computer,  they made no sense what so ever.


The inside of our new toilet is a bit different but it is basically the same idea that toilets have used for years.  I don’t actually know how many years, I think I looked inside my first toilet when I was in my teens.

The handle causes the valve between the tank and the bowl to open and the toilet flushes.  When the tank is empty a float goes down and releases water into the tank.  As the water fills the tank it moves the float up and the water is shut off.  The handle is attached to the arm which is attached to the valve by a chain. 
Now that you know more than you probably ever wanted to know about how a toilet works lets change the handle.
Start by unattaching (is that a word?) the chain from the valve.  It is small clip.
Next unscrew the large nut on the inside of the tank.  It is the white round piece in this pic.

Then simply maneuver the handle and arm out of the tank.

Now put the new handle in the same way and tighten the new nut on the inside of the tank and attach the chain to the arm.  The handle should be in the position you want it when it is not flushing and the valve should be closed and the chain should have no slack in it.
If your toilet is constantly running it most likely is because the valve is open.  The chain may be too tight not letting the valve seal,  something is not letting the valve sit in the seal or your valve has gone bad.  Toilet bowl cleaners are notorious for dissolving the plastic valves.  
You may have to adjust the arm so that it doesn’t rub against the tank wall or the valve.  If your handle has an adjustment for this it is on the arm where it connects to the handle.  Just loosen the wing nut and move the arm and then re-tighten it.

If there is no adjustment nut just bend the arm a bit until it is not touching,

Flush it to make sure it works and put the lid on and admire your new found talent.  Then go directly to the mall and buy yourself something stunning with that arm and a leg the plumber would have charged.

Thanks for reading,
Traci