Simple steps for repairing a broken or leaking toilet

Is your toilet not functioning properly? Maybe it flushes poorly, runs continuously or is leaking water?

Fortunately, most problems are easily fixable.

Best of all, you can repair them yourself. This week I’ll outline some easy repairs and quick fixes, next week I’ll focus on specific repairs.

If your toilet is always running or does not flush adequately, try these simple fixes to tame your toilet.

Step one: Check the chain. The chain attached to the rubber flapper often becomes loose, causing incomplete flushing and/or continuous running.

To fix it, remove links from the chain using needle-nosed pliers until it is tight.

Step two: Check water level. Improper water levels can also cause problems with your toilet.

This can be fixed by adjusting the ballcock, which is located next to the overflow pipe — the open tube to the right of the handle. Adjust the ballcock so the water comes to 1⁄2 ins below the overflow pipe.

I will cover replacing the ballcock next week.

Step three: Repair parts. You can repair the ballcock by bending the floatarm up or down to adjust the water level for the plunger-valve ballcock. Bending the arm up will raise the water level, bending it down lowers it.

If you have a floatcup ballcock, you need to pinch the spring clip that is on the floatcup. This enables you to move the floatcup up and down by the pull-rod.

If your toilet is leaking, check to see if it has shifted.  Shifting can crack the wax seal and allow water to seep out from underneath.

Sit on the toilet and twist it back into position. If this does not stop leakage, you may need to replace the wax ring, which I will cover next week.