Plumbing novice

[Fulmar]

So when it comes to household repairs, I'm pretty weak on the knowledge, but I'm pretty good with my hands and can figure stuff out pretty easy.  I just don't have any experience in the department.  So with the wife nagging, I need to get our toliet fixed.  It's a small problem.  The flush handle has increasingly become harder to push down and at the moment you have to push pretty hard bending the plastic handle a bit to get it the flush.  As if there was an excessive amount of suction causing this.

I can imagine there is a simple fix to this, but what is it?  Any help is appreciated.  I can provide pics if needed.

[Rondar]

First thing I would do is to take your belt off so when you bend over to inspect things you have the famous "plumbers crack" which is the same thing as staying in a Holiday Inn Express the previous night.


I have found that, oddly enough, tolerances inside change and maybe the chain from the handle to the ball valve has lost its distance to open.  Maybe if the metal handle got bent it cant open the valve properly.   Or maybe a piece of plastic may crack or corrosion may be in the handle itself at the top of the tank.  If all else fails I would just replace the handle and the ball valve.

[uptown]

loosen the nut that holds the handle on. it's too tight...jeez! now i know why they call you guys up there cheese heads 

[Fulmar]

loosen the nut that holds the handle on. it's too tight...jeez! now i know why they call you guys up there cheese heads 

We try not to marry out sisters up here.  1st cousin at best.

[uptown]

  you know what a virgin in arkansas is?.......any girl that can out run her brother 

[Fulmar]

you know what a virgin in arkansas is?.......any girl that can out run her brother 

HAHA

[FiLtH]

  Sounds like a Mansfield, if so, try this.






Hope this helps

[Fulmar]

  Sounds like a Mansfield, if so, try this.
Hope this helps

By golly it is a Mansfield.  I'll try that fix when I get off work.

[Getback]

Gosh Fulmar every one knows that!

Filth, don't you double charge for advice?

[FiLtH]

  Hehe..that was a saturday evening too!


   Da da dada daaa..Im in the money...la la laa laaaaa

[bj229r]

Speaking of plumbing, is anyone here familiar with "PEX"? Different concept--comes in large rolls, you home-run each line to a manifold, thus NO glued/soldred joints inside the wall---the Shrew demands THIS go into our house. (5 years ago, said Shrew demanded 60 year old galvanized plumbing hit the road, and "CPVC" go into our house )

[Fulmar]

Update:
Playing with the valve a bit and it's going to have to be replaced.  It works better now.  But I'll just call maintenance so they can pay for the valve.
Note:  It's a good idea to prop the floater up when disconnecting the 1/4" hose.  Good ole surprise of water jetting out at you

[DieAz]

most home toilets have a shut off valve in the water line behind the toilet.
turn water off, then flush it so the tank will be empty, to work on it.

[Fulmar]

I suppose I should have checked for that.  I said novice