My toilet just broke! Ugh!

[katesorad]

I live in an apartment, and my toilet just broke. The flusher is broken. I took a look at it, and I couldn't really figure it out. Nobody is in the leasing office today, and maintenance doesn't work on Sundays. I called the emergency maintenance hotline, and I was told that she would call around to see if she can find somebody to come fix it, but she wasn't sure.

It's been almost an hour now, and I haven't heard anything back. I'm certainly worried.. I drink a lot of water! I'm not sure what to do! I guess I can drive over to a fast food place if I need to use the bathroom during the day, but what about if I wake up in the middle of the night having to use the restroom, or in the morning?

Are there any laws on this or anything that I can do? We only have one bathroom.

 

[DebbieB]

I live in an apartment, and my toilet just broke. The flusher is broken. I took a look at it, and I couldn't really figure it out. Nobody is in the leasing office today, and maintenance doesn't work on Sundays. I called the emergency maintenance hotline, and I was told that she would call around to see if she can find somebody to come fix it, but she wasn't sure.

It's been almost an hour now, and I haven't heard anything back. I'm certainly worried.. I drink a lot of water! I'm not sure what to do! I guess I can drive over to a fast food place if I need to use the bathroom during the day, but what about if I wake up in the middle of the night having to use the restroom, or in the morning?

Are there any laws on this or anything that I can do? We only have one bathroom.

Do you have a bucket? Just fill it with water and throw the water in the bowl, it should go down.

 

[katesorad]

Do you have a bucket? Just fill it with water and throw the water in the bowl, it should go down.

I do have a bucket.. thank you! I'll try it!

 

[doxdogy]

How is the flusher broken? Is the chain not attached to the flapper? Like the previous poster stated, you can leave the tank to the top off and pour water in the tank and then lift the rod to make it flush.

 

[pls5286]

Is it the flusher not flushing when you push the handle or not filling with water when you flush?

 

[DebbieB]

How is the flusher broken? Is the chain not attached to the flapper? Like the previous poster stated, you can leave the tank to the top off and pour water in the tank and then lift the rod to make it flush.

You can throw the water directly into the bowl. I figured that was easier than trying to figure out what was wrong with the chain and flapper.

 

[golfgal]

The chain probably came off the handle. Take the chain and reattach.

 

[doxdogy]

That was actually my dad channeling through me. He was the king of keeping something until it was either beyond repair or my mother put her foot down and made him get a new one. Unfortunately, he passed this trait to my husband.

 

[katesorad]

The chain probably came off the handle. Take the chain and reattach.

I will go try that now- thank you!

 

[SandrA9810]

No need to freak out, the gut replacement is only like 10-15$ at Home Depot or Wal-mart. And takes about 5 minutes to replace. I'd suggest using their bathroom before coming back home to work on yours. You can take your receipt to the office and see if they'll reimburse you or just eat the cost for your own piece of mind.

Now try living without a toilet with a broken wax ring (it's the ring that seals the toilet to the pipe in the floor). Without it, all the water and whatever else that's in the toilet will flood out onto the floor. Thicker stuff like toilet paper will generally make it's way down the pipe though... And the landlord saying there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[golfgal]

No need to freak out, the gut replacement is only like 10-15$ at Home Depot or Wal-mart. And takes about 5 minutes to replace. I'd suggest using their bathroom before coming back home to work on yours. You can take your receipt to the office and see if they'll reimburse you or just eat the cost for your own piece of mind.

Now try living without a toilet with a broken wax ring (it's the ring that seals the toilet to the pipe in the floor). Without it, all the water and whatever else that's in the toilet will flood out onto the floor. Thicker stuff like toilet paper will generally make it's way down the pipe though... And the landlord saying there's nothing wrong with it.

A wax ring is like $2.95 and a pliers fix away too.

 

[torinsmom]

If you push the flusher handle and it just goes down with no flush, it is usually just a matter of reattaching the chain to the handle. In this case, there will be water in the tank behind the toilet.

If there is NOT water in the toilet, look to make sure the flapper(looks like a round suction cup) is flat down against the bottom of the tank. If it is not, push it down. If you do this and it happens over and over, you need a new flapper(very easy to install)

If the flusher handle actually broke off inside or outside the tank, that is a pretty easy fix as well.

All these repairs are 5 minute jobs. So far, in having my own home for 12 years, I haven't had to call a plumber once. I even replaced the whole inside contents of the tank once.

 

[torinsmom]

I live in an apartment, and my toilet just broke. The flusher is broken. I took a look at it, and I couldn't really figure it out. Nobody is in the leasing office today, and maintenance doesn't work on Sundays. I called the emergency maintenance hotline, and I was told that she would call around to see if she can find somebody to come fix it, but she wasn't sure.

It's been almost an hour now, and I haven't heard anything back. I'm certainly worried.. I drink a lot of water! I'm not sure what to do! I guess I can drive over to a fast food place if I need to use the bathroom during the day, but what about if I wake up in the middle of the night having to use the restroom, or in the morning?

Are there any laws on this or anything that I can do? We only have one bathroom.

I'm sorry, but I just have to ask.....what does the toilet not working have to do with how much water you drink?

 

[SandrA9810]

A wax ring is like $2.95 and a pliers fix away too.

It's the lifting of the toilet and making sure it's level afterwards. While the part is cheap, it's not as easy to replace.

 

[DMRick]

I'm sorry, but I just have to ask.....what does the toilet not working have to do with how much water you drink?

I don't know about you, but when I drink a lot of water..it has to go someplace .

 

[golfgal]

It's the lifting of the toilet and making sure it's level afterwards. While the part is cheap, it's not as easy to replace.

Actually, it is an easy fix having fixed a few toilets with wax ring leaks myself. Just don't over tighten the screws or you crack the porcelain.

 

[torinsmom]

I don't know about you, but when I drink a lot of water..it has to go someplace .

Ahhh.....gotcha! You don't want to know what I was visualizing

 

[SandrA9810]

Actually, it is an easy fix having fixed a few toilets with wax ring leaks myself. Just don't over tighten the screws or you crack the porcelain.

I'll keep it in mind if I ever have to do it now. When I was 19, I was a little less daring.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Actually, it is an easy fix having fixed a few toilets with wax ring leaks myself. Just don't over tighten the screws or you crack the porcelain.

Dang, you must be like PaulEEN Bunyan! My DH replaced both toilets in our house and found them heavy. I'm a strong lady and can't lift a toilet up!

 

[golfgal]

Dang, you must be like PaulEEN Bunyan! My DH replaced both toilets in our house and found them heavy. I'm a strong lady and can't lift a toilet up!

If you take the tank off the bowl itself isn't all THAT heavy and you don't have to move it very far. I certainly wouldn't carry it down the block or anything.