The flusher handle on my toilet stays down and won’t come back up. How can I fix it? -Dee

Hi Dee,

There’s a small tab on the inside of the handle mechanism that acts as a stop to hold the handle in the upright position. If the tab is worn or broken, the toilet handle won’t stay up.

To fix a toilet handle that won’t come back up when flushed, you’ll need to replace the handle. If you can’t find a handle that fits, you might have to replace the entire handle mechanism.

Different makes and models of toilets vary on how to do this, but generally you will need to:

• Remove the lid from the tank.
• Unhook the chain from the handle arm.
• Unscrew the nut inside the tank that holds the handle mechanism.
• Pull the handle mechanism out of the tank.
• Unscrew the handle from the handle mechanism and replace it, or replace the entire handle mechanism.
• Slide the handle mechanism back in the tank.
• Screw the nut back on the handle mechanism from inside the tank.
• Reattach the chain to the handle mechanism.
• Flush the toilet to see if it works okay.
• Put the lid back on the tank.

Good luck with your project,

Further Information

• How to Repair a Toilet (video/article)
• How to Replace a Toilet Flapper Valve (video)
• How to Repair a Running Toilet (video)

Tags: , Plumbing, toilets, valve