Broken toilet handle

FreeBear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165096#Comment_82165096

Redneck solution #3

Pair of molegrips clamped on to the remains of the lever.

Yorkie1

Thanks everyone.

I don't think the dowel bodge will work. A circular rod of metal screws into the outer shaped end of the handle, goes through the handle, and then screws into the end of the handle which is attached to the cistern mechanism. That has sheared off level with the cistern end of the handle. It is also a solid rod.

I don't think that drilling out the centre of both parts of the rod in order to add a dowel is likely to work well and could be tricky to do. I also don't think that it will be easy to unscrew the sheared end of the rod from the cistern end of the handle, as it has sheared completely flush with the handle. There's nothing to get a grip on to try to unscrew it.

Which means a new mechanism.

The screw on the plastic arm that holds the metal bar going through the cistern is rusty in the extreme. When I touch it, my finger comes away slightly powdery. Although I have a screwdriver with a range of bits, and I can see where the screwdriver should in theory go, the corrosion suggests that it might not be effective.

I don't have mole grips or other plumbing type tools. I also need to get someone in to do a range of other plumbing things (I'm still living with the kitchen tap needing replacement cartridges or being replaced (blimey, looking back at my kitchen tap post, it's embarrassing to realise how long I've lived happily with it like that!), the washers on the bathroom taps need replacing, I'd like to have isolation valves added to the feeds to the various taps, I need a boiler service, and a thermostatic valve to a radiator isn't responding to the gentle pressure of a hammer to unstick it …

I think a lot of jobs for someone to do all at once.

Now to research taps again … and handles … and …

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165431#Comment_82165431

Ha-ha! Nope - not at all worth trying to 'fix' the original as a newbie DIYer. So, yes, worth making a list of all that needs doing, and then try and get a recommendation for a competent friendly local GasSafe plumber.

They will almost certainly appreciate you getting the replacement handle in first - saves them a lot of faff. By the same token, if you can ID and buy the correct cartridges for the kitchen tap, that should please them too. So if you know the make and model of the tap, let us know - and a pic can help.

Everything else - just let him get on with it 😁

Yorkie1

Thanks very much - no idea of the make or model of the tap. It's probably 20+ years old. When it broke (ahem, 2024) I was starting to mull over the idea of replacing it, but life got in the way …

Yorkie1

Thanks @greyteam1959 - did you mean to reply to this thread? I'm a little confused by your message, sorry.

FreeBear

Boiler service - Gas Safe engineer.

Plumbing - General plumber or handyman.

A GS engineer may well be more expensive when it comes to general plumbing jobs. So I'd treat the boiler service as one job, and the rest, get someone else in. As we approach winter, you'll find GS engineers to be increasingly busy and charge accordingly.

greyteam1959

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165470#Comment_82165470

My fault & deleted

😁

greyteam1959

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165199#Comment_82165199

There is a button in the 'Notifications & Preferences' section of your account.

If you are using a PC there is a button at the top right of the screen I think.

Yorkie1

Good tip @FreeBear thanks.

Eldi_Dos

@Yorkie1

For the TRV that is not working try opening valve fully, bleed the radiator, put on your central heating at a high flow temperature and if it is still not responding get a hairdryer and heat up the metal body of the valve, sometimes doing these things can be enough to free the pin and getting valve working again.

Regarding getting cartridges for the taps, I would just go with getting replacment taps put on considering the age of the taps you have in place.