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Step 1
Find the water shut off valve in the bathroom where you are working. It is usually under the sink or near the toilet that you are working on.
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Step 2
Locate the main water shut off for the entire house just in case the unexpected happens. This valve could be located in your basement or outside in the front or back yard down in a marked covered hole.
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Step 3
Turn the main water valve off and on before you work on the toilet. Use a wrench to cautiously turn the valve if you can't turn it by hand.
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Step 4
Lubricate the valve if it won't budge and try it again. The water company will come out and turn it off and on if you can't get the valve to turn. You also can call a plumber.
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Step 1
Look for the broken toilet part. Too much toilet paper or a lodged object will clog the toilet, causing the water to rise and possibly overflow when the toilet is flushed.
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Step 2
Remove the object that is causing the clog before you flush again. It will require you to use your protected hand, a plunger or a snake.
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Step 3
Check for a leak if you must jiggle the handle to stop the toilet water from running, the toilet emits sounds when it's not in use, water runs down the toilet bowl without flushing, water flows into the overflow pipe from the refill tube or the toilet turns water on and off spontaneously. The possibility of a silent leak exists and this will increase your water bill.
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Step 4
Check the tank ball, flapper, seal and the part attached to the handle for damage. There could be a split or hole in the overflow pipe or damage to the gasket under the flush valve.
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Step 5
Make sure the flapper is the correct size, and that nothing is stuck under the flapper or ball. Any of these problems could be the source of the leak.
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Step 6
Remedy dripping water around the bottom of the toilet before you have floor damage. The cause may be a deteriorating wax sealing ring under the bowl, a cracked bowl or connections under the tank are leaking.
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Step 1
Conduct this test to find out if the toilet tank leaks. Remove the cover on the back of the toilet, set it in a safe place and remove any bowl cleaners from the tank.
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Step 2
Put something in the tank that will color the water such as dye, food coloring, instant coffee, powdered fruit drink mix or grape juice. Don't flush the toilet for 30 minutes.
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Step 3
Determine if the problem is the refill valve, which is inside the tank on the left side, or the flush valve in the center of the tank. Draw a line with a pencil to mark the water level in the tank. Shut the water off for 20 to 30 minutes.
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Step 4
Observe the water level in the tank. A drop in the level indicates the flush valve unit is the culprit. If the level doesn't drop, you probably have a refill valve problem.
