Pro Handyman Blog

Temporary Fix For A Broken Toilet Flapper Chain

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So you push the toilet handle and nothing happens, except that the handle goes down…and probably stays down. This is the hallmark of a broken toilet flapper chain.

So, lets get serious here. A new flapper costs about $5.00 and takes 30 seconds to install. It’s an easy job. However, when the chain breaks, and you don’t have time to run and get a new one, you can do a redneck repair (no offense to rednecks). If the chain pulls out of the rubber flapper, really your only choice is to reach down into the water (don’t worry, it’s clean) and lift up the flapper. If the chain has corroded and broken in the middle of the chain, grab a paperclip and reconnect the broken ends. This will buy you enough time to get to the store and replace it. Be aware, the paperclip will corrode quickly, so if you don’t replace the flapper soon, you will at least be replacing the paperclip soon.

When you get the replacement flapper, pull it off of the ears on the flush valve tube, and disconnect the chain at the handle. Replace it just like you removed it. You will have to play with the length of the chain to get a good flush so that the flapper stays up the right amount of time.