Toilet Cistern Lid

There is nothing worse than pressing the flush handle and watching the water barely trickle into the bowl. It’s annoying, it’s a waste of time, and frankly, it is embarrassing when you have guests over. You find yourself standing there, waiting for the tank to refill so you can try again.

Before you go looking for a plumber’s number, take a look inside. Most flushing issues are simple fixes you can do yourself. The trick is knowing which part has actually failed.

Step 1: Get Inside the Tank

The first thing you need to do is look at the water level. To do this, carefully remove the Toilet Cistern Lid. Be extremely careful here. These lids are heavy, slippery ceramic. If you drop it on the tiled floor, it will shatter, and finding a replacement lid that matches an old toilet is a nightmare. Put it somewhere safe, like on a towel in the hallway, not balanced on the sink.

Once the lid is off, flush the toilet and watch what happens.

Scenario A: The "Pump" Handle (The Syphon)

If your toilet