a plumbing question

Are you sure about this?

Yr water pressure is too low.

The fuse thing is a red one, your heater has a fuse also.

(funny that something like this comes up two days after cis goes off to japan)

this is so superficially a plumbing question but i've never had to deal with it before - the stopper/flapper on one my toilets has eroded and needs to be replaced and the flush handle/trip lever on another broke. what's the best way to figure out what replacement parts will work? are these all generally one size fits all? i'm pretty sure i could replace them myself if i knew what part i needed.

is it possible to not have the toilet functional for the time it takes to run to the hardware store and back? it is definitely an easy job and there are one-size-fits-nearly-all kits but taking the part with you to the store to hold up to the packaging never hurts. the upper take is clean water, you can always rinse it off if there's mold or sediment on it, but it should be clean

I've replaced these things twice, and the seals between the tank/bowl and the wax ring on the floor, I am virtually an expert

ok so definitely the flush handle/trip lever piece i can remove and the toilet will remain functional but i think if i remove the flapper the water will just continue to run? i imagine that would be a problem but i'm not sure -- i read that i can turn the water to the toilet off with the handle on the pipe next to it but i'm not 100%?

do you have a water cutoff next to the toilet? there should be, but old apartments prob don't have that

I mean, turn it off, flush once, see if the water doesn't come in.

like damn man if it is like any modern plumbing then yes that knob turns off the water. it sure isn't a tv remote.

The flush levers are mostly standard - you have the lever on the outside and an extension rod inside the tank that the chain that lifts the flapper attaches to, usually with several attachment points so it can be fastened above wherever the flapper is. You may need a less common type if your flush lever is on the side rather than front, or on the right side of the toilet rather than left. Attach the flapper chain on the link that removes most but not all flack in the chain.

The basic Fluidmaster or Korky 2" flappers that most hardware stores sell usually fit and work well, sometimes you need to cut off a small portion where it attaches. Newer commodes use 3" or larger flappers because they use less water and need a fast gush of water to compensate.