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The average cost to hire a plumber is typically between $45 and $200 per hour, with a common average rate around $125 per hour. This cost can vary based on your location, the plumber's experience, and the complexity of the job. Rates are often broken down by experience level: an apprentice may charge $45 to $90 an hour, a journeyman $60 to $110 an hour, and a master plumber $80 to $200 an hour. While hourly rates are standard, some plumbers may charge a flat fee for routine projects or offer project-based pricing. It's also common for plumbers to charge a minimum service or trip fee. For reference, some typical flat-rate costs for common jobs include: drain unclogging ($220), leaky faucet repair ($270), burst pipe repair ($400), toilet repair ($300), and water heater repair ($600). Note that these rates are for standard service hours; emergency, holiday, and after-hours calls will cost significantly more.

Yes, frozen pipes can prevent a toilet from working correctly. If the pipes are frozen, water cannot flow, which means your toilet tank won't be able to refill after a flush. This will prevent the toilet from flushing again. Depending on which lines are frozen, the ice can also block the drain pipe, preventing water from flushing away.

As a temporary workaround, you can manually add water to the tank for each flush. To clear a frozen drain pipe, you can try filling the toilet bowl or tank with warm water and flushing to help thaw the ice. However, the best long-term solution is to unfreeze the pipes to get your toilet back in working order.

You can DIY your toilet flapper replacement if you’re up for a small plumbing project. Turn off the water to the toilet, open the tank lid, remove the chain from the lever, and unhook the flapper. For a new, adjustable flapper, adjust it to the right setting according to your toilet's gallons per flush rating. Hook the flapper in place and install the chain with 1/2 inch of slack.

Toilet handles can get stuck for a couple of reasons, but it’s commonly an issue with the chain. Remove the lid and check the chain’s connection, running from the flapper to the handle arm. Sometimes the chain gets snagged on or against another part of the tank. 

The chain might not have the right tension. For example, a chain that’s too short can make the handle feel stuck. Check that there’s some slack in the chain. Old, worn-out flappers can get stuck, too. In this case, you’ll need to see which size toilet flapper you need.