SolveYourProblem: Home Tips Article Series
12 Steps To Fix And Replace An Old Toilet

Most of the time people try to work around an existing toilet. But an old toilet with a wall-hung tank certainly can date a bathroom. Toilets can also look terrible if badly stained from hard water or water that contains high concentrations of iron.

Sometimes you may have to remove the toilet to lay a new floor or to repair the floor under a leaking toilet. This can be a messy job but it's not hard. If you don't want to buy a new toilet, it's usually easy enough to bring an old toilet up to snuff.

If you decide to keep the old toilet, check to see if there is any leaking between the large cast-iron, copper, or plastic pipe, sometimes called the soil pipe, and the toilet. Check for rust stains on the soil stack (you usually can see the soil stack from the basement if the toilet is on the first floor). Also, look for the inspection door (these usually are located in a closet in the wall behind the sink and toilet).

Sometimes you can see the soil stack and other drains from here. If not, check the pipe in the basement. Rust stains running down the pipe are a good indication of a toilet leak, although these stains can come from other sources, such as a leak at the roof collar or from a leaky supply pipe.

A leaky toilet isn't as tough to fix as you might think. Just follow these steps and you will have it back on the floor in a couple of hours (the same steps apply if you are replacing a toilet):

Step 1: Collect supplies from your local home center before you tackle the toilet: Purchase a new wax ring to go between the toilet and soil stack, 10 pounds of plumber's putty to seal between the toilet base and floor, and a set of brass hold-down bolts and nuts to fasten the toilet to the soil stack flange. You should also pick up a flexible water supply tube (most toilets use a 3/8 inch tube, but check yours) and a new gasket to seal between the tank and the bowl.

Step 2: Turn off the water supply valve. (It's close to the floor under the tank.) Flush the toilet to drain the water from the tank and bowl. Sponge out as much as you can from the tank to prevent water from spilling out when you remove it. If you have a wall-mounted tank, it does not have to be removed. If the tank is attached to the toilet, remove it by loosening the hold-down bolts, using a screwdriver to keep the bolts from turning inside the tank.

Step 3: Bale as much water from the toilet bowl as possible. Use a wrench to remove the hold-down bolts located at the toilet base. You might have to clean old, hard plumber's putty from the bolt threads. If the bolts are corroded, cut through them with a hacksaw blade between the nut and the washer. These brass bolts are not too hard to cut.

Step 4: Rock the toilet back and forth to break its seal with the floor. Then lift it up and off the soil stack. Dump the remaining water into the tub, then place the bowl upside down on a piece of cardboard or blanket to protect the porcelain finish. Stuff newspapers or an old rag into the drainpipe to contain odor.

Step 5: Use a putty knife to scrape old wax and putty from the bottom of the bowl. Also scrape the top of the soil stack flange. It is important to remove all the old, hard putty from both surfaces.

Step 6: Unwrap the new wax ring and place it on the bowl. Push it back and forth so it will stick in place. If it is cold, allow the wax ring to warm up to room temperature. Or if you are in a hurry, set it in some hot water for a couple of minutes so it will soften and be more pliable. It is hard to get the toilet to sit right in the soil stack flange if the wax ring is hard and will not compress.

Step 7: Pack plumber's putty around the wax ring. Then twist putty into a 1/2 inch-diameter rope, and put the rope around the bottom edge of the toilet. This will provide a tight water seal at the floor.

Step 8: Pack plumber's putty around the bolt slots in the soil pipe flange, to hold the toilet hold-down bolts upright. Place these bolts in the slots, and use more putty if needed to hold them in place.

Step 9: Turn the bowl over and carefully align it so the hold-down bolts pass through the holes in the base of the toilet. Then push it down onto the soil stack flange with a slight twisting motion. Use a level to assure that the bowl is level.

Step 10: Apply petroleum jelly to the tank bolts to prevent corrosion. Then tighten the hold-down bolts. Make them snug but don't over-tighten or you can crack the china. Use the edge of a putty knife to remove excess putty that squeezes out onto the floor.

Step 11: Put the tank back on the toilet, or if the tank is wall hung, reconnect the water supply pipe. If the rubber seal between the tank and bowl is cracked or hardened, replace it.

Step 12: Replace the water supply tube and turn the water on. Check for leaks. Wait a few days to allow the toilet to settle a little bit on the wax ring and plumber's putty, and then tighten the hold-down bolts. Next, install the bolt covers by placing plumber's putty in their base to hold them in place. That's it, your done - congratulations!

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007

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