San Diego Plumbers › Plumbing Info › Plumbing Repairs › Replacing a Toilet

Replacing a Toilet : A How to Guide about Replacing a Toilet

You'll remove your toilet in two stages: first the tank, then the bowl. The messiest part is removing the old wax ring underneath the bowl; once that's done, the job is simple. Before you disconnect the plumbing, make sure you have another toilet to use while this one is out of commission. Also, you might want to check with your local trash services to see if they pick up old toilets, or if you'll need to make special arrangements. You won't want your old toilet becoming a permanent lawn decoration!

What to do is the Flange is Low: If your bathroom has a new layer of flooring, the closet flange often will end up below the floor surface. In that case, a regular wax ring may not be thick enough to seal the toilet bowl to the flange. You can extend the ring upward with a special flange extender or double the wax ring. Place a wax ring without a plastic flange on the toilet, then place a flanged ring on top of it. Toilets are ceramic, so during the process of replacement, try to work carefully. It is possible to crack a toilet if you bang it or screw down a nut too hard

Most toilets sold today have their drains centered 12 inches from the back wall. Measure yours from the wall to the hold-down bolt. If yours is centered 10 inches from the wall, either buy a 10-inch toilet or install a special offset closet flange.

Average Time to Complete:
Three hours to remove an old toilet and replace a new toilet.

Skills:
No special skills needed -- just work carefully

Tools:
Wrenches, screwdriver, hacksaw, tongue-and-groove pliers, and putty knife.

	Turn off the shutoff valve on the water supply line. Flush the toilet -- that empties the tank and the bowl -- then sponge them both dry. Disconnect both ends of the water supply tube at the shutoff valve and at the toilet tank.
	Use a ratchet wrench or a basin wrench to remove the nuts from the mounting bolts that hold the tank onto the bowl. There will be two or three of them -- one on each side of the tank, and maybe one in the middle. Carefully lift the tank off the bowl and set it where it won't be in the way.
	If you still have trim caps on the floor bolts, pry them off and then remove the nuts from the floor bolts with an adjustable wrench. If the nuts won't budge, try spraying them with penetrating oil. If that doesn't work, you may have to cut the bolts with a hacksaw or split the nuts with a nut splitter.
	Underneath the toilet is a wax ring that seals the bottom of the bowl to the toilet flange -- that's the end of the drain pipe. To break the seal, you'll have to straddle the toilet and gently rock it side to side. When it's free, lift off the bowl, then lay it on its side nearby (but out of the way).
	Use a putty knife to scrape away the old wax from the toilet flange and the bottom of the toilet. Line a bucket with a plastic bag and throw the old wax in it. Clean the flange and horn with a stiff wire brush.
	Right about now you'll probably be smelling something pretty strong -- it's sewer gas. To keep sewer gas from entering your home, stuff a rag into the hole. Cover the flange and rag with an inverted bucket for the time being. Now You are able to fully replace the toilet with the new toilet.