The toilet flange is the part that keeps your toilet attached to the drain. A broken toilet flange will result in your toilet moving around and can even cause it to leak.
A broken toilet can be such a headache and the leaking water can even cause further damage. Many people don’t know about the different elements of replacing a toilet or fitting a new toilet, and it’s important to know these skills when you’re a homeowner.
This article will walk you through how to quickly and correctly do a toilet flange repair.
How to Replace a Toilet Flange
A toilet flange is a critical element of a toilet, but it serves two separate functions. For instance, a toilet flange secures your toilet unit onto the ground and connects the toilet bowl to the wastewater line.
Often, a toilet flange is already in place when installing a toilet, so many homes have these features but never think of them until they are broken. Therefore, you need to know when to replace a toilet flange.
Here are the main reasons to conduct a toilet repair for your toilet flange:
- When there is a sewer smell in the bathroom
- If the toilet moves back and forth when you sit down
- Water pooling around the base of the toilet
If you’re experiencing any of these problems, it might be the toilet flange.
So, before you remove the toilet, you need to check out this part and see if it needs to be replaced.
Remove the Toilet
The first stage is removing the toilet and disconnecting the structure from the water supply. You can close the knob at the back of the toilet and empty the toilet tank several times.
After this, you should remove the water hose from the toilet. It’s essential to cover your bathroom floor with newspaper or a tarp to ensure there’s no external damage to your space.
This can be a complicated process, so getting professional help may be necessary if you don’t feel confident about replacing a toilet flange. When you work with an experienced professional, you can ensure the job is done correctly.
Unscrew Two Nuts and Bolts
The two nuts and bolts are the parts that hold the toilet to the flange and floor, so you need to tackle this part next. You can use an adjustable wrench if the nuts are secure and too tight.
After this, you can set the nuts aside in a container and reattach the toilet when the flange is completely repaired.
Remove the Old Wax
Next, after you’ve removed the toilet and nuts and bolts features, you should remove the old wax that sealed the toilet to the flange. You can quickly eliminate the old wax with a putty knife or other similar tool.
Work your way down the build-up of old wax until you reach the top of the toilet flange.
Remove the Flange
Once you reach the flange structure, you can search for the screws outside the part. All you need to remove the screws is a multi-head screwdriver, allowing you to remove different screws.
You can remove the flange and clean it with disinfectant or a wipe to sanitize the surface area. It’s also a good idea to stuff an old towel or cloth into the space to prevent odors and gasses from oozing from the area.
This is where you need to measure the diameter of the outflow pipe’s mouth to find the identical part to replace the toilet flange. You must have exact measurements when searching for a new flange.
Otherwise, you will buy a new toilet flange that can be used in your bathroom.
You can also take the old toilet flange in a secure bag to your local hardware shop if you want to make a direct comparison with a new product. You must also buy sealing wax for the new toilet flange.
If you need help buying a new toilet flange, a professional plumber can help or an employee at your local store.
Apply New Flange and Fit Toilet
At this point, you can fit the new toilet flange following the instructions given with the product, or you can hire a professional to do the job for you. You should also apply the new seal wax around the mouth.
This will allow the toilet flange to stay in place and not become broken again shortly.
Finally, you can fit the toilet structure back in place by securing the nuts and bolts again. You should reattach the water supply and test the flush to check that the water is running correctly.
To test the water supply, you can flush the toilet several times and wait for the water to fill up and empty repeatedly.
The last step is to tidy the bathroom space and clear away the dirty towels or newspapers. It’s a good idea to clean the floors with a strong disinfectant to eliminate the odors left behind.
With experience, you can fix the toilet flange in no time. But, if you’ve never handled these toilet parts, you should hire a professional plumber to take care of them.
Thankfully, our team is here for you. We have the best plumbers in Detroit to help you fix any toilet issues you encounter at home.
Call Us to Fix Your Toilet Flange
In a home, a toilet is a vital system that everyone needs to function in their daily lives, so you don’t want to leave a problem until it gets worse.
This guide will help you when you replace a toilet flange if you want to try it yourself. Although, you don’t need to face this issue yourself.
Our plumbers have experience doing this job, so you don’t need to waste time getting to know various toilet parts; we can take care of it for you.
Click here to learn more about our services, and give us a call today.
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