How do you remove or install a toilet bowl? Installing toilets can be very simple or sometimes challenging. It depends on several factors such as: Model of toilet? For example, Toto Toilets will be the most challenging due to the extra flange that you have to mount over the existing closet ring, which is the […] The post How to Remove, Replace or Install a Toilet Bowl | Twin Home Experts appeared first on Twin Home Experts.
How do you remove or install a toilet bowl?
Installing toilets can be very simple or sometimes challenging. It depends on several factors such as:
Model of toilet? For example, Toto Toilets will be the most challenging due to the extra flange that you have to mount over the existing closet ring, which is the ring you see level with the floor that the toilet fastens too .
Space you have? If you’re dealing with a tight bathroom, this does make it difficult to maneuver your body around to tighten and fit the toilet in.
Flooring ? If your mounting your toilet on carpet , be prepared to shim and secure the toilet down to the wood surface , you may have to cut the carpet to fit the new circumference of the new toilet.
This will take you step by step on how to reset your existing toilet:
Tools / items you will need:
- Flashlight
- Small shop wet vaccuum:
- This is used to extract the water from inside the tank and bowl
- Small pair of channel locks
- Putty knife.
- Razor knife
- Rags
- Large bag
Now your ready to remove the toilet:
First step : SHUT WATER OFF
you can do this 2 ways , shut water off at the angle shut off valve that typically is located at the bottom left side of the toilet , turn the handle clockwise until the handle stops , once this is completed , then remove the lid from the toilet tank and flush the toilet.
If water is not filling the tank back up , then you’re ready for the next step. If the water keeps filling up the tank, then the valve needs replacing. So in this case you would need to shut the main water supply off at the house to continue the work.
Step 2 : DISCONNECT SUPPLY LINE
The supply water line that runs off the shut off valve is connected to the fill valve at the bottom left of the toilet, take your small channel locks, place them on the plastic / brass nut and counter clockwise loosen the nut. Once you loosen, you can unscrew using your hand .
Note : take a rag and place under this before you disconnect , this will help absorb residual water that falls to the floor.
Step 3 : EXTRACT WATER FROM TANK/BOWL
Using your wet vacuum extract the water from the tank and the bowl , well your at it , this is a good time to clean the inside of your tank .
Step 4 : REMOVE CAULKING / GROUT AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE TOILET
Using your putty knife or razor knife cut through the grout or caulking around the bottom base of the toilet, once the seal is broken, then wobble the toilet to the left and right slowly.
Step 5 : REMOVE THE TOILET
Take your large bag and open it up leaving it on the floor next to the toilet , then raise the toilet and place it into the large bag . This keeps your floor clean from the old wax . Raise the toilet once in the bag and inspect under the toilet outlet to remove and clean any left over debris.
STEP 6 : REMOVE OLD WAX SEAL
Using a small bag , place your hand into the bag , then reach down and grab the wax seal and remove completely, then turn the bag inside out, removing your hand from the bag, now you have a clean hand 🙂
Step 7 : INSTALL NEW BOLTS
You can avoid this step if your bolts are still in good shape and more importantly securely fastened onto the toilet flange.
If you need new bolts, then best practice is to take your long bolt and drop a metal washer over the bolt, then take your nut and screw onto the bolt, then do the same step on the second bolt that comes with the wax seal once you pre fab the 2 bolts then place it into the groove of the toilet flange and the metal washer should be on the surface of the metal flange, then go ahead and hand tighten by screwing the nut down onto the washer, do the same on the other side of the flange, line them up evenly, so the toilet will slide directly over them .
Once you line them up, now tighten them down using your small channel locks, clockwise until you can’t move the bolts.
Step 8 : WAX SEAL
Place the wax seal into the flange, we like using 4 inch wax seal. This provides a bigger opening so poop/paper can flow I bit more freely.
Step 9 : SET TOILET
Install toilet by walking it in sumo wrestler style , walk it in and keeping a eye on the bolt and toilet base hole slowly drop it down, then look to the other side and line the hole up with the bolt, once they are lined up, then you should feel the toilet bowl compressing to the wax . Then take a step back and line the toilet up straight.
step 10 : FASTEN TOILET DOWN
Take your plastic bolt cover washer , and it should read :”this side up “, this is the side that needs to be facing towards the ceiling , slide that over each of the bolts , then take your metal washer and place that over the plastic washer , then take your bolts and fasten down , by hand tightening both side evenly , then using your small channel locks , clockwise turn each side evenly 2 to 3 turns until tight and the toilet doesn’t move . Note : You made need toilet shims to stop rocking .
Snap the plastic bolt caps over each of the bolt assembly to cover.
Step 11 : CONNECT WATER SUPPLY LINE
using your hand take the supply line and place it back onto the fill valve thread pipe by turning it counter clockwise , once you hand tighten then use your channel locks and gently give it a 1/2 turn.
Step 12 : TURN WATER ON
turn water on slowly , filling up the bowl and flushing several times to test for leaks , also check the water supply connection to verify no drips.
Step 13 : CAULK AROUND THE TOILET
clean the floor around the base of the toilet , and add a bead of caulking around the toilet base . This keeps dirt from building up under the toilet , helps with odor and it looks cleaner.
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The post How to Remove, Replace or Install a Toilet Bowl | Twin Home Experts appeared first on Twin Home Experts.
