Question: Hi, I hope you see this and are able to give me a quick reply — I need this repaired and hope I can do it on my own, with your help. Love your article. I found a crack in the bowl of my toilet. Never heard of that before. Obviously, I need to put a new one in but have never done it. I did know to turn the water valve off behind the toilet, so we are good there. What are the steps to putting a new toilet in, please? Thanks.
— Clark J.
Answer: Clark, it’s something you can do, though it is messy. Give your toilet one last flush, to get most of the water out. Prepping the area and having all tools and supplies necessary, is key. A few pair of disposable rubber gloves help; it’s a messy job. Have plenty of rags and protect the flooring as necessary, because once you remove the toilet from the existing spot, you’ll likely need to set it down before moving it elsewhere.
There is a wax ring at the base, and the minute you set that down somewhere, there will be waxy residue amongst other residue that will be left. Chucks pads or dog pee pads work great.
Toilets are heavy also, so it needs to be something you can handle. Empty all the water possible. You can get the last out with rags if necessary. Disconnect the water line, remove the tank from the toilet and discard. Remove the screw caps at the base and loosen the nuts. Lift the base straight up to clear the bolts, then set this aside.
The hole in the floor will need inspection and cleaning. Remove as much of the waxy residue as possible and inspect the base for any damage. Most of the time once this is done and intact, the new toilet can go on in reverse order, while also installing a new wax ring. Most toilets will come with one. Tighten the nuts down onto the base about as tight as you found the previous, connect the water line and test the toilet by filling and flushing several times, ensuring that there are no leaks.
At this point in most cases, you’ve completed the job with no problems. Best of luck.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
