Although most homeowners are intimidated just by the thought of having to remove a toilet, commonly called “pulling”, it requires moderate plumbing skills and a strong back. The hardest part will be finding enough room to bend of the tank and lift it off the flange.
Here’s how you can do it yourself.
Most toilets connect to a three inch drain line with an adapter at the floor called a toilet flange. The flange creates an air and watertight seal with the help of a wax ring while also allowing you to bolt the toilet to it so it doesn’t tip over. During a rough in, the plumber sets the flange a certain distance away from the back wall so that it doesn’t stick out into the bathroom too much. This distance is usually12 inches. Since I am not going into the problems that can arise when installing a new toilet, I’ll just leave it at that.
The New Toilet
Before purchasing a new toilet, check the installation of your current one and make a note of the size and distance from the wall. You may want to consider one-piece units which are easier to install, but more expensive. There are a variety of fixtures to choose from, but the installation is basically the same for all. When you unpack the new toilet inspect it for any defects such as hairline cracks and missing glaze. Unfortunately, buying plumbing fixtures from big box stores often leads them purchase items that are not perfect to maintain their price points. You may want to consider buying from a plumbing supply house to get a higher quality toilet.
Removing the Old Toilet
The hardest and messiest part of the job, but it has to be done. Turn off the water and flush the toilet; take off the lid of the tank and lift the flapper valve to get as mush water out of the tank as possible. Use some rags, a sponge and bucket, or a shop vac to get all of the water out. Get as much water out of the trap as possible; there will always be some left over inside so have old newspapers or a tarp nearby to set the toilet on. Remove the screw caps from the base of the toilet and remove the nuts from the flange bolts with a pair of pliers. If the bolts are rusted you will have to use a small hacksaw to cut them off between the nut and the porcelain. They sell small saws where the blade sticks out past the handle for getting into tight places.
Mini Hacksaw
Once the bolts are free, lift the toilet off the flange and set it on the papers and tarp. If you have enough room, have someone help you. If not, remove the tank from the toilet by removing the bolts from the tank and base. You will need a flat head screwdriver to hold the head of the bolt inside the tank and a wrench or socket to loosen the nut. Again these may be rusted, so they may need to be cut off. This is only necessary if you cannot lift the whole fixture off the flange.
Once the toilet is off, inspect the flange to determine if it is intact. Clean the old wax ring off of the flange and remove the flange bolts. New bolts and nuts come with the toilet, but you will need to buy a wax ring. The wax rings can also be purchased with a rubber boot that extends into the drain line and help prevent leaks. If the flange is broken or cracked, you may need to buy a flange repair kit that has 2 metal bars that fit under the flange that have slots to allow you to install the new flange bolts. There is also a bracket the fits over the old flange and screws into the floor. This is perfectly acceptable as long as the flange does not move.
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Flange Repair Kit
Note: The toilet flange should be 3/8 of and inch above the finish floor. If you are pulling the toilet to install a new floor, make sure you maintain this dimension; otherwise you will need to add an extra wax ring if it’s less than 3/8 inch or shims to support the tank if it’s more than 3/8 inch.
The Wax Gasket & Bolts
A wax gasket is used to make a permanent seal between the flange and the bottom of the toilet that prevents sewer gas or waste water from entering your home. They come two ways: with and without a rubber boot, which is the type I prefer. Place the gasket onto the flange pointing the boot down into the flange. Install the new closet bolts that attach the toilet to the flange. You will notice that the closet bolts are T-shaped; this is to allow you to set them into the slot of the flange and then turn them 90 degrees so that they won’t pull out when they are tightened. Take the bowl, straddle the flange and guide the bowl onto the gasket and the bolts, this can be tricky as the bolts are never where you expect them to be so you may need another set of eyes to help you. Gently push the toilet down to the shims trying to keep it reasonably level. Attach the necessary trim washers, brass washers, and tighten the nuts gently as you can crack the base if you over tighten.
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Johni Quick Bolt
There are also new bolts that have a little plastic piece that slips over the bolt after you place it in the flange to keep them from tipping over. They are called “johni quick bolt®.”
The Tank
Follow the instructions to see if you need two or thee bolts, rubber washers and brass nuts hold the tank to the bowl. There is a foam washer that fits on the bottom of the tank to provide a seal to the bowl, known as a spud washer. As you tighten the tank bolts be sure to level it. You will also need to install the flush valve kit which requires installing the included PVC fitting into the hole on the left side of the tank. Tighten this securely or else it will leak as soon as you turn on the water.
Water Supply
Now is a good time to replace the soft copper supply tubing and compression fitting with a flexible braided supply line. It would be best to attach the end to the bottom of the tank before you set the toilet onto the flange. This way you will only need to crawl under the toilet for half as long hooking up the water. Tighten the lines carefully without twisting. If you use the old supply tubing, make sure that the tubing is at a right angle to the outlet. If it is slightly off, the line will leak and you could damage the compression ferrule. Check for leaks after you turn on the water. Check again a few hours later to ensure you don’t have a slight leak.
Finish by trimming the bolts and installing the screw covers. Flush several times and check for leaks. Sit on the toilet and check to see if it rocks from side to side. They do make plastic or composite shims as you should never use cedar shims in this instance. Old-timers would use pennies, sometimes they would use small squares of lead sheet, but usually only roofers and plumbers have this. Stick with the plastic shims and use white or clear silicone caulk around the bowl. Once it dries it will help to prevent the bowl from rocking.
Before deciding whether or not to replace your toilet, check with your local building official to see if you need a permit. Usually they will have a website where you can see what you can and can’t do online. Homeowners are usually allowed to work on there own house with a one-time permit, but this doesn’t mean you can only work on your house once, it’s just good for one job. However I leave that up to you.
Good luck, and wash your hands after you’re done!
