We’ve all encountered this situation—the toilet won’t stop running, it doesn’t flush properly, or there’s water on the floor around the base of the toilet. You may be able to resolve the problem with a simple repair—swapping out the internal mechanism, for example. But it might also be time to install a new toilet. It is something you can do yourself, but it’s never a bad idea to hire a professional plumber to get the job done. Here are some things you need to know about toilet installation:
Not All Toilets Are the Same Size
With most toilets, the disposal pipe comes up around 12 inches from the back wall. But there are other sizes—some as small as 10 inches and others as long as 14 inches. If you’re lucky, yours will be 12 inches from the wall—that’s the size most easily found at a home improvement store. However, if you have an elongated toilet, you may need to special order the new one.
The Bolts You Use Make a Difference
The toilet is mounted to a flange with hold-down bolts. Brass offers the best of both worlds—it won’t rust or corrode, like steel bolts, and it’s a lot easier to cut off, if the lock nuts get frozen in place over time. It’s fairly common for that to happen, especially if you don’t use a bolt that’s corrosion-resistant. If it does, you may need to get what’s known as a “close quarters” blade holder, so that you can hacksaw the bolt off.
Don’t Be Surprised if There’s Wood Rot Underneath the Flange
This is the single biggest cause of a loose flange, especially if you’ve had a leak around the wax seal. The floor can decay and get soft, so that the bolts move around. In most instances, you’ll be able to deal with the problem by putting a new flange in. In the worst cases, though, you may need to replace a section of the subfloor.
Contact Public Service Plumbers
To learn how we can help you, call (214) 753-4633 or contact us by e-mail and we’ll schedule an appointment.
At Public Service Plumbers, we answer our phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can send our service personnel to your home or business anytime, day or night. All of our plumbers are factory-trained and factory-certified.
Public Service Plumbers
5610 Dyer Street
Dallas, Texas 75206
(214) 753-4633
We offer plumbing installation and repair services to individuals and businesses throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Coppell, Garland, Mesquite, Addison, Kessler Park, Farmers Branch, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and Lewisville.
