Plumbing question

[make_your_move]

Has anyone out there replaced their entire toliet? How hard is it? Sealing, and so forth and so on. Any help/pointers/etc. is appreciated. Rather not pay a plumber if I can avoid it.

Comments

[belthazar-b.livejournal.com]

Its not to tough, just a 'lil messy. Just need to make sure the water line is plumbed in right and put a new gasket on the drain fitting.

[ms-lemon.livejournal.com]

I believe its all about making sure you reconnect the drain line properly and set the wax seal well.

Replacing the toilet to me is far easier than trying to know how to fix in innards :)

If it helps we have a toilet we got from Lowes or HomeDepot from a brand called Champion that's wonderful never need a plunger to unclog again based on the boxes claims and the amazing flush power. We put the same on in both of our remodeled bathrooms.

Stephen from the club (of Stephen and Sherrye) is not a plumber but he does handyman work and put in both of our toilets. In case you want to go the route of using someone who's got skills but isn't a "huge dollar per hour" Master plumber.

[alricthemad.livejournal.com]

As B said.
toughest part is maneuvering the porcelain due to it's bulk and weight.

Make sure you have:
a wax sealing ring of the correct size
a new tube to go from the wall to the toilet
Proper wrenches etc

I recommend having a rag to plug the drain while you are working on cleaning up the fitting, don't forget to remove it before placing the toilet


Need help?

[elkor.livejournal.com]

don't forget to remove it before placing the toilet

Truer words never spoken.

These should be posted in large letters on the base of the toilet when it is purchased. Just to be sure.

[jp7.livejournal.com]

It isn't that hard. It is actually easier than fixing a toilet. Just...

Turn off all the water lines
Empty the thing out
Cut the seal around the bottom
unscrew the bolts in the floor
Rock it off

Get new toilet
Set a new wax seal in the hole
Bolt the new toilet back down
Re-caulk it
reconnect all the water lines.

My favorite park is throwing the old toilet into the dump and watching it shatter. :)

[thatliardiego.livejournal.com]

What he said. Beats the daylights out of paying a plumber.

[alex-wench.livejournal.com]

I have done it several times, along with all the other advice I would say make sure you replace any hoses and gaskets that are there currently, these get old and while you have the whole thing apart just take care of business - I also recommend getting the flexible metal hoses rather than the slightly cheaper plastic version, much more durable. Just follow the step by step directions and you will be good to go :)

*pats Mym's head* smart wench ;D

[alex-wench.livejournal.com]

"Re-caulk it"

just don't caulk around the toilet base to the floor, when you go to sell your home the inspector will make you remove it (happened the other day)

[zagatto.livejournal.com]

I'm going to echo everyone else here. Replacing a toilet is one of the easier home repairs you can do. The only trick is making sure you have the correct wax seal and that you use teflon tape on the pipes. Everything else pretty much falls into place.

[elkor.livejournal.com]

Has anyone out there replaced their entire toliet?

Yes.

How hard is it?

Not terribly, just heavy and awkward to move around.

Make sure you get the proper wax ring for the base (critical!) and recaulk around the base of the toilet before filling it. Talk with the people at whatever store you are buying the toilet from, they probably have a standard "installation kit" for you to get.

If you have hard lines providing water to the toilet, consider replacing them with flexible lines. Makes it much easier to replumb if you are changing toilet brands.

[liatha.livejournal.com]

not difficult, just awkward.

there's a wax ring you have to put down, then you seat the toilet on the bolts and screw them down, then you caulk around the bottom, hook up the water feed lines, and turn it all on.

Easy.

[wizardglick.livejournal.com]

Getting the wax seal set right and the fixture set down on it properly is critical. Don't forget the teflon tape for your threaded connectors

[queenmaggie.livejournal.com]

snicker. Everyone else's already said everything I was going to, but I'll add one bit. When you go to the Lowe's or Home Depot, make sure you snag an employee from the department, and quiz him or her on what else you might need.... the boxed up new toilet should have a parts list and such, but if you've got someone there, s/he'll save you time in tracking down the bits.

And you really don't want to have to drive back in the middle of the replacement because you got the wrong size hose or bolt or whatever it is.

And, yes, I've done this, too.

[alricthemad.livejournal.com]

Word!

[sierra-victor.livejournal.com]

I even managed to do it by myself once.

'nuff said.

S_V

[aztecknight.livejournal.com]

You can do this. My squire and I did it. I was shocked at how easy it was.

buy...

[emt-hawk.livejournal.com]

two or three wax rings. until you get the hang of how to do this, you're going to screw the first one up.

--Hawk