Toilet Flange Repair

Did you spot water leaking from underneath the toilet? If the toilet seems to get wobbly every time you use it, the toilet flange might be in need to be repaired. Those of you who have some idea about bathroom plumbing might be aware of the function of a toilet flange. Before I move on to toilet flange repair, let me tell you about the function of a toilet flange. A toilet flange is a special drain pipe fitting. It not only connects the toilet to the actual waste piping, but secures the toilet to the floor. A toilet flange must be installed properly on a wax ring and secured using bolts or screws to keep the toilet firmly connected to the floor.

At times, the bolts that secure the toilet to the flange can break or the flange itself might get damaged. Sometimes people change the flooring as a part of bathroom remodeling. If the level of the flooring gets raised in the process, it could break the contact between the wax ring, flange and the toilet. As a result, water starts leaking from underneath the toilet. If you ever spot water leaking from the bottom of the toilet, or the toilet seems to be move every time it is used, you must check if the toilet flange needs some repairs or needs to be replaced. Here is some information on toilet flange repair.

How to Repair Toilet Flange?

Wondering how to repair toilet flange? You can either call a plumber for toilet flange replacement or repair, or repair the toilet flange on your own. Here's some information on toilet flange repair.

Things You Will Need
If you are looking for a toilet flange repair parts, it would be a good idea to get hold of a toilet flange repair kit from a hardware store. You will find wax rings, flange and flange bolts in these kits. You will also need a screw driver, hacksaw, putty knife, flange extender, caulk and an adjustable wrench. Here are the instructions that you need to follow for repairing the toilet flange.

Toilet Flange Repair Instructions
Since the toilet flange is located at the base of the toilet, you will need to remove the toilet for repairing the toilet flange. Before you remove the toilet, make sure that you cut off the water supply to the toilet. Flush the toilet in order to empty the tank. Now get hold of your tool kit and use a pair of pliers for removing the nuts and screw caps located at the base of the toilet. If the bolts have rust on them and are not coming out easily, you can use a small hacksaw for cutting them off. Once the bolts and nuts have been removed, lift the toilet off the flange and place it elsewhere.

Now that you have lifted the toilet, you can examine the flange to find out where the problem lies. Check if the flange is broken or has become worn out. Sometimes, the placement of toilet flange can also make the toilet wobbly. Though the bolts used to attach the toilet to the flange must be properly aligned, but if the level at which the flange is placed is higher or lower than the finished floor surface, it could make the toilet wobbly. If that's the case, adding flange extenders on top of the existing flange might help.

Once you have identified the problem, start by scraping off the wax from the old flange using a putty knife. This is to ensure that you have a smooth surface for placing the new wax ring. Mount the new wax ring onto the flange and make sure that the toilet bolts are sticking up through the designated slots on the flange. You now need to place the toilet back on its place and secure it properly using the bolts or nuts. After securing the toilet, turn on the water supply and flush water in order to see if water is still leaking or not.

Now that you are aware of the instructions on toilet flange repair, you can repair the toilet flange on your own. Most of the time, water leaking from the base of the toilet is caused due to a cracked or damaged toilet flange. If you notice water dripping from the bottom of your toilet, use these instructions and fix this problem on your own.