You could also place the removed toilet in a nearby tub or shower stall, but there’s a chance the bottom of the toilet will scratch up the tile and/or the tub’s finish.
If closing this valve fails to shut off the water supply completely, you’ll have to shut off the water further down the line—potentially at the main shutoff valve near your water meter.
Use a wet vac, turkey baster, or large sponge to remove any remaining water in the tank and the bowl.
A small amount of water will run out of the hose, so keep a towel handy to sop it up.
Each nut should have a metal washer beneath it, and possibly a plastic one as well. Remove these also. The new toilet flange set should come with nuts, bolts, and washers, but keep these ones handy just in case you need them.
Some residual water may leak out when you do this, so have a towel handy to wipe it up.
Some people wait to block up the pipe until after removing the old flange. However, by blocking it now, you stop sewer gases earlier and provide protection against accidentally losing things—wax ring bits, screws, bolts, etc. —down the pipe.
Keep some newspaper or an old towel nearby so you can wipe off your putty knife as you work. The wax will likely come off in sticky chunks.
Keep these as an emergency backup for the screws that come with your new flange kit.
If the flange has no cracks, chips, or deformations, you may choose to just reinstall it with a new wax ring. [12] X Expert Source Dave JonesMaster Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup Expert Interview. 13 December 2021. However, if it doesn’t look to be in ideal condition, it’s best to just replace it. Even if you reuse the flange, always install a new wax ring.
If the flange is PVC but is glued to the inside or outside of a PVC outflow pipe, you’ll have to carefully use a chisel and/or a drill with a hole-saw bit to work it free. If you damage the outflow pipe in the process, you’ll be facing costly repairs. [13] X Research source If you have an old flange made of cast iron that’s joined to a cast iron outflow pipe, you’ll have to meticulously chip away at the flange lip with a chisel and rubber mallet. Once again, any damage to the outflow pipe itself will be costly mistake. [14] X Research source
If you’re able to take the old flange with you to the hardware store, this measurement is largely for backup purposes. However, if the old flange has broken into pieces, you’ll definitely need this measurement.
If you can’t find a good match or need help in general, ask an employee at the store for help. If you don’t have the old flange, buy a new flange that matches the outflow pipe measurement you took.
Instead of wax, some newer rings are rubber gaskets instead. However, you can install a rubber gasket the same way you’d install a wax ring.
If you’ve lost the new bolts, you can likely reuse the bolts from the old flange, provided that they’re still in good condition.
The neck of the flange should have a rubber gasket that creates a seal against the inside of the overflow pipe. If the lip of the flange won’t rest flush to the floor all the way around, the flooring is likely warped or damaged due to water. You should do any needed floor repairs (or call in a pro to do them) before proceeding.
Use a drill to create new pilot holes in the flooring, if needed. Existing holes from the previous flange may be in the same location but be too large to hold the new screws. If so, use a mallet to tap plastic wall anchors into the holes, then drive the screws through the flange lip and into the anchors. Most toilet flanges come with 4 screws, but yours may have more or fewer.
Don’t plan on using this towel or shirt again—just toss it!
Pros usually prefer to apply the wax ring this way in order to guarantee a good seal around the toilet. However, you can also lay the ring (rounded side up) on top of the toilet flange, then set the toilet on top of it. [23] X Research source If you’re using the newer type of “wax ring” that is actually a rubber gasket, lay it rounded side up on the toilet flange and place the toilet on top of it.
This process is the same whether you pressed the wax ring to the underside of the toilet or placed it on top of the flange.
If you have plastic caps that cover the bolts, just snap them in place. If the bolts are too long, however, you may need to trim them with a hacksaw so that the plastic caps will fit over them.
Plastic couplings are usually only intended to be hand-tightened, while metal ones can be tightened with a wrench or pliers.
While the tank fills, check for leaks at the connection point between the supply line and the toilet tank.
