- Turn off the water supply, and then flush the toilet to drain the tank and bowl. ...
- Disconnect the water supply valve from the bottom of the tank by twisting the nut loose where the hose meets the tank. ...
- Use a flathead screwdriver to pry off the plastic caps that cover the toilet bolts on either side of the bottom of the base.
- Remove the nuts that are now visible from the toilet bolts, using a crescent wrench. Once the nuts are off, the toilet is no longer connected to the floor.
- Lift the toilet, base, and tank together, straight upward and off the bolts, and then set it aside on some cardboard or old towels protecting your bathroom floor.
- Use a putty knife to scrape off the old wax from the flange—the top of the drainpipe that is now visible. The old wax will probably come off in chunks. ...
- Center a new wax ring on the flange, taking care not to nick it or dent it. It will be soft and pliable. ...
- Reset the toilet by lowering it straight down with the base holes aligned over the protruding toilet bolts. ...
- Replace the nuts on the bolts, tightening them snugly with the crescent wrench.
- Caulk around the base of the toilet to seal the gap where the toilet meets the floor.
- Cover the nuts and bolts with the plastic caps.
- Reattach the water supply hose to the connection at the base of the tank, and turn the water supply valve back on.
Full Answer
How to tighten a loose toilet?
Turn off Water to the Toilet
- Look for an oval-shaped knob on the wall behind the toilet. That is the toilet’s shut off valve. Turn it clockwise to turn off water to the toilet tank. ...
- Flush the toilet and hold the toilet handle down to remove as much water as possible.
- Lift off the toilet tank lid and place it away in a safe place where it cannot fall off and crack. ...
How to fix a toilet that comes on by itself?
- Wait 10-15 minutes, as some water might drain on its own.
- Place your plunger into the toilet bowl and rest the mouth of the plunger into the mouth of the toilet drain.
- Softly push the plunger into the mouth of the drain, and then give a few stronger pulses to heave the debris down the drain.
- Repeatedly plunge a few times until the drain is clear.
How can we keep the toilet seat from coming loose?
Plan A: Tighten the Bolts
- Locate the two bolts that attach the seat to the commode. ...
- Use the screwdriver to tighten the toilet seat bolts, which are now exposed, screwing clockwise until they resist.
- To install the seat hinge, unscrew the bolts entirely using a counterclockwise motion with your screwdriver.
How to quickly fix a loose or shaky toilet seat?
To fix a loose toilet seat, locate the screws that hold the seat on. These are usually at the back of the toilet seat. If the seat or bolts are damaged, you may need to go to the hardware store to replace these parts. If they look fine, pry up the cover that is over the screws and loosen the screws so you can center the toilet seat over the toilet.
How do you fix a wobbly toilet?
4:518:21How to Fix a Wobbly Toilet | Ask This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you think it's just cosmetic but it isn't what it does is it takes the washer and the the forceMoreAnd you think it's just cosmetic but it isn't what it does is it takes the washer and the the force that that washer is going to exert pushing down transfers to this plastic.
What causes wobbly toilet?
Toilets wobble when they aren't held securely to the floor, and if you let the wobble persist, they can leak and give you more serious problems. More often than not, the wobble is caused by loose toilet bolts, but the flange may also be responsible. It may be corroded, broken or set too high.
How do you stop a toilet from rocking?
0:061:57How to Repair a Rocking Toilet | Ask This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere's a wax seal right here and that that's important to make sure that no water leaks out and asMoreThere's a wax seal right here and that that's important to make sure that no water leaks out and as importantly no sewer gas leaks in the building. So if this toilet is sitting flat not rocking.
How do you fix a wobbly toilet on this old house?
1:1113:28How to Fix a Wobbly Toilet and Stuck Faucet Handle | Ask This Old HouseYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThese are called closet bolts you'll see that they have a little shape right here that allows you toMoreThese are called closet bolts you'll see that they have a little shape right here that allows you to go into a keyway. And these have to be exactly 12 inches on center off the back of the building.
Can a plumber fix a wobbly toilet?
To fix the loose toilet, the plumber will replace the flange and remedy any moisture problems, leaks or loose connections. Poor installation: Shoddy workmanship on a toilet installation can cause problems down the road, such as a wobbly toilet.
Why is my toilet rocking back and forth?
The flange bolts are loose One of the most common things that causes a toilet to rock back and forth are loose flange bolts. These are the bolts that hold the toilet down at an even level with the floor in your bathroom.
How much does it cost to fix a wobbly toilet?
On average, it will cost from $45 to $197 to repair a toilet yourself or between $130 and $310 to have professional repairs done by a plumber. The hourly charge for a plumbing contractor is $72 to $82, which does not include parts or materials.
Should you caulk around a toilet?
Caulk Keeps the Toilet Secure Think again! Caulk keeps your toilet secure the floor, and avoids any chance of injury or toilet malfunctioning. It's actually required by the International Plumbing Code to caulk a toilet to the floor, and now knowing the reasoning behind it, why would you not want to?
How do you secure a toilet to the floor?
Toilets should be caulked to the floor to prevent side-to-side movement that can break the wax seal (and to prevent splashes or overflows from puddling under the toilet and rotting the floor). DIYers often set the toilet and then apply a tiny bead of caulk along the outside edge.
How tight should the bolts on a toilet be?
Bolts Don't Have to Be Extremely Tight In some cases, hand-tightening and a quarter-turn is all you need. It's important to keep in mind that the toilet tank is not intended to take weight and strain. The tank-to-bowl bolts are merely there to ensure the rubber seal between the tank and bowl is snug and leakproof.
What happens if the toilet flange is not level?
0:171:52Level Up An Out of Level Toilet Flange - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is level with the floor. You take it and you flip it back over. So it sits level on theMoreThis is level with the floor. You take it and you flip it back over. So it sits level on the existing out of level flange. Now you install a standard wax ring in the middle.
Broken Toilet Flange Causes Rocking Toilet
Your wobbly toilet may be moving because the mounting bolts that hold it down have nothing to grab onto anymore.You might think your loose toilet b...
Loose Or Broken Closet Bolt Making Toilet Wobble
Probably the easiest fix, your loose toilet may simply be due to your loose toilet mounting bolts needing to be tightened. Simply remove the small...
Poor Install Can Cause A Toilet to Wiggle
Your loose toilet troubles could be related to the way your toilet was last installed. This can happen if you have your bathroom floor redone, and...
Why is my toilet loose?
Your loose toilet troubles could be related to the way your toilet was last installed. This can happen if you have your bathroom floor redone, and the level or height of the floor changed. If this is the case, check that the installer didn’t shim the toilet to raise it up.
Do toilet bolts go directly to the floor?
While this is true, you should know that the bolts don’t go directly to the floor. Instead, they secure to a toilet flange. Think of this flange as a strong metal or plastic ring. It’s this piece that is bolted to the floor, and also sometimes secured to the drain pipe called a “bend”, which is made of sturdy iron.
Can a rocking toilet cause water leakage?
Fortunately, a rocking toilet isn’t going to cause you much personal harm, but a loose, wobbly toilet is still something you should fix. This is actually kind of important since it can eventually lead to sewer gas leakage or worse, a water leak that can damage your home. Is this an easy fix?
How to fix a toilet that stops flushing?
BEST FIX: Adjust the Chain or Fill Valve. If the toilet starts to flush but then stops, the chain may be too loose (causing the flapper to close prematurely) or the fill valve may be allowing insufficient water into the tank. Here, toilet repairs can be as simple as adjustments made to these components.
How to clear a clogged toilet bowl?
Clearing the clog is super simple, and you probably have a toilet plunger already on hand. Simply insert the plunger into the bowl while it’s still full of water, pressing the mouth of the plunger firmly against the opening at the bottom of the bowl to form a seal.
Why does my toilet pool water?
Pooling water around the base of the toilet is always a cause for concern, and it’s often the result of a leaking wax ring seal. To test if the wax ring has gone bad, squirt some food coloring into the toilet bowl and then flush the toilet.
How to get water out of a water tank after flushing?
Some residual water will remain after flushing—be sure to bail it out with a cup or use a wet-type vacuum. Disconnect the water supply valve from the bottom of the tank by twisting the nut loose where the hose meets the tank. If unable to do this by hand, use a crescent wrench.
How many pumps to clean a bathroom?
Don’t be overly enthusiastic; forceful plunging is likely to splash dirty water all over the bathroom. After eight to 10 pumps, lift the plunger away from the bottom of the bowl. If you’ve freed the clog, the water will drain—it usually takes just one or two attempts to free a clog.
How far down should the water level be from the top of the overflow valve?
If the water level is lower than one-half inch from the top of the overflow valve, there probably isn’t enough water in the tank to completely flush the toilet, so you should adjust the fill valve to raise the water level, which will provide more water for each flush.
How to tighten toilet bowl bolts?
Check using your hand if the bolts are loose or tight. Confirm with a wrench. Tighten the bolts if they are loose. If the bolts are more than hand tight, use a pair of pliers or wrench and tighten them a little. Always be careful when tightening the toilet bolts not to crack the bowl. A broken bowl can be repaired.
How to know if toilet is flushing off the floor?
The toilet must always be perpendicular to the rear wall. Once you have your toilet in position, try to rock it about to see if it is flush off the floor or there is a gap.
How to make a toilet slant?
Put in a washer and a nut in each of the two flange bolts and tighten alternatingly. It is exceedingly important to tighten the nuts alternatingly to balance the pressure on both sides of the toilet. If you tighten one side before tightening the other, the toilet will slant to one side.
Why is my toilet seat wobbly?
A wobbly toilet seat is caused by loose mounting bolts. Use your left hand to feel the wingnut underneath the toilet bowl. Hold it and tighten the bolt with a screwdriver. If the bolt head is covered with plastic caps use a flathead screwdriver to remove them.
What is a toilet flange?
A toilet flange is the pipe fitting which connects the toilet bowl to the drainpipe. Old flanges are made of cast iron but modern ones are made of plastic.
How to get rid of a toilet odor in the house?
Stuff a rag inside the drain pipe to prevent bad odors from getting into the house. Use the putty knife and scrap off the wax from the toilet outlet and flange. Check if the flange is broken, corroded or just too old.
Why does my bathroom floor smell like rotting?
Your problems will be far from over because if your floor is wooden it will certainly start to rot. A broken toilet wax ring seal will lead to water flooding around the base of the toilet or even a urine/sewer smell inside the bathroom. You might also notice dampness on the ceiling of the basement.
