Replace a Toilet Flange
A toilet flange connects the bottom of the toilet to the drainpipe in the floor of the bathroom. When a toilet is leaking from the base, you may need to replace your toilet flange.
Steps
- Place newspapers or towels on the ground adjacent to the bathroom. You will place the toilet on these after you disconnect it from the flange.
- Turn off the water supply to the toilet.
- Disconnect the water supply hose.
- Flush the toilet until it is empty.
- Loosen the two nuts that attach the toilet to the floor by hand or by using a wrench. Keep them in a secure place so that you will have them to re-attach the toilet later.
- Remove the toilet and set it on top of the newspapers or towels that you already placed on the floor.
- Clean the wax from the flange seal using a putty knife.
- Remove the screws that attach the flange to the floor with a screwdriver.
- Remove the flange and clean it off either in the sink or with a disinfecting wipe.
- Place a washcloth loosely in the outflow pipe to block unpleasant sewer gases from escaping.
- Measure the diameter of the sewer pipe using a tape measure so that you know the correct size for your new flange.
- Take the flange to a home improvement store, a hardware store or a plumbing supply store and purchase a flange of the same size and shape.
- Purchase a new wax ring at the store along with your new flange.
- Remove the washcloth from the outflow pipe.
- Secure the new flange to the floor using the new bolts. The new bolts will secure the flange against the bottom of the toilet.
- Screw the new flange to the floor using a screwdriver and the new screws that came in the product package.
- Lift up the toilet and push the new wax ring into place on the bottom.
- Place the toilet on top of the flange, lining up the toilet with the new bolts. Press down tightly to seal the wax ring.
- Replace the nuts that hold the toilet onto the flange. Hand-tighten them before using a wrench to tightly secure them.
- Reconnect the water supply hose.
- Turn on the water supply to the toilet.
- Flush to ensure that the toilet is working properly and there are no leaks.
Tips
- If you discover a leak beneath your toilet and remove the toilet, you may discover that the flange is undamaged. In this case, simply replace the wax ring and see if that corrects the leak.
- Instead of placing your toilet onto newspapers and towels to catch excess water, you may place your toilet in your bathtub or shower stall.
Warnings
- Do not tighten the nuts that hold the toilet to the flange too tightly. You may cause the porcelain to crack.
Things You'll Need
- Newspapers or towels
- Wrench
- Putty knife
- Screwdriver
- Disinfecting wipes
- Tape measure
- Washcloth
- New flange
- New wax ring
