How to Replace a Toilet

Everyone has a toilet and, in general day to day life, most people probably do not give its existence much thought.  Beyond everyday use and cleaning, the toilet is not exactly the most thrilling feature in a home.  But, when a toilet breaks, you will certainly take notice.  Usually, a toilet can simply be repaired but if it cannot be repaired and must be replaced, it can be costly to replace.  If you are handy or just curious about how a toilet is replaced, follow the steps below to replace a toilet in your home.   Step 1:  Measure – Measure the area where your new toilet will be installed to ensure that you have enough room so that you can purchase the right toilet for the space. Step 2:  Prepare the Area – Set up the area around the toilet with newspaper and towels.  A toilet can be surprisingly heavy and when you go to lift it, move it and set it down, the last thing you want to have happen is for it to slip and you drop it and damage the surrounding flooring. Step 3:  Turn Off the Water & Drain the Toilet – Be sure to turn off the water supply valve to the toilet.  Once you have done this, flush and drain the remaining water in the bowl of the toilet.  Soak up any remaining water with a sponge. Step 4:  Disconnect the Tank – If the tank is bolted to the wall, you need to disconnect the tank from the wall before trying to remove it. Step 5:  Disconnect the Toilet – Next, unscrew the nuts (usually under caps) that connect the base of the toilet to the ground.  Also, unscrew the nuts that connect the toilet to the water supply line. Step 6:  Loosen the Toilet – Using a utility knife, go around the entire base of the toilet and score the area between the toilet and the ground.    Now, you will be able to carefully lift the toilet up and place it on the towels you have set aside for this purpose. Step 7:  Prepare to Install the New Toilet – Plug the drain hole with a rag to prevent gases from leaking into the room and to also prevent any tools from falling in.  Scrape the old putty away from the area around the drain hole.  Once you have a clean, level surface, place a new wax ring on the base of your new toilet. Step 8:  Place New Toilet – Home Depot explains how to precisely place your new toilet to prevent damage, “Now you’re ready to place the toilet bowl onto the flange, aligning the bolt holes in the base of the bowl with the bolts in the flange. If it helps, you can hold the bowl by the inside rim instead of the outer edges to get a better grip and more control as you lower it.  Then, you’ll press down to set the seal.  Be really careful not to move or tilt the toilet after setting wax seal on the flange – because you could break the seal which might result in future leaks.” Step 9:  Replace the Tank – Once you have secured the toilet to the ground with bolts, you can replace the tank on the toilet and attach it to the bowl by securing the nuts and washers. Step 10:  Reconnect the Water Supply Line – Connect the water supply line to the water tank.  Test out the flushing mechanism to ensure that it works properly.  If needed, install the toilet seat now as well.  If all appears to be working correctly, congratulations, you have correctly replaced your old toilet with a new one!]]>