Plumber Helper

So you have read part 1 and have decided to take on this repair yourself.  Then let’s have at it! 

Use New Parts

You should plan on replacing all the parts that you loosen or remove during the replacement. So when shopping for a new wax ring, also buy a new water supply line and a new set of mounting bolts. The newer style flexible supply line that comes with both end nuts in place are preferred.  These parts will cost under $10. If you separate the tank and bowl, you should also buy new bolts, a new gasket and washers to re-connect the tank and bowl.

Protect any floor covering around the toilet, either remove it or cover with old towels. You will get water on the floor…count on it. If you have to turn the water supply off at the main house shutoff, fill two buckets with water. One bucket of cold water to use to drain the bowl (see below) and the other with hot water to clean the floor under the toilet and the bottom of the toilet. Finally fill your sink with warm water to wash up after handling the wax-ring.

Start by turning the water supply off. Disconnect the supply line to the tank (covered under the lessons on replacing refill valves). Flush the toilet, hold the handle down to allow as much water as possible to drain from the tank. Dump the bucket of cold water into the toilet bowl all at one time. This will leave you with just a little water in the bottom of the bowl; sponge it up.

Next you have to decide whether or not to separate the tank from the bowl. A professional plumber will probably work with the two pieces together,but it’s tricky and awkward. There are usually two or three bolts holding the tank and bowl together.  If you decide to separate the tank and bowl, use penetrating lubricant (LPS-1 or WD-40) on the nuts under the tank. Hold a large screwdriver on the head of the bolt inside the tank while you turn the nut under the tank with an adjustable wrench.

Pry up the caps that cover the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor and remove the bolts. Use a penetrating lubricant on the bolts; as a last resort, you may have to use a hack saw to cut the bolts off.

Don′t break the bolts off!

If there is a caulk seal between the bowl and floor, you’ll need to cut through it around the entire base of the bowl. Once the nuts are loose, rock the bowl from side to side to break it free from the old wax ring. Lift the toilet up and off the bolts. Turn it on its side on top of a sheet of plastic (lawn/leaf bag) and examine the old ring; you can sometimes see where and why the ring leaked. While you prepare the toilet for reinstallation, stuff an old towel into the drain opening to prevent sewer gases from entering the bathroom.

Clean off the old wax from the base of the bowl and from the flange clean the floor and the base of the toilet thoroughly; alcohol or mineral spirits work pretty good. To make a good seal, both the flange and the bowl should be clean. Press the new wax ring evenly over the hole in the base of the toilet or over the hole in the flange on the floor. Insert the new mounting bolts into the slots in the flange and turn 1/4 turn.

Proceed carefully here:

The next step is the tricky part. You have to lower the bowl down over the bolts evenly so that the toilet remains level. It helps to have someone on the floor beside the toilet to guide you down over the bolts, because it’s hard to see what you are doing.

Mike in New Orleans e-mailed me the following suggestion for making this job much easier. Stand a plastic soda straw over each bolt then lower the toilet over the straws. The straws act as guides and help prevent damage to the wax ring.

Tighten the nuts to the bolts by hand; slowly and evenly, then use a wrench until the bowl is snug to the floor. Be careful not to over tighten….you can crack the toilet. In a few days, check the nuts and make sure they are snug. Reattach the tank (if you removed it) and water supply. A toilet bowl must not rock, if you are unable to steady the bowl, use shims to fill any gap you have. There are shims made just for this purpose.

There is an Alternative product:

There is an alternative to the typical wax-ring that can solve many stubborn problems, such as a change in floor level after a new floor is installed. Easy to install, the Fluidmaster Wax-Free Bowl Gasket is a reuseable replacement for the wax ring normally used for connecting a toilet to the drain pipe. It will seal to a flange that is below the floor level, and can accommodate fixture and structure movement. 
…Fits 3″ and 4″ drain pipes.
…Adapts to most types of flooring and drain pipes.
…Clean to install, no messy wax.
…Seals on uneven floors or over tile floors with recessed flange.
…Eliminates the need for stacking multiple wax rings on new, raised flooring.
…Can be readjusted during installation.
…Moisture-proof seal and O-ring prevents splash-up and rotting of floor flange.