How To Install A New Toilet

By: Razione Latapiatti

If your toilet is old and in need of repairs, it is really cheaper to install a new one. This is the easiest of all the plumbing jobs in the home to do and if you follow my simple instructions you can put yours in yourself.

1. Shut off the water to the toilet, use a bucket and a cloth or a sponge to remove the water left in tank and bowl after you flush the toilet.

2. Using a pair of channel pliers, or a small pipe wrench (8"), remove the nut where the water line fastens to the ballcock valve under the left side of the bottom of the tank. Next use a small crescent wrench, remove the two 1/4" nuts holding the bowl to the floor flange. Remove old toilet. Remove the water line from the valve or fitting at floor or wall.

3. Now you are ready to install your new toilet. Put the two 1/4" bolts in the side holes of the flange with the bolt head in the flange. Put some of the old wax at this spot to hold the bolts straight up and across from each other. Put new wax ring on flange, flat side up if tapered.

4. Set new bowl only straight down so it centers on wax ring and both bolts come through holds on each side of bowl. Sit on bowl facing wall until your weight puts bowl flush with the floor. Put metal washers and nuts on bolts and tighten until snug. Do not over-tighten as you can crack the bowl. Tighten these again after toilet is completely installed and filled with water.

5. Next put 2" rubber gasket on tank where it sets on the bowl, put rubber washers on bolts provided under the bolt head so they will be on the inside of the tank. Pick up tank and set on bowl over holes in bowl where bolts go through. Sit on bowl facing wall. Put bolts on from the inside of the tank into holes in bowl, put on metal washers and nuts and tighten. Hold tank level and tighten so it brings tank down level. Use a large screw driver inside tank and a crescent wrench or end wrench to back up nut under bowl.

Tighten with screw driver. Hook water supply to tank, turn on water, check for leaks, snug up the bolts holding bowl to floor. If there is a space between the back of the tank and the wall, put a spacer of sort there to brace tank. A piece of wood or hard rubber works fine.

PARTS NEEDED:

Toilet bowl
Toilet tank
Toilet seat
Two 1/4" bolts for bowl to flange
Wax ring
20" water supply with fitting at valve or floor connection

Now DO put my DOs and DON'Ts into use, and you new toilet will never need a plumber!