Installing a new toilet may seem like a monumental undertaking for the average homeowner. It isn’t really as complicated as it seems however. If you are placing a toilet in a new location it entails much more work and might be best left to a professional plumber, but replacing and existing toilet is much easier because all the lines are already in place. The average handyman (or woman) can replace a toilet with little or no difficulty.
There are really just three basic steps to replacing the toilet: Removing the old Toilet
This entails shutting off the water supply and flushing the toilet to remove the water in the tank, removing the tank (if it is a two-piece unit), and gently rocking the bowl to loosen the wax seal. Set the old toilet on some newspapers to reduce mess and place an old rag in the sewer drain. This prevents escaping gas as well as dropping something down the pipe.
Setting the New Bowl
Use a putty knife to scrape off the old wax seal and make sure the flange is in good repair. Replace the old wax seal with a new one, place toilet bolts in the slots in the toilet flange. Lift the bowl over the wax seal, align it and press down evenly and firmly. ALWAYS replace the old wax seal. Fasten the toilet to the floor with the bolts.
Replacing a toilet isn’t difficult by any means. It can be messy however so it is wise to line the floor with old towels or newspaper before starting. It doesn’t even require special tools, just some time and patience and it can save hundreds of dollars in plumbers fees if you do it yourself.