How to Replace a Toilet

In the small, yet sophisticated city of Asheville, North Carolina, Ron visited the home of newlyweds Kelly and Kate Miller who had just purchased an older home there. The Millers spend their weekends planning all sorts of renovations but there was one home improvement project they'd been reluctant to face alone. Their toilet was set crooked and had a hole in it but they were afraid to tackle the replacement alone. Ron came to the rescue to provide the necessary encouragement and lend a helpful hand.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.


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• Ron is used to people looking at a toilet and saying, "I'm not touching that!" But Ron reassures the Millers that it is really not a difficult job. He was confident they could tackle it quite easily and with great results.

• The first step was to turn off the water supply to the tank. The shut off valve was located on the wall behind the toilet.

• Next, they removed the water from the tank by flushing and then holding the drain valve up.
  

• They would need to soak up the rest with a sponge. Ron unscrewed the float to get it out of Kelly's way.

• It only took a minute or two for Kelly to remove the remaining water from the tank.

• Next, they would need to empty the standing water from the bowl. Kate put on a pair of latex gloves for the task at hand and began sponging. Although the water in the bowl appeared dirty, Ron reassured them that it was actually the scale that came out of the bottom of the tank and emptied into the bowl.

• With all of the water emptied, Kate used an adjustable wrench to loosen the nut that attached the water line to the tank.
  

• She then pulled the old line free.

2. Remove old toilet:

• They were now ready to detach the old toilet from the floor. The toilet was held in place by two bolts. Ron lifted off the decorative cover to expose the bolts, which in this case were very badly rusted.

• Normally they would remove the bolts with a wrench, but these had rusted through so completely that they were no longer holding the toilet to the floor. Actually the bead of caulk at the base of the toilet was the only thing holding the toilet in place. They used a utility knife to cut the seal.

• They bent their knees and carefully lifted the toilet straight up.

3. Remove old wax ring:

• When the toilet was lifted out, the old wax ring was left behind on the floor. Toilet wax rings are made out of bees wax and they create a very good seal between the bottom of the toilet and the flange on the floor. It would need to be replaced.

• Kelly and Kate removed the wax ring with putty knives and then scraped the remaining wax from the flange.

4. Replace water supply line:

• Before they carried in the new toilet, Kate replaced the water supply line. Ron almost always recommends this when installing a new toilet or sink. Older lines can often lose their seal after being disturbed.

• They carried in the new toilet bowl, which was made of vitreous china, the same thing you're dinnerware is made out of.

5. New wax ring:

• Ron unwrapped the new wax ring. The wax ring had a slightly smaller plastic ring on it. They set the ring in place on the bottom of the overturned toilet with the plastic part up, away from the toilet.