change wax ring on toilet

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

Can someone describe to me the process of changing the wax ring (seal) under a toilet? It seems simple, but I don’t want to mess up.

[Jerry PeckParticipant]

To be as simple and concise as possible:

1) turn the water off to the commode
2) flush as much water out of the tank as you can by holding the flush valve open
3) to make handling easier, remove the tank to bowl bolts and remove the tank, watch out for the remaining water which will slosh out
4) remove the caps over the floor bolts and remove the floor bolts
5) cut away any caulking used around the base of the commode and rock the commode back and forth to free it, and to try to allow as much water remaining in the bowl to drain out
6) lift and tilt the bowl back to drain as much water from the bowl as possible into the sewer pipe below
7) have paper spread out on the floor to set the bowl on, the turn the bowl on its side or upside down
remove the remains of wax ring from the floor flange and / or the commode
9) check the floor flange to make sure it is securely anchored to the floor and that the floor flange is not broken or cracked, then remove the floor flange bolts and install new ones
10) install the wax ring onto the commode and set the commode back down onto the floor flange, make sure the floor flange bolts go through the holes in the commode base, install washers and nuts on new floor flange bolts
11) now is a good time to replace the flush valve seat, flapper and water level control valve if you are going to (recommended), then install new
tank to bowl gasket and new tank to bowl bolts, set the tank on the bowl and tighten
12) replace riser to commode with a new one

Be careful not to over tighten the floor flange bolts at the bowl or the tank to bowl bolts as this will cause the bowl or tank to crack.

This does not include all the details needed to do this. If you do not feel comfortable undertaking this project, call you local qualified and licensed plumber.

The plumber’s cost will be less than the cost of replacing the commode and tank after you’ve over tightened the bolts and cracked the bowl and / or the tank.

I hope this helps, but beware of cracking the bowl and / or the tank.

[Author]

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