While you're planning a bathroom renovation, whether it's to prepare your home for the market or you're ready for an updated space, you can save money on the project by taking on some of the installations yourself. Even just removing old flooring and tile, taking out the vanity, or repainting can mean significant savings for your budget.
If you have experience working on renovation projects already, you may feel confident about replacing more complex parts of your bathroom rather than just doing some simple painting or removal. For help installing a new toilet in your bathroom, read our simple guide.
Removing the Old Toilet
Your first step in the installation process is taking out your old toilet. To begin, you need to shut off the water and disconnect the supply line. After you do these steps, you can flush the toilet to drain most of the water out of the bowl and the tank. Just keep a bucket and some rags available in case any water leaks out.
The next step is separating the tank from the bowl. Removing each part separately makes the job a lot easier, especially if you're doing it by yourself. Loosen the bolts that connect the tank to the bowl and then simply lift the tank straight up.
Next, you'll detach the bowl. Use some simple tools like a wrench, pliers and screwdriver to disconnect every point that connects the toilet with the floor. If the toilet has caulking along the base, you'll need to remove that too before you can fully remove the bowl.
After the toilet itself is gone, you need to inspect the flange, which is the part near the floor drain. If there were rusted parts, you'll need to replace them. Then, you have to replace the wax ring that's near the flange before installing your new toilet.
Installing the New Toilet
After the old toilet is gone, you'll basically do those first steps in reverse order.
You'll install the new bowl first, taking care to align all of the parts around the flange. Be careful in properly aligning these parts so that the drain lines up properly with the floor drain and the bowl. After it's aligned correctly, you secure the bowl. Avoid tightening the bolts too much so you don't make the bowl crack.
When the bowl is secure, attach the new tank to the bowl and reattach the supply line. Before moving forward, you need to test for leaks. Slowly turn on the water to let a bit flow through. You can use some testing dye to quickly identify any leaks so you can easily fix them.
Finally, you'll buy and attach the toilet seat. Turn the water back on and flush the toilet a few times to make sure all of the parts are working as they should. At last, you have your new toilet!
Turn to the Experts
If installing your new bathroom toilet yourself seems a bit beyond your skill level, or if you need plumbing maintenance after your DIY project, choose Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Greater Syracuse! With a variety of services available and a qualified and experienced team, we can take care of any plumbing need in your home. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment today!