A toilet bowl is built to be durable and to last a few decades even with little to no maintenance. Over time, damages or water leaks may occur due to wear and tear from various parts of the toilet bowl. In this blog post, we will show you how to identify and fix a common toilet leakage. The objective is to reset the toilet, ensuring that the fault is remedied. Before any repairs are made, you will need to get the following items to ensure a seamless process in fixing your toilet. This item list includes:
- Toolbox
- New wax rings
- A Few Water Closet Bolts
- Plastic Toilet Shims (optional only if your toilet is unstable)
- A Few Flange Reinforcement Rings
- A Tube of Silicone Based Caulk (any colour of your choice)
- Removing Your Toilet
The removal of a toilet bowl is fairly straightforward, however, two possible major issues are likely to occur. Firstly, if a water supply valve is too old or faulty, it cannot be shut off completely. This causes water to spray, making a mess of the entire bathroom. It is important to have rags and buckets to prepare for this possible mess. Secondly, the existing water closet nuts may be rusty, which poses a challenge when removing them.
- After Removing The Toilet Bowl
You must block the drain with cloths and rags to prevent sewage gases from entering the premises. This also prevents excess wax from dropping into the drain and clogging up your piping. The next step is to remove all existing wax by scraping and cleaning the surrounding area.
- Reinstall Flange Reinforcement Rings
Flange reinforcement rings, replicate Band-Aids, covering a faulty flange that is screwed into the flooring. Another function of these rings is to create a new slot that the toilet flange bolts can be attached to, while effectively securing the entire toilet bowl.
- Flanges Support Before Reattaching the Toilet
Before the final attachment of the toilet bowl, it is highly recommended to install flange supports to reduce rotting created by the water leaks. The installation is made simple by inserting the flange supports underneath the flange edges. However, this is dependent on flat surfaces and the severity of the rot that may have accumulated over the years. If the surface is uneven or the area around the flange has too much rot, then the installation of flanges support will not be a viable option.
- Reattaching the Toilet Bowl
We have come to the concluding step of fixing your toilet. Before you reattach the toilet bowl back to its original position, you need to mark out the position by sticking tape as an indicator. The final steps include slipping in new wax rings and aligning the new water closet bolts to the tape on the floor. It helps the reattaching process by applying weight or pressure on the toilet bowl to push until the base rests nicely on the finished floor. When the toilet is levelled, slide the toilet shims beneath all toilet edge gaps and trim off any excess shim. Finally, apply the silicone caulk over the base perimeter of the toilet bowl, excluding the back end of the base. This allows a space for moisture beneath the toilet to escape. There you have it, you have successfully fixed and reset your toilet.
