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 Mobile ViewPLUMBING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR AGE of PLUMBING MATERIALS & FIXTURES AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES AIR INLET VALVE, WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS, WATER TANK ANTI-SCALD VALVES APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS AQUASTAT CONTROL Functions BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKFLOW PREVENTER VALVE, HEATING SYS BACKFLOW PREVENTER, HEATER WATER FEEDER BACKUP PREVENTION, SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE BACKWATER VALVES, SEWER LINE BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE BATHROOM MOLD BATHROOM VENTILATION BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS Bisphenol-A, BPA BLEVE EXPLOSIONS BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS BOILERS, HEATING BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHLORAMINE / CHLORINE Tests CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER CHLORINE in WATER, HOW TO TEST FOR CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER CISTERNS CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, DIAGNOSIS CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, REPAIR CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, HOT WATER CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS CROSS CONNECTIONS, PLUMBING DEBRIS in WATER SUPPLY, Water Heater DEPTH of DRAIN & SEWER PIPES DEPTH of SEPTIC TANK DRAIN & SEWER PIPING DRAIN LINE DEPTH DRAIN NOISES DRAIN a WATER HEATER TANK DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY PURIFICATION DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY SOURCES DRYER VENTING ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS FAUCETS & CONTROLS, KITCHEN & BATH FAUCETS, OUTDOOR HOSE BIBBS FILTERS, WATER FLARE FITTINGS FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR FLOOR DRAIN / TRAP ODORS FLUSHOMETER VALVES for TOILETS URINALS FREEZE-PROOF PIPES GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION HARD WATER - SOFTENERS HEAT TAPES, Heat, Insulation prevent Freeze-Up HOT WATER HEATERS KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN GUIDE KITCHEN VENTILATION LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEAD WATER PIPING HAZARDS & REMEDIES LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC METHANE GAS SOURCES MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES MIX VALVE SCALD PROTECTION, Best Practices MUNICIPAL WATER PRESSURE IMPROVEMENTS MOLD INFORMATION CENTER MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE CONTROL for PLUMBING NOISE, PLUMBING DRAIN DIAGNOSIS NOISE, PLUMBING DRAIN REPAIR NOISE, PLUMBING CHECKLIST NOISE, WATER HEATER NOISES, WATER PUMP ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS IN WATER ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER ODORS SEWER GAS in COLD WEATHER ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES ODORS, URINE REMOVAL OIL FIRED WATER HEATERS OIL-FIRED BOILERS, HEATING OIL FILTERS on HEATING EQUIPMENT OIL FUEL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS OIL & GAS PIPING OIL TANKS OUTHOUSES & LATRINES PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types PLASTIC CONTAINERS, TANKS, TYPES PLUMBING FIXTURES, KITCHEN, BATH PLASTIC PIPING FAUCETS & CONTROLS, KITCHEN & BATH FLUSHOMETER VALVES for TOILETS URINALS PLUMBING FIXTURE TRAPS SCALD PROTECTION SHOWERS, TUBS SINKS, FIXTURES SPAS, WHIRLPOOLS, SOAK/JETTED TUBS SPAS, WHIRLPOOLS, INSTALLATION TOILET REPAIR GUIDE Toilet Won't Flush at All Toilet Drain Clogged Toilet Flushes Poorly Toilet Leak Catastrophes Toilet Runs Continuously Toilet Tank Sweats Leaky Toilet Seals - Odors Loose Toilet Repairs TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET ALTERNATIVES TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY TOILET TISSUE CHOICES TOILET TYPES Toilet Types, Flush Methods TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES TUBS & TUB REPLACEMENTS or RELINERS RANGE BOILERS RELIEF VALVES - TP Valves on Boilers RELIEF VALVES - STEAM TP VALVES RELIEF VALVES - Water Heaters RELIEF VALVES - Water Tanks SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SEPTIC METHANE GAS SEPTIC ODORS SEPTIC PUMPS SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP SEWAGE BACKUP PREVENTION SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE SEWAGE PUMPS SEWAGE PUMP CLOG DAMAGE SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES SUMP PUMPS GUIDE SUPPLY PIPING SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL TANKLESS COILS TANKLESS WATER HEATERS Temperature Pressure Relief Valves - Water Heaters TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET ALTERNATIVES TOILET FLUSHOMETER VALVES TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP TOILET REPAIR GUIDE Toilet Won't Flush at All Toilet Drain Clogged Toilet Flushes Poorly Toilet Leak Catastrophes Toilet Runs Continuously Toilet Tank Sweats Leaky Toilet Seals - Odors Loose Toilet Repairs TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET TISSUE CHOICES TOILET TISSUE TEST TOILET TYPES Toilet Types, Flush Methods TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES VALVES, PLUMBING VENT PIPING WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS WATER FILTERS WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE WATER HEATERS WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PIPES, Clogs Leaks Types WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT WATER PRESSURE GAUGE ACCURACY WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE WATER PRESSURE REPAIRS & COSTS WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS WATER PUMPS, TANKS, WELLS - BASICS WATER PUMP TYPES & LIFE EXPECTANCY WATER PURIFIERS WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE WATER SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE WATER SHUTOFF VALVE, WELL PUMP WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER SOURCE ALTERNATIVES WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING CLEANOUTS, PLUMBING DRAIN CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR FIRST SIGNS of DRAIN CLOGGING DRAIN vs SEPTIC BLOCKED DRAIN? BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS DRAIN DRAINFIELD DIAGNOSTIC TABLE PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE REPAIR CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, HOT WATER DEBRIS in WATER SUPPLY, Water Heater PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER GAS ODORS in COLD WEATHER WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD WATER TANK AIR INLET VALVE WATER TANK AIR LOSS SIGNS WATER TANK AIR VALVE REPAIRS WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS WATER TANK BLADDERS & CAPTIVE AIR WATER TANK CAPTIVE AIR vs TRADITIONAL WellMate WATER TANK CONTROLS & SWITCHES WATER TANK LIFE EXPECTANCY WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS WATER TANK PRESSURE GAUGE WATER TANK REPLACEMENT WATER TANK REPAIRS WATER TANK REPLACEMENT WATER TANK SAFETY WATER TANK SIZE & VOLUME WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PUMPS & WELLS WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELL PUMP PRIMING PROCEDURE WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
Here we explain how to diagnose and repair a loose, wobbly toilet. A toilet that is loose is unsanitary and possibly unsafe. But worse, if it has rotted the bathroom floor or if the waste pipe flange below the toilet is damaged, repair can be more difficult (and expensive) unless you know these tricks of the trade. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Repairing a Loose Toilet - How to Bolt the Toilet to the Floor or Waste Flange
Tighten the Toilet Mounting Bolts?
But as we pointed out above, if a toilet has been loose and wobbly, it has usually compressed and spread its wax ring seal between the toilet base and the top of the waste pipe. The result is a leak (photo at left), sometimes hidden, that sends unsanitary wastewater into the floor structure or into the ceiling below the toilet each time the toilet is flushed. So a better loose toilet repair is to turn off water to the toilet, empty water from its tank and bowl, remove the toilet from the floor, remove and replace the old wax ring, and then bolt the toilet securely to the toilet mounting flange or floor. (Some toilet models use four bolts, two are connected to the waste pipe flange and two more lag bolts secure the toilet to the floor or subfloor.) What if the Toilet Mounting Flange is Broken or the Floor Below the Toilet is Damaged and the Bolts Won't Tighten?
Toilets that are intended to be secured by bolts connecting to a flange at the top of the waste pipe (photo at left) use a flat-headed T-bolt. The "T" is inserted into a slot in the toilet mounting flange, moved in a slot around the flange to the proper location, and the toilet is set over the protruding bolts and bolted down (with a new wax seal). If the subfloor does not provide enough purchase for a lag-screw toilet mounting bolt, or if the subfloor is soft, but yet the finish flooring outside the toilet footprint is in good condition, you may not want to tear out the whole bathroom floor to fix this condition. If there is access to the floor around the toilet from below, perhaps by removing drywall from the ceiling of the room below the toilet, it is usually possible to cut two 3/4" thick solid core plywood braces that surround the waste pipe. Screw these flat plates to the underside of the subfloor below the toilet, and use longer lag-screws to reach through the old soft subfloor or flange and into the new solid repair material. Alternatively, a four-bolt toilet may afford two more mounting positions to secure the toilet to the floor. We use a thin bead of caulk applied to a clean under-side of the edges of the toilet base, combined with careful cleaning of the floor around the toilet, to provide additional adhesion of the toilet to the finish floor when it is reinstalled. Use just enough caulk to glue down the toilet, but not such a wide bead that later removal of the toilet will be difficult. To remove a glued toilet later, we use a utility knife to simply cut through this caulk bead.
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