Whether installing a new water efficient toilet or replacing a leaky wax ring in an existing toilet, toilet removal and installation is bathroom repair commonly attempted by handy homeowner. If all goes smoothly, a toilet removal and replacement or reinstallation is pretty straightforward. However, there are several points in the removal and installation process where things can go terribly wrong and turn a small job into a big one.
If you have any doubt about your mechanical skills or encounter one of these common problems during a toilet replacement, it would be a wise idea to let a reputable local plumber handle the job.
Toilet replacement seems like an easy job: Turn off the water supply, disconnect the supply hose, unbolt the closet bolts, and lift the toilet out of the opening. Installation is the reverse.
However, problems can start right from the outset. Many toilet shutoff valve have not been used in years if not decades. Closing and re-opening an old, rarely used shutoff valve sometimes causes it to start leaking. Worse, some shutoff valves are stuck open and it is easy to break or crack the water supply line trying to turn the valve.
A similar problem can arise when trying to disconnect the water supply line to the tank. This pipe may have been there for so long that it is corroded to the shutoff valve and attempts to remove it can damage the water supply pipe or ruin the supply line.
Finally, it is not uncommon for the closet bolts to be so corroded that they have to be cut off with a hacksaw. When installing the new toilet, many well meaning homeowners tighten the closet bolts too tight and crack the base of their new toilet.
If you are going to tackle a toilet replacement on your own, pay special attention to these possible pitfalls and call a plumber at the first sign of trouble.
