If it is a 3-inch cast iron pipe: Break off the old toilet flange from the outside. I need good advice for proper method of removing this flange. Can we do it ourselves? Shopping for a Toilet Flange . (You can check a toilet’s rough in by measuring from the wall to the toilet bolts.) Lift the toilet and carry it out of the room. Removing it is warranted if water is leaking from the bottom of the toilet and flooding the bathroom floor or if you need to replace the toilet bowl with a new one. The bowl is then bolted onto the flange. Unhook the closet bolts from the main track. The flange looks rusted and we aren't sure it will bolt down the toilet and be secure (see pic below). Its center is too large to go over the bolts that are glued to the flange, and I don't really want to break the flange, but this feces-covered carpet has GOT to go. If you need to remove a broken, rusted, or separated toilet flange, or want to remove a seemingly impossible female pipe fitting, having the right tool for the job makes the task a whole lot easier. If the flange is badly corroded, use a hammer and cold chisel to chop out the flange. If the flange collar is severely damaged, you will have to remove and replace it. Get a wrench and remove the toilet from the flange by lifting it and setting it aside on newspaper or cloth so as not to mess the tiles. Are we ok to just add spacers to get to the right height and reinstall or does this flange need to be removed and replaced? Screwdriver: Choose a multi-bit screwdriver to remove the screws on the flushing toilet. The toilet is mounted right on top. In older houses, the toilet flanges are metallic, and might be welded to a cast iron drain pipe. In the old days, flanges were made of metal, but nowadays they are more typically made out of PVC or similar plastic. Those test plates are still fused pretty good to the toilet flange, so you will need a few hard hits with a hammer to bash it free. If it's wax, use a putty knife to scrape it up. We were not having any issues with toilet prior to removing for new flooring. After you have done this, locate the screws and remove them. 9. The surest way to know you’ve obtained the right toilet flange is to remove your present one and bring it with you to your neighborhood hardware store. 10. This can be done by scraping or sanding with a wire brush on a drill. It is what connects the toilet to the floor and the waste pipe below it. The cast iron flange seems to rotate freely around the pvc insert, but the insert itself is glued to the waste pipe. How to Remove Cemented Flange From a PVC Toilet Drain Pipe. To remove the flange, first use a putty knife to scrap of the old wax from the top of the flange. However, you can always try to repair it first, which is a job that is much easier. Stainless Steel Toilet Flanges Click image for more info. We noticed that the flange does not sit on the pipe, it is off centered, due to the idiots who built our house running the pipes too close to the joist. Joined: Aug 4, 2016 Location: New York . How easy are these to replace? Simply scrape it off and smear it on the newspaper until you can access the top of the flange. Corrosion and rustproof stainless-steel flanges offer more durability and better sealing than PVC flanges. These flanges are bolted into the floor of your bathroom by means of anchor bolts, and fit snugly inside the sewer pipe inlet. Before lifting, rock it back and forth a few times to break the wax seal. If your flange is attached to a stable floor, you might need to replace the flange collar. There are only a few simple steps to take in order to get the toilet flange off the floor. Two slots on either side of the flange hold bolts which securely fasten the toilet bowl above. How to Remove this Rusty Toilet Flange. To make it easier for you to break the old cast-iron flange, you can use a hammer and chisel. Toilet flange repair kit: When a toilet flange with a broken bolt rail is difficult to remove from the drain pipe, consider using a repair kit. A toilet or closet flange is the connection between the toilet and the drain pipe. I liked the one with the metal ring because you can spin it and get it in the perfect spot after the plastic has been glued. My toilet was wobbling so I thought I would I investigate the problem. In modern plumbing, toilet flanges are made of PVC. Hi all, I am renovating my 1st floor bathroom. Discussion in 'Toilet Forum discussions' started by McHowsh, Aug 4, 2016. Thanks These are the main screws that hold the flange to the floor/ main drain. 11. Here is a pic if anyone can give some advice I would appreciate it! That’s normal with old toilets. They may not be easy to do and you may need an angle grinder to help you . Any advice on replacing this? Step 2: Get a paint scraper or a putty knife to remove wax remnants from the flange. Metal flange [ 4 Answers ] My toilet was wobbling from side to side. The flange is made out lead. A toilet ring, also called a closet flange, is installed over the drain opening in the floor directly beneath your toilet. If the plastic pipe has a 3-inch inside diameter, you'll have to remove the old flange from the outside of the pipe. The old toilet was a “14-in. Remove the old wax that sealed the toilet to the flange and pipe with a putty knife. Unscrew and remove any extension rings to expose the cast-iron closet flange. Use a little silicone on the gasket when you begin tightening it up. Toilet flanges are made of either PVC, copper, and iron. When installed, the flange is placed on the floor over the hub that's in the drain pipe. I got most of it up, but there is a kindof flimsy metal ring around the toilet flange. Remove the Toilet Remove the bolts holding down your toilet, and then pull the toilet straight up to take it out. How to Remove & Replace a PVC Closet Flange. This tip is especially important when you‘re cutting thin-walled pieces. We removed the toilet and found that they flange was not screwed to the floor. All PVC toilet flanges are manufactured to fit three-inch or four-inch drainpipes. A wax ring is used as a sealer between the flange and the bottom of the toilet. In many older homes, the flange was made of cast iron, an extremely brittle metal. When removing the toilet to replace the wax ring, we noticed that the metal flange was all rusted, and the screws holding it down were rusted out, so now we do not know how to take it off without doing too much damage. Okay, so which flange is better in the long run - the one that is entirely plastic or the one that has the metal ring on it? Is there a way to fix the flange without having to remove the floor. Toilet flange extender – if the existing flange is glued to the drainpipe; Bolts – buy some new toilet flange bolts so that they can be replaced with old … When I took the old toilet out the metal flange underneath was so rusted and corroded a portion of the flange broke off. … The toilet closet flange is all rusted out and not able to hold one of the closet bolts. That means the flange was centered 14 in. 8. Doing this will help you to reveal the broken parts and also the screws holding the flange down. The old toilet flange—the part that connects the toilet to the drain pipe at the floor—had almost disintegrated. Replacing a toilet flange in this case will be a little harder. Hello Friends! It connects the toilet bowl to the sewer drain. Since this piece of metal is thin, you can just place it on top of the old collar without having to take out the broken one. The toilet flange holds the toilet to the floor and is also the fitting that serves as the inlet for the waste line. Remove the bolts that secure the toilet to the flange and floor. Mild detergent can also come in handy to clean wax. If this component is no longer able to perform either of these functions, it may need to be replaced. Use a stiff-blade putty knife to scrape away the wax gasket from the closet flange. It's basically a metal pipe fitting that's attached to the toilet floor and connects the toilet to the drainpipe in the floor. Once you bash a hole into it, you can usually rip the rest off with a pair of pliers to be on the safe side; you have to be careful that you don't accidentally hit the flange portion with the hammer and crack it! Today, the vast majority of toilets are 12-in. Remove all the old build-up in order for the toilet flange to seal properly. McHowsh New Member. Next, take out the flange seal. Step 9. Wax ring: This product holds the flange to the base of the toilet. Install a toilet flange … It can be a plastic or metal fitting mounted on the drain pipe and is attached to the toilet. Though PVC is the most common type of material used to produce toilet flanges, they also come in copper, cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel, and brass. This toilet flange is designed to glue on the inside of the pipe or expand inside the pipe. (Remember to remove it when the saw goes back into regular service or the motor will overheat.) It’s always best if you can enlist the aid of a family member, friend or extremely nice neighbor. If it isn't, then you will have to cut away the old flange. A toilet can weigh upwards of 120 pounds. It is usually made of cast iron in many older homes, so the metal is extremely brittle and can break or crack over time. Any help is greatly appreciated! This is the toilet flange. Don't want to accidently mess up the riser pipe resulting in a major job. Trapping the aluminum with a wood backer as shown reduces the danger of flying metal shards and makes it easier to hold the metal in place for cutting. If the seal is rubber, it should be simple to remove. Is that even the flange or were the flane was supposed to mount to the pipe. A toilet flange has a metal or plastic ring that holds the toilet to the floor, and when the ring breaks, it can render the toilet unusable. The toilet flange serves 2 significant purposes, which are to hold the toilet bowl to the bathroom floor and to provide a seal between the waste drain pipeline and the bottom of the toilet. These are easy to remove and replace. Without the backing board, the blade will often catch on the metal … This could be a sign that you need to remove and replace your old toilet flange. The repair kit consists of a metal ring that bolts around an existing flange to create a new anchor point for the closet bolts. Besides, how far does an offset toilet flange … This is one of the easier jobs you can do when repairing parts of your RV. You can select the one which fits your needs. If you can’t cure a rocking toilet by tightening the flange bolts, it may be that the PVC plastic closet flange is unable to hold down the toilet. This makes the toilet unstable or prone to leakages. rough in”. Over time, a cast-iron flange may crack or break, which can cause the toilet to rock, wobble or leak. Bolts were not connected to anything and upon removing the toilet the flange appears so rusted its unrecognizable. How to Remove RV Toilet Flange. I see there are so many different kinds and not sure which one I have. Now comes the somewhat difficult part. Some PVC toilet flanges are made of 100 percent from polyvinyl chloride while others will come with a metallic top and a PVC base. My first floor is on a cement slab (no basement). 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