New Toilet Installation Tips

Installing a new water-saving toilet is a great way to spruce up your bathroom and save on your water bills.

You don't need special tools; just an adjustable wrench, 7/8" combination wrench, level, screwdriver and a

hacksaw. I'll give you some buying and professional installation tips that'll make the job easier.

How to Buy a toilet

Lots of companies make inexpensive "water-saving" toilets. However, it takes quite a bit of engineering and

attention to detail to design a water-saving toilet that removes all the waste with a single flush and doesn't

clog. I like the STERLING® Stinson elongated water-saving toilet for several reasons. First, the Stinson toilet

incorporates Sterling's Pro Force® flushing technology to ensure full waste removal with a single 1.28-gallon

Family Handyman's Best Toilet Installation Tips

 Remove all the water before yanking the old toilet – if you don't you'll spill on your flooring. Turn off

the supply valve and flush the toilet. Then, use your wet/dry shop vacuum to suck the remaining water

from the tank and bowl. If you don't have a wet/dry vacuum, use a large grout sponge and a bucket.

 Lighten the lift – remove the old tank to save your back when lifting off the old bowl.

 Cut the old closet bolts; – many old closet bolts spin as you loosen the nut. Use a hacksaw to cut a slot

in the top of the brass bolts. Then, insert a flat blade screwdriver in the slot to hold the bolt while you

loosen the nut. If that doesn't work, remove the hacksaw blade from its frame and use it to cut the bolt

flush with the toilet.

 Clean the toilet flange before installing the new wax ring – a wax ring seals best when it's installed

 Don't try to realign the bowl once you've set it in place and squashed the wax ring, that can break the

wax ring seal. If it's really out of alignment, bite the bullet and reinstall it with a new wax ring.

 Don't over-tighten the flange-to-bowl or tank-to-bowl nuts; that can crack the porcelain.

 Don't over-tighten the plastic nut connecting the supply tube and fill valve. Excessive torque can cause

the plastic nut to crack weeks after you've completed the installation, causing substantial flood

damage.

Rick Muscoplat

Contributing Editor, The Family Handyman