Removing the Old Toilet
1- Stay rid of all the heat here. Turn off the water at the supply valve. Flush the toilet to clear most of the water (hold the flusher as long as possible). Drain the remaining water from the bowl, force it down with a plunger, and sprinkle the remaining water with a sponge. Instead drain the remaining water from the sponge tank.
2- Please disconnect the thread. Use a screw to break the supply line. You may want to take the opportunity to replace the line. If you keep the line, just disconnect it where it is attached to the toilet.
3- Remove the bolts, please. Take the caps (they look like domes) off the bolts at the base of the toilet, then remove the bolts. Then remove the bolts connecting the tank to the seat.
4- Remove from the tank. Place your hand on either side of the base of the tank and take it off, move it side-by-side a little to ease it off and make sure you bend your knees. Bring it out of the way, but be sure to put it in a waterproof spot, as there may be some residual liquid.
5- Remove your chair. You can remove the rest of the toilet right now. Grab the toilet and rock it side-by-side to break the wax seal underneath and lift it out of the bolts. If the bolts are badly rusted and the toilet gets caught, you may need to cut off as many of the bolts as you can see with a hacksaw. Remove the toilet and bring it out of the way.
Preparing Your New Toilet
1- Move the door. Use an old balled rag to plug the hole, as you want to prevent gas from getting into your home and keep tools from disappearing into the ground! Just remember when you put the new toilet in place to remove this rag.
2- Take away the old bolts. Pull the old bolts out of the flange (like a nail hanging a picture frame, you probably need to pull them to the side a little bit). Dispose of the old bolts in a suitable way.
3- Remove the seal from the wax. Remove from the old wax seal all that remains. You can use a knife for putty, a rag, and any other tools you need. When done, wipe it clean.
4- Test the flange. This is the circular ring of plastic or metal under the wax. Inspect the flange: it might need to be replaced if it looks hurt. If the original is a bit cracked or damaged, you can also buy an adaptor (or super flange).
5- Substitute the bolts. You can now place new bolts in the flange with the flange in good shape. They should go in the long channels, hanging a picture frame in much the same way.
6- Place the new wax seal. Place the new toilet on its side on top of a towel or other padded surface. Place the new wax seal over the hole, with plastic or rubber facing out. Press it hard into place and turn it slightly like a doorknob to make it stick in place.
7- Remove the rag, please. This is very important, man! Don't forget to take out the rag!
Placing Your New Toilet
1- Just place the toilet. Lift the new toilet and place it in such a way that the anchor bolts go through the holes in the base of the toilet. It'll be easier if you first remove the new tank and only put it in the base if the toilet comes pre-assembled.
2- Seal the ring of the wax. Rock the bowl back and forth a little and press it firmly down, either by pressing your arms and hands or by sitting on the toilet. This is going to help seal the new wax ring.
3- Replace your nuts and washers. Place new washers and nuts at the base of the toilet. Don't put them on tight immediately, though! Place the level across the toilet seat and use the wood shims below the base to make sure the toilet is level. Then, tighten the nuts on each side, alternating between the two sides, tightening a little at a time to make sure the toilet is kept level. Don't tighten your nuts too much: you don't want to crack your new toilet!
- Make sure that at this point you are careful not to move too much of the toilet, as this will cause the toilet seal to break.
4- Place the caps of the bolt. Put the new caps on the bolts of the anchor. If they are too heavy, a hacksaw can be used to cut them down.
5- Attach the bolts and the gasket of the tank. Then take the new tank and put it on the side of it. Insert the tank bolts and washers from the tank's inside, then position the tank-to-bowl gasket at the base around the opening.
6- Place the tank and lock it. Take the tank and place it on the toilet's main part, so the bolts will fit through the holes. Then attach and loosen washers and bolts, alternating sides with the base of the toilet. Make sure it's not too close.
Adding Finishing Touches
1- Install the assembly of the toilet valve. The valve assembly (all the parts inside the tank) may need to be installed if it is not pre-installed. Once you buy the assembly, correct directions should be given on the box, but you can also ask for advice from your local hardware store employee.
2- Install the lid and ring of the toilet seat. If they haven't been installed, you'll need to secure them to the toilet with the appropriate bolts.
3- Reconnect the line of supply. Reconnect the water supply line, if it was in good shape, using either the new line or the old line.
4- Turn the water back on. Try to wash a couple of times when the water is on to make sure there are no leaks.
5- Caulk the toilet's foundation. Choose a suitable caulk and caulk tightly around the toilet frame. Once this is clean, you're done.
- You may prefer this last move to skip. If you have a leaking seal of wax on your toilet or if a leak of wax ring seal happens later, you can trap water under the toilet foundation. When the sub-floor is wood, it gradually rots it out, leading to all kinds of problems if repairs are needed.
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