Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Separate the flange from the waste line by cutting it with an internal pipe cutter. Turn the water line to the toilet off and disconnect the water supply to the toilet under the tank by turning the connector counter-clockwise. Disconnect the water supply hose from the toilet tank. If you don’t have the proper tools or experience in using such tools, it would be best to ask help from someone who has experience or to get assistance from a professional rather than risk damaging your toilet’s fixtures and waste line. Copyright © 2021 Rooter Guard. If it is still not loose enough, move to another section of the flange and keep trying to pry it up until it comes free. The pipe cutter sounds like the best way to go. If the floor flange for the toilet is set in concrete, the job will be a lot more difficult than if it's on the second floor for example and the flooring can be removed to permanently close off the pipe. If you feel the need to remove the flange you will need to cut it off. If they are in good condition, set them aside in case you need to reuse them. Ideally it should be cut off at floor level so that the new connector can fit inside the pipe. First, turn off the water supply to the toilet. Remove the flange and clean it off either in the sink or with a disinfecting wipe. Once you have unbolted the toilet from the flange, your next step is to clean it to remove the wax by using a putty knife and discarding it on a piece of old newspaper. The toilet flange, also known as a closet flange, is the part of the toilet that secures the unit to the floor which connects to the drain pipe. Lift off the toilet and set it aside. Remove the toilet by slowly rocking and lifting it. Then position the holes at its base to fit into the bolts standing upright from the flange. Remove the toilet flange by unscrewing it from the floor. Clean the wax ring from the bottom of the toilet and base of the flange by scraping it away with a putty knife or paint scraper. Use a wrench to loosen the nuts that attach the toilet to the floor. Remove the two screws holding the bottom of the toilet to the flange using your pliers, lift the toilet off and set it aside. It must have been cemented with a primer and cement. Usually made of PVC, rubber or metal, this piece is circular in shape and usually secured in place with a few bolts. These are the main screws that hold the flange to the floor/ main drain. Step 7 Use a pry bar to check if the flange is already loosened and can be lifted right off. Clean all the wax off the flange with a putty knife and deposit the wax on a sheet of old newspaper for disposal. Remove all the old build-up in order for the toilet flange to seal properly. I tried cutting and chiseling it away. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. We would like to finish the job, and I am trying to install the toilet. Empty any remaining water in the toilet by flushing it. Cut off the top part of the flange flush off the floor using a reciprocating saw. Most times the cast iron flange is so thick that the split-type repair flanges are too thin to make an impact, and the full-sized spanner flanges are near impossible to install because cast iron is not easy to drill into. Usually made of PVC, rubber or metal, this piece is circular in shape and usually secured in place with a few bolts. Place it on top of the old newspapers or rags you prepared. Hello, if I understand your question a toilet flange is the part that the toilet bolts to and unless it is damaged you dont want to remove it. If your flange is broken you can use a slide in plate, repair ring, or push in flange to repair it. We've already had to deal with this toilet leaking onto the kitchen ceiling from the drain, we don't ever want that happening again. If the flange is really stubborn, it can help to cut it into pieces with a Dremel tool. You will either need to break the pipe by cutting into it using a dremel tool or by breaking the glue bond between the pipes. Set a cold chisel on the outer edge of the flange, then firmly hit the chisel with a hammer. So, I need to remove the concrete around the drain to slide the flange onto the drain pipe.....but they have already laid the tile. It is usually made of cast iron in many older homes, so the metal is extremely brittle and can break or crack over time. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. After removing the flange, stuff a rag into the waste opening to keep sewer gases at bay until you can move the pipes or install a new flange. Take off the remaining wax around the flange using a putty knife, then remove any screws that attach it to the floor. You can also use detergent to wash it thoroughly and wipe the remaining wax on the flange with a towel. You need to remove the flange and start from scratch. Are there any other (simple) ways to remove the flange? You may want to first remove the tank from the toilet bowl to make this easier. Slide the toilet bolts out of the grooves on the flange. Put the toilet on the flange. I want to remove and replace this flange and close up the gap. Lift the flange straight off the subfloor. Removing an Old PVC Toilet Flange Get your internal pipe cutter and insert the small circular saw into the drill chuck. … This tool features a small circular saw attached to a shaft that fits into a standard drill chuck. A toilet flange is the pipe fitting which connects the bottom of the toilet to the sewer drainpipe. Privacy Policy. The toilet flange, also known as a closet flange, is the part of the toilet that secures the unit to the floor which connects to the drain pipe. Remove the mounting bolts and take off the toilet flange. You may need to pry out pieces of the old flange with a chisel and hammer. There are flange bolt repair wings available. Set the drill in forward gear. If the pipe is surrounded by cement to the edge of the pipe, remove the cement to allow the cutting blades to spin free without touching the concrete. A broken cast iron flange can be a pain to fix properly. Remove the old wax that sealed the toilet to the flange and pipe with a putty knife. To permanently close off the pipe in a concrete slab, the floor flange should be removed and the pipe capped below the floor surface. Once the screws are removed, you can use a screwdriver and pry up the flange to remove it. Clean and or remove an irregular or broken pipe to create an even surface for the Parana to start the removal of the remaining plastic fitting shoulder. Set the drill in forward gear. If you have a gasket-sealed PVC flange, the most common type of flange, simply lift it from the outflow pipe. Again, keep the screws somewhere secure for later use. Get your internal pipe cutter and insert the small circular saw into the drill chuck. Push the flange upward using a pry bar. This makes the toilet unstable or prone to leakages. When you want to remove one, you must cut its connection to the waste line as well as unscrewing it from the floor. Turn off the water supply (either the main valve or just the toilet line). There are only a few simple steps to take in order to get the toilet flange off the floor. When you have cut through the whole flange, lift it straight off the subfloor. This could be a sign that you need to remove and replace your old toilet flange. Lay the toilet on its side and put the new wax ring on the round mouth that sits on top of the flange. Keep the screws for later. Be careful not to get too close to the inner edge of the flange to avoid damaging the waste pipe. For professional use only to safely remove a toilet flange Gone are the days of trying to cut and chip the old flange off, risking cracking the pipe Remove the old flange in 5 minutes with the Flange-Off. Remove the Toilet . However over time the leak has found its way back. The top part is off I'm only dealing with the part that is left inside the PVC. The second is our PVC or ABS Twist-N-Set repair flange which inserts into the vertical cast iron drain pipe after the old flange is removed. Remove the screws attaching it to the floor using your multi-head screwdriver. Lay old newspapers or old rags on the floor in a safe part of your bathroom (like the shower area or bathtub). Make sure to put the nuts in a safe place because you’ll need them to reattach the toilet later. 264 People Used More Information ›› One inch of relief is enough space. How to Remove RV Toilet Flange. Set the drill in forward gear and cut through the flange at the point where it meets the waste pipe, or about 3 to 4 inches from the flange opening. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. Make sure to keep the toilet straight and as perpendicular as possible when lowering. Remove your toilet and locate the flange. Clean away the wax sealing ring. Remove the Toilet Flange Clear the wax ring from the base of the flange by scrapping it away with a putty knife or paint scraper. I'm not confident that I could successfully remove the pipe from it's joint in a clean, reusable fashion or if I did, that I'd get a good seal to the inserted pvc. All Rights Reserved. Use the internal pipe cutter to separate the flange from the waste line by cutting at the point where they meet, which are 3 … Flush the toilet repeatedly until the tank and toilet bowl are both empty. Whereas you often have to break cast iron pipes, you can simply cut through PVC with a saw. Some stubborn bolts might have to be sawed off. This is one of the easier jobs you can do when repairing parts of your RV. There is a 3/8" gap between the joint of the flange and pipe. Shut off the water to the toilet, disconnect the supply hose from the toilet tanks and unbolt the toilet from the floor with a wrench. Does your toilet move too much, wobble or rock, or does it leak on the floor? To access the toilet flange, remove the toilet from the drain and set it aside. Turn the knob behind the toilet clockwise to turn off the water. I put plumbers epoxy in the joint a year ago and it stopped my leak. Most toilet water supply knobs are located close to the baseboard. Put a bucket under the water supply connector, remove the connector with adjustable joint pliers and let the residual water pour into the bucket. Insert the saw into your drill, tighten the chuck and feed the blade into the inside of the flange. Toilet flanges need replacement from time to time for varied reasons. Plug off the drainpipe below the sleeve with a rag to prevent anything from falling down. When removing the toilet flange, the methods used will vary depending on the type of material your flange is made from. If it is a 3-inch cast iron pipe: Break off the old toilet flange from the … The sleeve of the flange will now be left glued to the pipe. Immediately the toilet lands on the flange, you should push it down firmly next to the back of the bowl rim to change the shape of the wax ring, and seal the attachment. Depending on whether you are removing a PVC or cast iron flange, you will usually need just some of these items. Some people also call it a closet flange. A special drill attachment further simplifies the task by eliminating the need to cut the flange from under the floor. The toilet flange holds the toilet to the floor and is also the fitting that serves as the inlet for the waste line. I seem to have a PVC (white) toilet flange that is not properly seated against the drain line. Remove the old toilet by loosening the mounting bolts on the base of the toilet with a wrench. What Is the Average Size of a Toilet Sewer Pipe? If the screws are in good condition, save them. Remember that the bottom of the flange must be set on top … Unscrew the flange from the subfloor with a large-slot screwdriver or a No. More modern bathroom fixtures will have a toilet flange made from PVC, which can be easier to remove. Step 2 - Remove the Old Flange. Turn off the supply of water to that area and remove any of the attachments. On the other hand, an older cast iron toilet flange will take more patience and effort. Press down to seal the wax ring with the flange. Tuck an old rag into the sewage outflow pipe to block any unwanted sewer smells or gasses. Having an issue trying to remove a plastic flange from a 4 inch PVC pipe. After you have done this, locate the screws and remove them. It is what connects the toilet to the floor and the waste pipe below it. Remove the flange screws with a screwdriver. This can be done by scraping or sanding with a wire brush on a drill. There are two types of toilet flange; PVC flange and Cast Iron Flange. It is therefore not a bad thing to know how to replace a toilet flange. Clean all the wax off the flange with a putty knife and deposit the wax on a sheet of old newspaper for disposal. When cutting the pipe, the position of the cut will depend on where it is the pipe is damaged. Remove the mounting bolts and screws. 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. Use a little silicone on the gasket when you begin tightening it up. Turn off the water shutoff valve and empty the tank by flushing once or twice. Slide the toilet bolts out of the grooves on the flange. This is done by removing the nuts holding the toilet onto the tanks bolts, then carefully prying the toilet away from the flange. PVC flanges are much less complicated to remove than cast iron ones. Use the internal pipe cutter to separate the flange from the waste line by cutting at the point where they meet, which are 3 to 4 inches from the flange’s opening. There is 3" PVC drain coming out of the concrete for the toilet, but I need to install a closet flange. If it’s still attached, you may need to break it off. Simply scrape it off and smear it on the newspaper until you can access the top of the flange. Safely cuts the flange off the outside of a 3" pipe leaving it ready to glue a new flange … How to Replace the Cartridge in a Two-Line Weed Eater, Black & Decker: How to Replace a PVC Closet Flange, This Old House: How to Install a Toilet--Install the Soil Pipe and Closet Flange, How to Remove the Screws on a Toilet Seat, How to Cut Out Rotted Wood by a Toilet Flange, How to Remove & Replace a PVC Closet Flange, How to Install an Adapter Collar for a 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. But it’s best to prepare everything just in case. Conclusion. Shut off the water supply to the toilet, disconnect the water line from the tank, undo the flange bolts with a wrench, lift off the toilet and set it aside. 3 Phillips screwdriver. If the pipes are glued together then you should be able to use solvents to break the bond. 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