Toilet repair

Removing a toilet isn’t one of the daintiest parts of a plumbing job, it’s pretty simple.  Just make sure to have plenty of towels and rags on hand to clean up water spills, and a helper to remove and dispose of the old toilet.  (Even when separated into two parts, toilets are surprisingly heavy.)

 

Toilet Anatomy:  There are two main parts to a standard toilet:  the tank and the bowl.  The tank holds water to flush the existing contents of the bowl down the waste line (1.6 gallons in all toilets made after 1996, and up to 3 gallons in toilets made prior to 1996).  When the flush handle is depressed, the lever arm raises a ball or flapper in the bottom of the tank, allowing the water in the tank to flow down into the bowl.  The water flows through a series of holes in the rim and with the aid of a little gravity, forces the contents of the bowl to exit through the integral trap, out through the horn, and down into the waste line via a sanitary tee.

 

WHAT THE PROS KNOW:  Once you’ve removed both tank bolts, lift the tank straight up off the bowl and set it aside.  Now you know – easy as one, two, and three!