How to Install a Toilet on Hardwood Floor

Hardwood flooring doesn’t create many problems when it comes to installing a toilet. In fact, it’s easier to install a toilet on a wood floor than it is to install one on ceramic tiles, which is a more common bathroom floor covering. You’ll encounter fewer problems if the flooring is already down when you install the toilet floor plate, more commonly known as the flange, but it’s no biggie if it isn’t. One thing is for sure, though. The toilet itself cannot be in place when you lay the flooring.

Rough-In Plumbing for a Toilet on a Wood Floor

If you’re putting a toilet in a place where there hasn’t been one before, you need to install the waste, vent and water-supply pipes. The water pipe goes in the wall and isn’t affected by the floor covering. You’ll need to cut a 4-inch hole in the floor for the waste pipe, though, and its center should be at least 12 inches from the back wall and walls on either side of the toilet. Cut this hole with a reciprocating saw after drilling a pilot hole to get the saw started.

After cutting the hole, you then install the flange. It consists of a plastic or metal ring to which you can attach the toilet and a 4-inch nipple to which you can attach the waste pipe. Most plumbers use #10 Phillips screws to attach the flange to the floor. After gluing the waste pipe to the flange nipple, running the pipe to the sewer and teeing in a vent pipe that ties into the main vent stack, you’re ready to install the toilet.

Install a Toilet on a Wood Floor

If the flooring is already in place when you install the toilet, the flange will sit on top of it. When you install the toilet wax ring on the hardwood floor, you may find that the flange raises the toilet a small amount above the floor. This will cause it to rock, and the wax seal can break, resulting in a leak whenever you flush.

To avoid this, shim up the toilet using either plastic toilet shims – available at any hardware store – or a toilet base slab with the same shape as the base of the toilet. One you’ve secured the toilet to the flange by tightening the two toilet bolts, protect the wood floor with caulk. Clear or colored silicone caulk are both suitable to caulk the toilet to the floor.

The Flange Is Already In Place When You Lay Flooring

You may encounter a situation in which the toilet flange has already been installed on the subfloor, and you’re laying new flooring. In that case, you cut the flooring boards to fit around the flange, leaving about an inch clearance in all directions. This recesses the flange, and it can create the opposite problem, depending on the wood thickness: The wax ring may not reach the bottom of the toilet when you mount it.

The most secure solution is to increase the thickness of the flange with a flange extender. This is a plastic or metal ring that fits on the top of the flange and is held in place by the screws that hold the flange to the floor.

Flange extenders come in various thicknesses, so choose the thickness you need after measuring the distance between the top of the flange and the surface of the floor. A properly sized extender raises the flange height to within 1/16 inch of the floor surface. Mount the toilet on the extended flange, apply wood floor caulk around the toilet base and you’re done fixing the toilet to the wooden floor.

 

Why Toilets Leak at the Base

If you notice water pooling around the base of your toilet, there are several possible causes:

• The bolts that secure the base of the toilet to the floor might be loose. The base of a toilet is held to the floor with two tee-bolts threaded up from the mounting ring through holes in the base of the toilet. If these bolts are loose, the toilet may rock, breaking the seal formed by the wax ring. If this is the case, each time the toilet flushes, drain water may seep out around the base of the toilet.
• The wax ring that seals the toilet to the drain may be faulty. This is sometimes caused by a toilet that is loose, or it can be the result of a wax ring that has grown old and is no longer pliable enough to provide a good seal.
• Water condensing on the toilet might be dripping down and puddling around the base of the toilet. The water in the toilet tank and bowl is often quite cold, and the cool porcelain can cause humid room air to condense and drip down onto the floor. If this is the case, you can usually see droplets of water collecting on the outside of the porcelain bowl and tank.

Warning

Avoid using your leaking toilet if possible. The water seeping from your toilet is dirty and can cause unpleasant odors and potential health hazards. The presence of standing water near your toilet can also damage your flooring and subflooring as well as your first-floor ceiling if your affected bathroom is on the second story.

 

How to Install a Toilet on an Unlevel Floor

Few toilets are installed on a floor so unlevel that you have a good chance of falling off the side before you finish your business. However, even a small tilt of the toilet on an uneven floor can cause problems. Replacing a toilet requires no plumbing skills or special tools, and can be done in under two hours.

• Turn the water valve to “off” next to the wall and flush the toilet to drain it of water. Disconnect the water pipe from the unit. Wedge the screwdriver under the plastic caps along the base and pop them off, giving you access to the nuts holding the toilet to the floor bolts. Remove the nuts from the bolts with the wrench.
• Rock the bowl gently side to side, and the lift the toilet off the bolts. Lay it on its side on the towels. Water will come out of the unit after you do this.
• Stuff a towel down into the sewer pipe to avoid sewer gas from coming back into the room. Clean off the old wax ring with the putty knife, making sure to remove all of it from the flange. Set the new wax ring into place, and remove the towel.
• Lower the toilet into place over the bolts and onto the wax ring. It is important that the toilet be seated properly at this point as the wax ring can easily crack. If this happens the toilet will leak at the floor base. Do not wiggle the toilet or rock it from side to side after it is down. Sit on the toilet stool to seat it firmly against the wax ring. Add the nuts back to the bolts and screw them on about half way.
• Place the carpenters level across the toilet bowl side to side and note where the bubble level is. Hammer a shim gently between the floor and the toilet base to bring a low side up. Continue to check the level in several directions around the toilet bowl and add more shims as necessary to level the bowl. When the bubble is level in all directions then tighten the bolts down firmly. Do not over-tighten as this may crack the toilet porcelain. Check the level a final time to be sure that it has remained the same.
• Saw off any protruding shims around the base of the toilet with a keyhole or other small saw that will fit into the space. Some shims come with perforated lines across the plastic so you can merely snap off any excessive shim with your fingers. Fill any gaps between the floor and the toilet base with caulk. You can also cover the shims with the caulk to hide them from view. Add the new bolt caps back to the base bolts.

 

Should You Remove the Toilet When Tiling the Bathroom Floor?

Many homeowners often try to cut a few corners when attempting a bathroom remodel themselves. They often ask if they should remove the toilet before installing a new bathroom floor. While it is possible to install a new linoleum or ceramic tile floor without removing the toilet, it is not recommended and actually can increase the labor involved in the project. The following post will outline the reasons you should never install new flooring around an existing toilet.

Appearance

Bathroom remodeling can be expensive, even if you are doing it yourself. It just doesn’t make much sense to cut corners and wind up with a half-baked project when your hard-earned money is on the line. Tiling around a toilet to save a few dollars in labor will leave you with an unprofessional installation, and your guests will notice. It is almost impossible to cut flooring, especially ceramic tile or wood, precise enough to fit snugly around a toilet base. The finished product usually results in an uneven and thick joint around the toilet base, a joint that will require additional caulk or grout to conceal.

Difficulty

Removing the toilet before floor replacement can be quite difficult. Whether you hire your plumbing contractor to remove the toilet, or simply do it yourself, your flooring project will be much easier. Toilet bases are often oddly shaped, with many curves and rounded corners. Cutting flooring around these obstacles is difficult even for the most seasoned flooring installer. With the toilet removed, you can carry the tile all the way up to and around the toilet flange. When the toilet is reinstalled, its base will rest squarely on the new floor and cover any edges around the flange, leaving your project with a professional appearance.

Future Problems

In addition, if you fail to remove the toilet before new floor installation, you set yourself up for future problems if you must replace or remove the toilet down the road. Toilets are manufactured with a wide range of toilet base footprints and the chances of finding a new toilet with the exact footprint are slim to none. This could lead to flooring replacement or a shoddy toilet installation if your existing toilet ever fails.

 

How to Install a New Toilet on a Toilet Flange

Always place the wax ring on the closet flange. This helps eliminate the possibility of the ring falling off the bottom of the toilet bowl. Before you buy a new toilet, get the rough-in measurement.

Why does this matter?

First, the rough-in is the distance between the closet flange bolts and finished wall. In our case that distances was 12″. That’s why you see the closet flange bolts positioned at that 12″ mark. We secured them to the closet flange using nuts and washers. Once the wax ring and closet flange bolts are in place, the toilet can be lowered onto the closet flange.

Align the holes in the toilet with the closet flange bolts and slowly lower it until the bowl meets the wax ring. Then compress the toilet against the wax ring to make a good watertight seal. Add the plastic washers first, then metal washers, and finally the nuts to the closet flange bolts.

TIPS FOR PREVENTING PIPES BURSTING

When a pipe burst or it freezes you are facing an emergency. A damaged pipe can cause major damage not just to your home but your household contents. A pipe is most likely to become damaged during very cold temperature and during long freezing winters. Pipes that are in the outer walls of your home and those that are in unheated areas are most likely to be affected

Repairing a Burst Pipe

If you find that the pipe has burst, however, the first thing you need to do is to deal with the water damage. Turn off your main water supply immediately. You should also flush all the toilets in the home as well as turn on the cold water taps to remove the remaining water from the pipes. Burst pipes can result in a huge amount of water being expelled in a short space of time.

Why Do Pipes Burst?

Before we look at the measures you can take to prevent damage to pipes, we will take a look at the reasons that pipes can burst

Freezing Temperatures

The problem with extreme cold weather is that when the water freezes and becomes ice it expands in your pipes. As the ice expands, it causes a buildup of pressure in the pipes which cannot be contained and causes the pipe to burst. It can occur anywhere in the pipe but weak joints in the piping are especially susceptible to bursts.

Tips

You can prevent this type of damage occurring during cold snaps by turning on faucets and releasing a steady flow of water. This helps to ensure that water remains moving through the pipes and should stop a pressure buildup.

 

Tips to Consider when Choosing Pipe Lining Companies

Sewer pipe or broken pipes in a home can cause many problems if not repaired as fast. Pipe lining companies offers help by finding the best and efficient ways in repairing these pipes. One should know that the pipe lining company offer repairing services in areas like cooling pipes, sewer pipes and water remains. One is advised to consider the tips below so as to get the best pipe lining company.

Before going ahead to choose a pipe lining company, an individual has the mandate of checking on the professional experience of the company and ask to be provided with the necessary legal certificates, documents and licenses. This will also prove that the pipe lining company has the required knowledge and skills to provide the best repair services. It is also important for an individual to consider is how big the pipe lining company’s team is. The best pipe lining company one should consider is the one that you can easily visit their offices if you want their repairing services.

Another important factors that one needs to consider is the reputation that the pipe lining companies. Here an individual has to make sure that they get to consider the opinion and reviews of other people concerning the repairing services that are being offered by the pipe lining company. Knowing more about the pipe lining company will be guaranteed only if an individual considers checking on the comments that it receives from their previous or even current clients. This will help individual know about the kind of repair services that they will be offered when they decide on choosing the pipe lining company. The best pipe lining company to go for therefore is the one that has been highly ranked and favored for the repairing services that they do provide.

Before hiring a bypass pumping company, an individual has to make sure that they consider the price they have quoted for the repairing services they are offering. In order to keep off any worries, then it is important for an individual to consider a pipe lining company that is affordable for them to pay. The people employed to work in the pipe lining company should be experienced and trained to repair the pipes and one should consider this. It is important for one to decide on a pipe lining company that will fit your schedule to get to know if they can work during weekends when you are available. A pipe lining company should ensure that the workers use the modern repairing equipments.

 

 

What to Do When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home

Careful planning comes in handy, particularly in a situation where a home emergency occurs. For example, a water pipe bursts – what are your first, second, third and fourth steps to remediate the problem? A little planning ahead of time can mean all the difference in the world.

Freezing weather

Extremely cold temperatures, which people in Northern Illinois and Indiana can attest to, can be the most common source of a burst pipe, because when water freezes it expands. Expansion is not something most pipes can handle, so they will split and burst.

Corroded pipes

If you live in an older home, you’ve probably got some pipes that are corroding on the inside. If you live in an area where the pH is out of balance, you’re pipes will corrode at a faster rate.

Moving pipes

Have you ever turned off the water in your home and heard/felt a bang? That’s called water hammer, and it occurs when pipes aren’t secured. Movement is not good on your pipes, particularly in the joints connecting one pipe to the next.

Stop the flow

The only way a burst pipe is going to stop leaking is for the water main supply valve to be turned to the off position. Find out exactly where your water main is and rehearse the steps you need to take to get there and whether you’ll need a tool to turn off the water.

 

Great Tips to Keep Pipes From Freezing

Cold temperatures can cause water pipes to freeze. Freezing in a pipe creates a lot of pressure inside the pipe and can cause the pipe to burst and likely lead to serious flooding, especially when there’s no one around to turn off the water. The best prevention against frozen pipes is to keep them warm enough to stay above the freezing point. You can do this with any one of six simple steps or, better still, a combination of measures.

Not Just for Cold Climates

It is a common misconception that frozen pipes are an issue only for homes in typically cold climates. However, the homes that are actually more vulnerable to frozen pipes are those in typically warmer climates because the pipes may not be properly insulated against frigid temperatures, or they may be located in unprotected areas (or even outdoors). Abnormally cold weather puts these pipes at risk.

Keep the Heat On

If you or your tenants are leaving for a long period of time, make sure that the heat is kept on in your property. It may be difficult to convince your tenants to leave their heat on when they are away, especially if they are responsible for paying their own utility bills. You should inform them that the heat can help prevent pipes from freezing, and if pipes freeze and burst, it can cause a lot of water damage to the property and to their possessions.

Allow the Faucet to Drip

If you are afraid a pipe will freeze, you can open the faucet fed by that pipe just a bit so the faucet drips slightly. Allowing the faucet to be open like this relieves pressure in the system. If a pipe freezes, it is actually the pressure that is created between the blockage and the faucet that will cause the pipe to burst. Allowing the faucet to be open will prevent this pressure from building up and thus keep the pipe from bursting. If the faucet is served by both hot and cold water pipes, open both faucet taps slightly, or set a single-handle faucet (such as a kitchen faucet) to warm

Keep Interior Doors Open

Pipes are often located in cabinets. When the temperature drops, it is a good idea to keep these cabinet doors open so that the heat from the rest of the house can keep the pipes warm as well. You should also keep all interior doors open so that the heat can flow throughout the home.

 

Tips For Choosing a Water Damage Restoration Company You Can Trust

When a water disaster strikes your home, it disrupts your life. Burst pipes, an overflowing toilet, a roof leak, mold, or storm damage and flooding due to ever-changing weather can all potentially cause water damage. But you can drastically reduce the damage if you act fast to solve the problem and start repairs. You want your home restored thoroughly and quickly, so it’s important to choose a water damage restoration company that can offer you a detailed plan, reliable service, and superior results.

Responds Immediately when Disaster Strikes

Because water damage only compounds and gets more complicated the longer it is unaddressed, it’s crucial to choose a water remediation service that can arrive quickly when you call. Does the company respond to calls 24/7? How fast can they start the clean-up and repair process? Do they offer peace-of-mind emergency planning services if you want to ensure you’ll have fast help whenever needed?

Employs Licensed, Insured, Well-Trained Teams

As you research water damage restoration companies, focus on water restoration services that are properly licensed and insured in your state. In addition, consider the staff’s expertise. How long has the company been in business? What level of training and experience do the restoration team members have? Are they certified through a reputable certification program? Do they undergo ongoing training?

Has Reputable Local References

After storms and other weather-related disasters, homeowners often find themselves besieged by unreliable, fly-by-night repair services. To avoid that problem, look for reliable water damage restoration companies with great references from local customers such as your friends and neighbors. Also, consider where the company is located, because locally owned and operated companies are more likely to rely on the word of mouth created by offering trustworthy, thorough repairs.

How to Pick a New Garbage Disposal

Motor Size

– The smaller the motor size, the fewer and softer the foods need to be. For example, a one-third or one-half horsepower (HP) motor is perfect for a single homeowner occasionally grinding soft vegetables. A three-fourths or 1 HP motor, on the other hand, is much more suited to a large family that often eats at home and will provide smoother operation, finer pulverization and less jams — which equals less stress on your waste water system.

Grinding Chamber Size And Material

– Chambers in disposals with more HP will be larger, since their motors can handle more food. And chambers and blades made of stainless steel will last longer, be more efficient, are the easiest to clean and won’t rust.

Extra Features

– If course, a garbage disposal is going to make noise. Better quality (and more expensive) units, however, tend to have better insulated grinding chambers, so there’s a marked difference in the noise level. Similarly, some models offer additional features, such as sound baffles (to lower the decibel level of the unit), anti-splash baffles (to keep your sink cleaner) and corrosion protection shields.

Bonus Tip: If your home has a septic system, consider buying a garbage disposal with an enzyme reservoir, to help break down the food scraps.

And since it’s on your mind, did you know most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover broken garbage disposals? Just another reason to help protect your budget with a home warranty from American Home Shield.

 

How to Select a Garbage Disposal

To many of us, the garbage disposal is one of the best kitchen appliances. It not only saves you from having to scrape off every bit of food from each and every dish, but it also lets you do the dishes without worrying about small pieces of food clogging your sink drain.

Garbage disposals are pretty simple devices so you don’t have to spend a lot of time narrowing down what you want. You can quickly select the feed type, motor size, and a few other features that fit your use and your budget. You also don’t have to spend a lot to get solid performance, but it’s a good idea to buy a quality product ad to keep the disposal clean. Better disposers are more effective and last longer than cheaper models, which means you won’t have the expense and effort of replacing it as soon.

Components of Design

Invented in 1927 by John Hammes, the garbage disposal hasn’t changed much over the years. A classic version is little more than a plastic housing containing a motor connected to a metal grinding plate with two “teeth” (called impellers) that help break down the food waste. The plate is surrounded by a perforated metal ring called the grinding ring. As the waste is ground up, water flushes the particles through holes in the grinding ring, out through the discharge opening of the housing, and into the drain pipe. The impellers help the grinding process, but they aren’t sharp and they don’t cut up food as a blender does; rather, they and the spinning plate force the food against the grinding ring, which is stationary and has a textured surface that breaks down the material.

Feed Type

Disposals come in two basic types: continuous feed and batch feed. Continuous feed disposals are the most common and generally the easiest to use. They are the open-mouth disposals that turn on and off with a wall switch. Batch feed disposals require you to fit a stopper lid into the mouth of the disposal to activate the unit. This makes it impossible to turn on the disposal while your hand is fishing down inside the unit. It also helps prevent accidental mishaps like turning on the disposal just as a fork is slipping into its mouth. Batch feed disposals can be more expensive than continuous feed and generally are less commonly available.

 

Tips for Choosing a Garbage Disposal

Regulations

The first thing to determine is whether local regulations allow you to actually have a garbage disposal. If you’re simply replacing an old model, this is unimportant. However, if you’re putting in a brand new unit where you haven’t had a garbage disposal before, remember to check beforehand. Not all areas allow for the installation of garbage disposals because of the increased strain they place on sewer lines.

Plumbing

Will your plumbing handle a garbage disposal? Not all existing plumbing will so take the time to check first. It’s also important to check your fixtures to discover what types of garbage disposal will be compatible with your current plumbing and sewer system.

Also, check to see if there’s an electrical outlet under the sink that can plug into the garbage disposal. Without it, you’ll need to wire it into an existing circuit and also wire in a switch.

Motor Size

Many small garbage disposals come with a motor that’s just 1/3 horsepower. While that may be fine if you’re a single person in an apartment, you need something more powerful for a family home where the garbage disposal will be used more. You should ideally look for a unit that has a 1/2 horsepower motor. With a big house and plenty of people, you might even want a 1 horsepower motor on your garbage disposal.

This will be able to handle everything without straining so you’ll be far less likely to burn out the motor quickly.

Stainless Steel

Look for a garbage disposal with stainless steel blades. These are harder and sharper and will not only last longer, but will grind up the food more finely so you won’t have to deal with clogs in the pipes. Cheaper units will use far less stainless steel in their construction and are likely to wear out sooner. Bear this in mind as you check out units.

Dishwasher Attachment

If you have a dishwasher, you need a garbage disposal with a dishwasher attachment. This will attach via a tube and allow food from the dishwasher to be flushed into the garbage disposal where it can be ground up and rinsed away. The hook-up is very simple.

 

That Sinking Feeling: Facts About Garbage Disposals

Garbage disposals address the often disparate demands of convenience and conservation by grinding up kitchen scraps, especially noncompostable leftovers, like meat and poultry, and sending them down the drain to a sewage treatment plant or septic system for handling, rather than to the landfill for slow decomposition.

In addition to eliminating the mess, a garbage disposal shifts food waste from your trash can to a wastewater treatment system, discouraging bugs and other pests.

That has prompted some cities to require disposals in new homes. Plus, many towns charge by volume for waste removal, making it easy to see why almost half of American homes have a garbage disposal.

 

Garbage Disposal Buying Guide

Garbage disposals—sometimes called garbage disposers—are a cook’s best friend, grinding up and washing away kitchen refuse with the touch of a switch. If you are in the market for a new garbage disposal, this garbage disposal buying guide will show you that choosing one is a very simple process because your choices are limited.

From an environmental point of view, garbage disposals have pluses and minuses. They help minimize the amount of garbage that is delivered to landfills, but, in doing so, they require using significantly more water and energy, and they can strain septic systems and sewage treatment facilities. A good compromise is to compost food scraps whenever possible and use a disposer when not.

Garbage disposals are either continuous-feed or batch-feed. You turn on the continuous-feed with a switch as you run the water and can feed it food waste as long as it is running.

The batch-feed type automatically turns on when you press a special stopper into the drain; this type is a little less convenient but is easier to install and safer because it cannot be operated unless the stopper is in place.

All garbage disposals sold in the United States are made by only a few companies, though they are branded with several names. InSinkErator makes eight out of 10 of them, with consumer ratings favoring the Waste King and Kenmore models in their group.