The flange bolt in my bathroom needs to be replaced.It this a major thing to fix.One of the flange bolts will not tighten and just turns and turns.Is there a repair kit for this.The bolts holding the tiolet to the floor are about 50 years old.My wife asked me to fix this problem months ago.This is what I get for procrastinateing.Please help me. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Good morning Dan,

No problem. There are several ways to go about this. One way is to loosen the threads with some WD40 and grip the top of the bolt while tighting the nut. If the bolt's too short to grab on to and the nut still refuses to tighten down, the job just gets a little more difficult.
We take a hacksaw blade and saw off the stubborn bolt. We then remove the other nut from the remaining bolt and shut off, disconnect the water supply and pull the toilet. We then take a new set of closet bolts and position them on the flange. Next we take a extra set of nuts and washers and secure the bolts to the flange to prevent them from turning. Now we reset the toilet,( you may need a new wax seal), tighten and saw off the bolts to size and reconnect the supply. To give your job a professional look, purchase a small tube of Dap White Tub and Tile Caulk and grout the base with a bead of caulk. Smootrh off the excess with a damp cloth. Congratulations! You have just accomplished two things. You fixed your potty and got the "little woman" off your back. Cheers, Tom

I have a toilet flange in a concrete slab house with a ceramic tile floor, that extends approx 3/4" above the tile surface. What are the options? Is there a toilet with a recessed exit? i.e the wax ring would actually be allowed to fit on the flange and the toilet would have room to allow for the wax seal to fit "higher"? Cutting the flange off and installing a new one appears difficult (at best) since the flange that in currently in place is glued to the inside of the sewer pipe about 3.5" down into the current drain pipe. If I cut out the flange I don't know if there is a replacement flange that would reach the existing pipe (after it is cut). Ideas?
Thanks in advance
Gary

Gary,
Check these out. Seems a bit high 3/4 inch. What kind of toilet was there before? Is it a plastic flange? If yes you could probably bust it out and then use the flange in the link below. It fits inside the pipe and seals with a rubber gasket. Once in place you can pour some concrete around the pipe/ new flange and then before it dries drop a couple of tapcon screws into it to anchor the flange. Or you can let it dry then drill/tapcon. Of course if the concrete slab is already close enough to the flange just drill and use tapcons (tapcon screws are special concrete screws you drill into the concrete with the right size bit and then put the screw in).


http://www.plumbest.com/searchengin...catalog/e93.htm

Sorry they changed the web page. That link doesn't work. Go to plumbest.com and look for a 2 finger flange that fits my description. If it helps Lowe's carries what I was talking about.

Tom

Good morning Gary,

I'd like to learn more about this. Why does the flange extend 3/4" above the tile floor. What caused this ? New floor? PVC or ABS pipe and flange?
Since your present flange is a inside flange Tommys idea of placing another inside replacement flange won't fly. Is it possible to take a saws-all, (reciprocating saw) and cut the pipe off even with the tile floor? Is there a 1/2" space around the pipe so a outside flange might be set or is the tile right next to the pipe? I have a idea that might work but don't know enough about your situation. Give me all the details. Regards, Tom

I am completely redo-ing my bathroom due to water damage to the sheet rock. As part of the renovation, I am removing the vinyl flooring and going to be installing tile on the floor. Above the subfloor, is a 1/2" plywood underlayment, and then an additional 1/4" of plywood that was added for smoothing (I presume) when the added the vinyl flooring. The rocket scientist that did this added the 1/4" layer and vinyl without raising the toilet flange.

Because my house is 40 years old, I plan to remove both of the underlayment layers, and replace them with 1/2" plywood, followed by 1/4" ceramic backer board for the tile. I want to raise my toilet flange to set on top of the tile once I have it in. My only problem is finding a new flange to help me out.

The drain pipe to the flange is a little over 3" O.D. copper pipe, and I'm not sure how the pipe is attached to the flange. I have access to the pipe from the basement, but am unable to remove the flange even after removing the very rusty bolts that attach it to the underlayment and subfloor. I talked with a knowledgeable (seemed so) guy at Menards, who advised me that what I had was rather unusual, and had nothing to suggest for me to do to adapt. Are there any good ways to easily adapt to this presumably somewhat less than 3" ID copper pipe? I'm in close quarters, because around the 3" pipe are hot and cold water supply pipes and also HVAC ducting - not the greatest access. Any help would be greatly appreciated... even if it is a recommendation to call a plumber and have him do the job once I have the tile in. If the plumber is the only choice I have, any advise on removing the existing flange would be appreciated.

Thanks!

You gave us all the information we need except what material the flange is made of and what secures it to the copper pipe. We have to know this in order to help. Let us know and get a answer back ASAP. Are you the same Henny with a cabin you wish to add a bathroom to? Tom

Tom,

I'm a different Henny, not wealthy enough to afford a cabin! :) Upon closer examination of the flange it appears that they took a flange (cast metal, it appears & feels) and caulked it to the exterior of the 3"+ OD copper return tube.... kind of a Jerry-Rigged arrangement, but possibly the way it has been for the whole 40 years of this houses' existence.

I was thinking about the following to remedy the situation. Above the supply tubes that run horizontal, but right next to the 3"+ pipe, I would cut off the pipe and find one of those rubber (vinyl?) adapters with the worm gear clamps to clamp onto the OD of the copper pipe and step it up to 4" PVC. I would then use one of the "slip-in" flanges for a 4" pipe that have allen head screws on the inside that expand a seal outward to create the seal between the 4" PVC and the adapter peice. My only real worry with a set-up like this is the potential for external leakage at the joint between the smaller ID of the rubber peice and the OD of the 3" copper pipe... Thought I might be able to improve the robustness of the joint if I were to be able to form some type of a bead on the OD of the copper pipe, but don't know a practical way to accomplish such a thing given my confined space. I also don't know if it is even a concern given the very low pressure that the return side of the plumbing typically sees.

Thanks for giving this your thought and Best Regards!!

Why increase to 4"? Go for a 3" "slip in flange" and cut down on the connections. Sound like a plan? Tom

Tom,

Menard's only has 4" slip-in flanges. I suppose I can check with Lowes, which we also have locally, to see if they have 3" slip-ins. I really appreciate the help you've given so far... can you please confirm for me that using the "rubber/vinyl with worm gear clamps is acceptable for use? It is what I am most concerned about.

Best Regards,

Matt

Good morning Matt,

Click on, http://www.fernco.com/FTS.html and tell me if Ferncos Fits3 wouldn't be tailor made for your installation. That way you could use the old flange to tie the bowl down and still have the discharge funneled down into the 3" copper stub up. The only way I would even consider using a neoprene coupling/increaser with hose clamps is if I couldn't find anything else that would work. The potential for leaks over time worrys me. With a Fernco seal you would have a positive connection. Let me know what you think? Tom

Continued thanks, Tom. I was worried about the flex coupling as well. If I understand this correctly, I would remove the underlayment, and install the 1/2" plywood underneath the existing flange. I would then install my 1/4" ceramic backerboard around the existing flange, which basically put the ceramic backerboard and the top of the existing flange on approx the same level. I tile, which will add about 3/8" to the height. This FTS seal would then attach to the bottom of my toilet (after I pressure wash the existing wax off and clean with a solvent) and I slip the toilet into the existing flange. Looks like it would make up the 5/8" height difference between the flange and the floor the toilet will sit on. Am I correct in these assumptions?

Also, are there longer bolts available to bolt the toilet down? I don't think the bolts I have would be long enough to reach through given the new height of the toilet set-up.

Best Regards... Matt

Good morning Matt,

If you look at the bottom of the bowl you will see a "throat" that directs the discharge past the floor line into the closet bend. The FTS seal, (in addition to replacing the wax seal) extends the throat and seals the FTS to the closet bend with a "O" ring. Longer closet bolts are available but I doubt you'll need them since on a regular installation there is always a inch or so of bolt to trim off. Looks loke you have all your ducks in a row. Complete your job. Have a great week end. Tom

Job Complete without leaks. Thanks for the advice!!

I have a similar problem, but the flange only sticks out about 3/4" above the tile. Previous owners had the toilet on shims, which I was told was a bad idea. Is there any other workaround for this without removing pipe material?

Thanks,

Vince

Hi Vince.

What material is your pipe and flange? 3/4" is a little high to be jacking a toilet up so I agree it should be brought down the floor level. But there are different methods on doing this depending on the pipes and flange so first I have to know. Regards, Tom

Tom,

After investigating the material of the pipe and flange, I found out there was a layer of lead underneath the plastic flange, which connected to the pipe (probably cast iron?) While pounding on the lead with a hammer, I noticed that I could probably pry the lead out completely to get the flange down another 1/4" or so. Beneath the lead was another metal ring which was also screwed to the floor. I took out the ring and beat the pipe down and out until the flange finally fit in there. Now the plastic flange sits directly on top of the wood flooring instead of on top of lead and the metal ring, which gave me my 3/4" back. The top of the flange is now perfectly flush with the tile.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Vince

Hi Guys,
I just quickly reviewed all postings here trying to see if I can find an anwer to my question, but some things are too difficult for me to understand, as I am not familiar with the whole subject.

I hired a plumber to install a new toilet in half a bath in the basement. The old toilet was 60 years old. We agreed that he would take it out and give me time to put ceramic tiles (the old owner had vynyl tiles on horrible concrete floor going up and down and to the left and right. So, when I put new tiles, I had to level each tile by putting a different amount of cement under each tile. Ok, I put the tiles (the plumber told me not to go above the level of the old bolts that he cut and which are still there. He did not remove the flange, so I assumed that he would do it after I put the tiles. I have just called him to tell him to come back to install the toilet and reminded him to bring the new flange with him. Do you know what he said? "There is an old flange there and it stays. I told him that it DOES NOT stay as it is 60 years old and looks horrible - it's falling apart - the metal looks like it has several layers. Then he says, "OK I will take a look at it when I come back tomorrow" I am so upset now that I started reading everything I can find about flanges and found this nice forum. I hope he will be able to remove the old flange and the level of my tiles will permit him to install the new flange at the same level w/my tiles. Now, the old flange is at a lower lever than my tiles. I read here that, when people had a different problem and needed to lower the flange, they were able to do it. Please comfort me and tell me if it is possible to raise the new flange in case it is necessary. I understand after reading all this stuff that there are different kinds of flanges and noticed that there is one that was called here as "Deep closet flange". Is it the one that allows you to raise your flange in case your floor is at a higher level than the old flange? Please respond. I need to call that plumber and tell him to make sure that he has the right flange with him. He gave me the wrong instructions by not planning to replace the old flange, and now he doesn't know that the old flange is a little bit below the level of the tiles.
THANKS.

Hi Nicole,

Is the old flange broken? Are the slots intact? Just how far is it beneath the tile floor? If the old flange were to be replaced it should have been removed before you tiled the floor. Understand this. A closet flange's only function is to secure the bowl to the floor. Your toilet has a 3" throat that extends down past the flange and into the closet bend. Plus if you're still worried you can install a wax seal with a funnel attachment. If the flange is just "a little bit" below the tile floor your worries are needless. Deep flanges are for instillations that need the flange raised from 1 to 6" and yours sounds to me that setting a toilet on it would present no problems. Good luck Tom