One of those moving parts, though, shouldn't be the toilet itself. A wobbly toilet is not only unsettling for its occupants—it can cause leaks and expensive damage to your home if left unchecked. Even if your toilet looks and feels secure, that creaking noise it makes when you sit on it may be cause for alarm.
If your toilet isn't solidly fastened to the floor, there may be trouble in your future. Any movement of the toilet damages the wax seal. That leads to leaks and major repairs. To steady a rocking toilet, cut plastic shims to fit and slip them underneath (you may have to remove caulk before adding shims).
Several things could be causing the wobble. The closet bolts might not be tight, or the closet flange may be broken or bent. Or, the wax ring that seals the connection between the toilet and the discharge pipe may be not be set properly. Tightening the closet bolts is an easy fix.
Now, most of the time, a loose toilet isn't going to harm you. It won't impede your ability to use the toilet, and it's not particularly dangerous. However, over time, a wobbly toilet that is ignored can progress into a much worse problem. The biggest concerns are a sewer gas leak or a water leak into your home.
A loose toilet is a pretty quick and easy problem to solve, but we recommend hiring a professional because an inexperienced DIY-er may make it worse or cause other problems. Expect to pay $50 to $150 to fix a loose toilet.
If your toilet doesn't sit flush against the floor, it will start moving as you use it. Most often, toilets rock back and forth because of a loose bolt, an uneven floor, or problems with the wax seal that connects your toilet to its drainage system.
🚽 Caulking Prevents Water Contamination
It could be water splashing out of a bathtub, mop water, water from a shower and even misguided potty training from your young boys who seem to miss the toilet bowl every single time! Without caulk around the toilet base, water can get under there and sit for a long time.
Your toilet should never move. If your toilet moves when you sit on it or push it, this can lead to water and waste leaking out from underneath your toilet.
In most parts of the United States, it is a requirement of building code to caulk around toilet bases. This could apply to both new builds and remodeling, though as regulations vary from one state to another it's a good idea to check local statutes.
As a toilet rocks, that seal can get a little looser each time. If you go without addressing a rocking toilet, the sewage leakage in your bathroom will just continue to get worse.
However, if your toilet has come loose, your wax ring may no longer be able to fully-seal your drain, and that could cause those pesky base leaks.
As a rule of thumb, try a turn or two a side until you feel resistance, them try to wiggle the toilet bowl slightly. If there is no significant movement, you are probably tight enough.
There are purists out there that may say it must be level, but if it looks good setting there, I would let it set on the floor with no shims. It should not affect the operation of the flapper or valve that flushes the toilet.
Loose Flange Bolts
The solution is to tighten the bolts by hand until the toilet stops rocking. If the bolts are too damaged, you'll have to replace them.
The wax ring is exactly what it sounds like: a ring made of sticky wax that helps form a watertight seal between the bottom of the toilet and the sewer pipe. It requires no maintenance and can last 30 or more years, often as long as the toilet itself. But sometimes wax rings can dry out, crumble, and fail prematurely.
Flange / Wax Ring
If this develops issues you can have a loose toilet and a new wax ring may be in order. You do not want to reuse an old flange or plastic rings as this can lead to leakage. Another way to eliminate a rocking toilet is to place flexible Wobble Wedges plastic shims underneath the base of the toilet.
Depending on use, a good toilet may last you 50 years. Most toilets are made of porcelain, which lasts a long time. Certain components within the toilet may need to be repaired or replaced more frequently, however. Most of these can and should be replaced without replacing the whole toilet.
Replacing the fill and shut-off valve costs an average of $120 – $250. This includes the cost of the replacement parts and the cost of labor.
The toilet's flush valve will typically last 6-7 years. A toilet fill valve might only last four to five years. In general, you should expect to replace the parts in your toilet every so often while keeping the actual bowl in place.
Again, leaky water is a telltale and common sign of a bad wax ring. If you do not regularly see moisture or puddling water under your toilet, you may be fine. Leaks can, however, happen where you do not see them, under the finished floor and into the subfloor.
Tightening the bolts too much can crack the brittle porcelain of the toilet, for which there is no repair. Check the flange bolt at each side of the toilet, using a pair of pliers or a small wrench. If a bolt is loose, tighten it slowly just until it is snug.