Toilets usually rock because they are not resting flush against the floor. Underneath the toilet base is a round toilet flange that connects the toilet to the drain pipe. If the flange is a little higher than the surrounding flooring, the toilet becomes raised slightly in the center, allowing it to rock to either side.
Loose Flange Bolts
What happens is the bolts connecting the toilet base to the floor crack, which allows for movement and allows for the toilet to rock back and forth. 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.
A loose toilet is often due to the flange of the toilet not sitting flush with the floor, causing it to wobble or move.
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. There are three reasons your toilet may be making unusual noises.
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.
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.
If this issue is not addressed, you may start to see leaking around the base of your toilet, or you may even start to smell some very foul odors in your bathroom. Several culprits can cause a rocking toilet issue, and each of them requires a different fix. So, let's take a look at why your toilet might be rocking.
🚽 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.
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.
Your toilet should be fixed to the floor using several bolts. Carefully unscrew the nuts and washers to help free the toilet. Your toilet may also have silicone around the base to make it more secure.
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.
The main signs of a leaking toilet may include a damp area on the floor around the bottom of the toilet, a spongy feeling in the floor at the bottom of the toilet seat, signs of dampness on the ceiling in the room underneath your toilet, or the occasional smell of sewer gas and the flooring coming up in the area around ...
On average, most toilets will have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years, even with regular use. The lifespan may vary depending on the toilet model and the wear and tear it experiences over the years. Most toilets will start to give you warning signs indicating the time for replacement is near.
The Toilet's Age
A general rule of thumb is to replace a toilet around every 25 years, though your mileage may vary. You might also want to consider replacing your toilet if it was installed before 1994.
Find the nut: the toilet nut handle is inside the porcelain wall next to the handle. Your nut is probably the course of your loose handle. Tighten the handle nut: use pliers or an adjustable wrench and rotate the nut clockwise to ensure it fits snugly. Don't over-tighten it, or the porcelain tank could crack.
The Toilet Moves or Tilts
To prevent your toilet from “having an accident” on your bathroom floor, its best to contact a plumber to inspect the problem. A rocking toilet can be caused by any number of issues, including a worn-out wax ring, a broken flange, broken flange bolts, or a sagging floor.
The most common toilet leak is caused by a deteriorated flush valve (flapper) at the bottom of the toilet tank. If the flapper does not seat properly, water will leak into the toilet bowl. Often this leak will occur without being heard.
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).
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.
I start by hand tightening as much as I can, then I tighten a little on each side and check if the toilet moves. If it does then I tighten a bit more, check and repeat until there's no movement. You're trying to avoid bowl movement, so that it doesn't shift or fall over, not to hold the floor up by the toilet bolts.