A loose toilet is often due to the flange of the toilet not sitting flush with the floor, causing it to wobble or move.
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).
Flange is meant to be installed so that it is perfectly flush with the bathroom floor. This allows it to stay tight and secure throughout use. If you've recently redone your bathroom floors and are now facing a rocking toilet, it may be because you need to adjust the flange to fit the new floors.
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.
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. It might not seem like a huge problem, but a toilet that rocks back and forth can cause significant issues down the line.
The average cost for fixing a broken toilet is $250 with a range of $150 to $400. Often, plumbers will charge a flat rate for basic toilet repairs.
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 ...
A loose toilet seat is a common problem caused by the constant opening, closing, and sitting that eventually loosens the bolts securing the seat to the body of the toilet. It can be uncomfortable because a loose toilet seat slides around.
🚽 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.
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.
On average, it costs roughly $45 to $200 to fix the toilet. For extensive issues such as severe clogs or leaks, you should contact a plumber. DIY toilet repair projects may include replacing a flapper valve or wax ring, but otherwise, this project is usually only suitable for experts.
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.
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.
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.
A sealing ring around the base of your toilet keeps urine and other waste from entering and growing bacteria in small crevices or cracks. If the sealing ring is loose or broken, sewage gas seeps through the cracks, and you'll smell a foul odor.
A well-trained plumber would not recommend a replacement unless the original toilet was broken beyond repair, even if that is the case they may recommend moving toilets to different bathrooms to minimize any future stoppages.
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.
Replacing a toilet is a simple and straightforward job, so you should be able to remove the old toilet and install the new one in about two to three hours. However, if you don't have a lot of DIY experience, you might want to add an hour or two to that timeframe.
What is the average cost for a new toilet? The cost of a new toilet varies widely depending on the brand and features, but typically averages $200 to $500. Professional installation will increase the total cost to around $400 to $800.