One project that consumers and homeowners are finding out can be very simple when the directions are followed is the installation of a toilet in the home. Most times, when homeowners think of replacing a toilet, they get visions of water gushing from a pipe while they frantically look for a shut-off switch. But according to most of the experts in the field of toilet installation, if the proper procedures are followed, installing a toilet can be a very simple job.
Peter DeMarco is the director of compliance engineering at American Standard. They have been manufacturing plumbing fixtures for more than 140 years and are the world's largest manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and faucets. When asked if installing a toilet is a project that the ordinary homeowner can do, DeMarco had no doubt in his mind.
"Absolutely," he said. "With the big box retailers especially. Americans in general have become a lot more familiar with tackling the job of installing the toilet. It's really a relatively simple job for the average do-it-yourself person."
The most important thing that a consumer needs to remember when attempting to install their own toilet is that the project will require some time. Experts will always advise consumers to take the length of the project into mind before taking on the task. Also, just because an expert suggests that a project can be done by the normal consumer doesn't mean that they shouldn't acquire help from a professional. It only takes a few minutes to find out if the direction they are heading in is the right one.
"The first and usually the most difficult step is removing the old toilet," he said. "The reason it can be difficult is that lot of times connections to the water supply and the toilet on the backside corrodes and it is just difficult to literally remove the toilet from the floor."
"Once you have turned off the water supply, you disconnect the water supply to the valve under the tank of the toilet," he added. "Step two is to disconnect the two bolts on the floor that attached the toilet to what's called the sewer flange or the floor flange. Once those bolts have been disconnected the old toilet can be removed."
"When a homeowner is buying the toilet they should make sure that they purchase what is known as a wax ring at the same time," DeMarco added. "Some toilets are sold without the wax ring. Some toilets have them included and some don't; generally they are not included."
"The wax ring is important because it creates a water barrier between the interior of the floor flange pipe and the exterior," DeMarco said. "You don't want water splashing outside the pipe. So homeowners have to make sure they have a wax ring."
"This wax ring is installed on the underside of the toilet and then the toilet is thrust on the floor flange and reconnected in exactly the same manner as they disconnected the old toilet," he added. "Those connections don't change because they are mandated by plumbing standards. The interchangeability is very important, so the dimensions that the old toilet had are constant and will be the same as what the new toilet has."
