How tight is too tight? Toilet install pointers from a master plumber.

Here's one for all you do it your selfers out there!   Im one of them.  Something breaks you fix it right?  Upon needing our wood floors refinished I took it upon myself to rent the sanding equipment and take on the project instead of hiring a professional company (I have friends in the business).  $2600, A month, and a shoddy job later we have refinished floors.  I guess shoddy is a little too strong of a word for the finished floors.  They are done nicely but you can tell its not professional.  There, thats a better way of putting it.   The local flooring companies quoted me like $2300 and would have been done in one week.  A lot of folks might have a similar story about dyi plumbing.

       Some People install and repair their own toilets for example.  The anchor bolts hold the toilet to the floor by means of the hardware molds on the toilet flange.  Most of the time these are made of PVC.  When installing a toilet on the toilet flange the trick is to get the anchor bolts just right.  Too tight and the porcelain on the toilet will crack and or the flange will break.  Too loose and the toilet will slightly rock and cause a leak and bolt breakage over time.  A few pointers:  

       1) After seating the toilet and tightening the anchor bolts, wait 20 minutes or so for the wax to flatten out and squeeze into its permanent position.   Then snug up the anchor nuts one last time.  Trying to get the toilet installed too fast will cause a toilet to rock in the future.  

       2)  Use Plastic anchor bolts and hardware.  We've seen a lot of cracked flanges and toilets because of overtightened metal anchor bolts.  Using plastic anchor bolts helps prevent this problem.  The plastic nut is more likely to slip a thread than the porcelain or flange is to break.   

       3)  Use Jumbo wax rings.   If the flange is below the finished floor a Jumbo wax ring may be the only thing that will make a water tight seal.  If the flange is a 1/4 inch above the finished floor the jumbo wax ring will flatten to fit the flange.  It's a win win.  Using the standard size wax ring may leave you with a wet floor and wall depending on the installation.

       We hope your plumbing project goes well! 

After Hours Plumbing LLC

520 Gaines School Rd. Athens Ga 30605

706-248-5934

https://www.afterhoursplumbingllc.com/