DIY Network

Floored by a Flange ... Haunted Plumbing on the Prowl

Ed Del Grande, host of Ed the Plumber, discusses options for repairing a broken toilet flange and then gives advice on dealing with high water pressure.

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In most cases, existing toilet flanges will be in good shape to reuse when replacing toilets. But if not, you will have to repair it before you can continue your toilet installation.

Sept. 18, 2006

Q: Hi, Ed. My wife loves your column and has pushed me to do plumbing projects I normally would not attempt. Thanks a lot! (Just kidding) Anyway, we decided to install a water-saving toilet and ran into a roadblock. When we removed the old toilet we found that we have a broken toilet floor flange completely covered with the old wax goo. Now we're stuck halfway through the job, and we want to make sure we finish the job correctly. What do we do now? We have another toilet, so it's not a real emergency yet. But it is inconvenient. Help! — Danny and Diane, New Jersey

A: Oh, Danny boy, the pipes are calling, and you will have to repair the broken flange before you can continue your toilet installation job.

In most cases existing toilet flanges will be in good shape to reuse when replacing toilets. However, in cases like yours this sometimes happens: You remove the old toilet and find a broken or rusted flange. The flange is the component that anchors the toilet to the floor, so if it is damaged your new toilet will sit loose on the floor and will not seal properly. A broken toilet flange needs to be repaired or replaced.

Years ago when a plumber found a broken flange the usual repair was to cut the old drain line in the floor and install a new flange fitting. This was a labor intensive and costly job! Now there are flange repair kits on the market that will allow the present drain line to stay in place and will repair the flange section only. It fact this has become such a popular repair project that manufacturers make three basic flange repair kits, allowing you to pick the one that works best for you.

First, you can get a spanner-type repair kit. The kit contains curved wedges of steel with closet bolt holes. You can slide the entire bolt and wedge under your existing flange. Spanners work great for slightly damaged flanges, but if you have a badly damaged flange your second choice can be an entire flange replacement ring. Replacement rings fit over existing broken flanges and need to be screwed into the floor tightly. Finally, for flanges that are completely beyond repair, they make insert toilet flanges. An insert-style flange kit is like a funnel that fits down into the toilet drain line, and it also has a rubber compression ring. As you tighten the flange into place, the rubber ring expands and seals the flange to the drain. Then the flange is once again screwed into the floor.

Whatever is appropriate for your situation, always follow your manufacturers instructions and your local codes. It's also one of those jobs where a plumber should be consulted because a flange is the key component in keeping a toilet attached to the floor. Sorry you hit this roadblock, but with plumbing, sometimes you just have to go with the flow!

Q: Ed, help. I think my house has haunted plumbing! Whenever we turn off a faucet or the washing machine shuts off, all my toilets run for a few seconds. I've asked around at some home centers and they say it's impossible and that I must have leaky flappers. No way; the toilets only run whenever water is shut off. What do I do? — Kevin, North Carolina

A: Kevin, this sounds like a typical case of very high water pressure. Toilets have diaphragm valves that hold the water back and with a sudden pressure surge, like closing a faucet, the shock can reopen the diaphragm slightly for a few seconds. I have actually seen faucets open up on their own due to very high water-pressure surges. You need to have your water pressure checked and addressed by your local utility or, if you're on a well, call your well company. High pressure can stress and damage your water pipes as well, so don't wait to address this issue. Now, my friend, the pressure is on you to get this problem solved.

(Ed Del Grande is a certified master plumber and hosts DIY's Ed the Plumber. Send plumbing questions to him at edtheplumber@diynetwork.com. For building-code concerns, always contact your local government office or a local licensed plumber. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

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