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Oh Crap! I think my toilet flange is cracked!

By
Home Builder with Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 CSL#642819

 

Oh Crap! I think my toilet flange is cracked!

 

As a general contractor in the Sacramento area, I have seen my share of toilet related problems in apartments and homes. A toilet is an important fixture in the home, getting it to function correctly is a high priority for many. This past week, I have had three toilet flange problems that could have led to serious water damage in the future.

 

What is a toilet flange?

There are two bolts at the base of the toilet that secures the fixture to the floor. If you were to remove the nuts from these bolts, you can remove the toilet from the drain. Once removed, you will see the drain line that goes down through the floor. There is a ring around the top of this drain; the two bolts are fastened to this flange. New construction in Sacramento will have ABS drain pipes and flange, older construction is likely to be cast iron.

 

How do I know if the toilet flange is cracked?

When the flange cracks, the bolts can no longer hold the toilet in place. The problem will usually manifest as a leak around the base of the fixture. The
broken toilet flangewater in the tank of the toilet makes for a “top-heavy” unit that can easily be rocked from side to side. This movement (any movement) in the toilet will lead to the loss of the water tight seal between the toilet and drain flange. In time there will be signs of water on the floor.

The natural reaction to finding the water around the fixture would be to tighten the floor bolts. If the flange is damaged, the bolt will wiggle and spin without tightening down. The only way to know for certain is to remove the toilet and inspect the flange.

 

How do I fix a damaged toilet flange?

The flange can be corrected in many ways; it will depend on the nature and extent of the damage. There are repair part that can be purchased that new toilet flangeallow the bolts to be fastened again be incorporating the remaining flange with the repair parts.

The best repair is to remove the original toilet flange and install a new piece. We recently removed a flange by cutting just below the flange, clearing away the concrete high points, and adhering a new flange to the drain line.

This can be done by the homeowner or property maintenance staff if they have the right tools for the job and a bit of experience in the plumbing trade. For many, it may make more sense to hire a qualified professional to do the work. When checking for contractors in your local area, by sure to ask if they have had experience in the repair of toilet flanges.

If you are looking for someone to repair a broken toilet flange in Sacramento, Tromler Construction would be more than happy to take a look at your situation.

Tromler Construction

916-765-5366

Sacramento County

El Dorado County

Placer County

Comments (17)

Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

It's a crappy subject, but I'm glad you're well versed on it Tom, someone has to be............................

Jul 27, 2012 08:45 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Great explanation. Yes, we've seen many customers who have had issues here as they either had a friend or unlicensed contractor take care of the toilet.  It can be a mess and it's especially bad if it's an apartment and then you a liable for the homeowner below you.

Jul 27, 2012 09:03 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Tom. Can you say, a little too much information. Glad you could make it better. Enjoy the day and your toilet.

Jul 27, 2012 10:05 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

It's not a glamorous day in the life of a contractor Roger, but someone does have to do it.

Jul 28, 2012 12:11 AM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

It's something you don't think about until it becomes a problem Debbie. I thik it is best to have an understanding of what is involved in case a problem arises.

Jul 28, 2012 12:13 AM
Donald Hester
NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA
NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Tom, good post. These broken flanges can lead to some pretty fun repairs if the toilet keeps leaking and rots out the subfloor. 

Jul 28, 2012 12:14 AM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Sorry for the info overload Sheila. A toilet flange isn't important until it becomes important.

Jul 28, 2012 12:15 AM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Donald - As you know, the damage can get bad even before the user realizes it. Once the wood starts to get soft, the toilet will "rock" even more which allows even more water to leak.

Jul 28, 2012 12:18 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Thanks for the tips Tom!  I'll watch out for this in home ispections.  I've been told before by agents/homeowners, "Oh, it was always like that."  Now I'll know to be sure it's fixed to lessen the chance for future problems.  Have a great weekend!

Jul 28, 2012 02:10 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Tom- I echo what Roger said.  All I can say is I'm glad I wasn't reading this while eating. 

Jul 28, 2012 11:39 AM
Doug Bullwinkel
E Mortgage Capital, Inc. NMLS 1416824 - Roseville, CA
Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #281609

Finally, at last. An interesting blog on toilets and the problems associated with them.  It would take a great contractor like you Tom to be able to pull this off.  Nice job.

Jul 28, 2012 02:12 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Thanks Jan for the comment.

Funny how it "always being like that" somehow makes it okay to keep in the same condition.

Jul 28, 2012 02:47 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Some topics are hard to bring up at any time Kathy.

Jul 28, 2012 02:55 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

I'm not real sure about pulling it off Doug but I think it is important to know what is involved in the replacement of a toilet flange. The flange of a toilet drain is just a piece of plastic, but if it cracks or breaks,  a lot of water damage can occur.

Jul 28, 2012 03:02 PM
Suzanne Otto
Six Twenty Designs - Lansdale, PA
Your Montgomery County PA home stager

So that rocking isn't a special feature built in to ease you while you.... Oh never mind.

Jul 10, 2014 10:36 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Ummmm, no Suzanne!   :)

Jul 10, 2014 10:46 PM
Bill Reddington
Re/max By The Sea - Destin, FL
Destin Florida Real Estate

Havr had to replace iron flanges a couple of times in listings after inspections. That can be a real pain. Definitely had a plummer do it.

Jul 18, 2014 12:45 PM