Toilet floor flange

Sweetchuck

First, thanks for taking my question.

I dug around a bit to see if there was a similar thread that might resolve my issue but I didn't find one.

The metal flange under my toilet rusted away. It's a 5" PVC pipe and the flange sat underneath it. I dug around the hardware store thinking maybe there was a 2-piece flange that I could snap together and bolt to the floor underneath the PVC pipe but I'm not sure they make them.

I'm thinking my only other option is to tear the floor up or tear the ceiling off downstairs if I have to replace that whole PVC piece.

Any help before I pull out the sledgehammer would be appreciated. I can take and post a pic but I'm thinking the description is pretty standard.

Sweetchuck

OK - I found an adjustable flange and bolted it in. Put a new wax ring with the flange on it in, bolted the toilet down and it still leaks.

One thing I noticed is that the metal flange that I bolted to the floor sort of sat around the PVC opening, not under it, not over it. Why would it still be leaking?

It only leaks during the flush also.

joecaption

Has someone tiled the floor since the orginal floor was done? The toilet will sit high or lower depending on how they rane the tile. Do you have access under the toilet area?
One way is to cut off the pipe below the subfloor leaving a stub at least 4" long and pull the old flange out and replace with a new one with a short piece of PVC pipe on the bottom of it and use a hub less connector to connect the two.
Another way is to cut the flange off even with the floor and insert a type of flange that has a sub and a rubber gasket that goes inside the pipe not outside.
I've never seen a 5" drain, sure it's not a 4" or 3" PVC pipe.
A 5" would have to big a flange to fit in the recessed area under the toilet and a standard wax ring would just drop into the hole.

plumbing

When you put the wax ring down sit backwards on the closet "toilet" " facing towards the tank move closet side to side with weight. the wax ring works as a gasket to prevent leaks. btw i think its a 4" pipe. if this dose not solve the problem tell me where the leak is coming from in detail.

Licensed Plumber!

Sweetchuck

There's linoleum right on top of the subfloor, no tile.

I measured the widest part of the opening in the PVC - it's 5 inches wide. Right below the PVC is the ceiling in the garage, I would have to either cut the floor away or cut the ceiling away to access the plumbing. I'm hoping I can avoid that.

I should have taken pics, I'll have the toilet up again tomorrow morning and take pics and post them. What I did didn't work. I'm not an expert but I can be handy when needed - I've done a fair amount of shoemaker plumbing but never worked with closet flanges.

Thanks for the replies.

joecaption

Not sure how you can measure the PVC pipe if there's a flange attached to it. There's no way to even see the OD of the pipe.

Sweetchuck

The flange is gone, it was all dust when I pulled the toilet up.

TheEplumber

A 5" PVC pipe does not exist(4" pipe is 4.5" OD). I'm thinking you're measuring the plastic horn insert from the old bowl wax. It must be removed and thrown away. The new bowl wax will have one. If you're actually measuring whats left of the closet flange fitting, then I would cut it off at some point below the floor and rebuild with a new flange.

Sweetchuck

Ok - I put this project on hiatus for a little while now I'm back to it.

Here's the scenario. This is what was previously installed:



The metal ring corroded away but that plastic funnel thingy is still in there. I think it's cemented down, I can't pry or pull it out, wrestled with it for a while.

Now here's my question. If it's cemented, can a solvent unglue it? Or am I looking at tearing up the floor and cutting/replacing more plastic pipe?

Thanks in advance for your responses. Your insight is much appreciated.

Sweetchuck

My other question before I start knocking ceilings down, I tried that adjustable floor flange. It fit in under the bevel of the funnel thingy (sorry for the anti-technical terminology), mounted it down and it still leaked. Could I maybe have done it wrong? The guy down at the hardware store suggested using a thicker wax ring, I might have picked up the standard wax ring on this one.

joecaption

An internal pipe cutter would do it but there so expencive unless you could borrow or rent one, Not worh buying. A local plumber may have one and could do it for you.

jaydevries

just use one of these it will slide threw old flange fitting and seal to pvc pipe
http://www.siouxchief.com/Drainage/R...ush-Tite.VZ8US

available at box stores

__________________
be careful my advice only comes from general knowledge i know about the 4 rules it takes to plumb and they are
1 poop needs to flow down hill. 2 hot on left cold on right
3 i get a pay check on Mondays 4 do not chew finger nails at or after work.

Sweetchuck

That won't work, there's already a plastic piece stuck in there, that's my dilemma.

I might have to hacksaw that piece out and hopefully I can get all of it out to the point of replacing it, I really don't want to rip that ceiling apart.

jaydevries

huh usually slides right in can you take a pic and post

__________________
be careful my advice only comes from general knowledge i know about the 4 rules it takes to plumb and they are
1 poop needs to flow down hill. 2 hot on left cold on right
3 i get a pay check on Mondays 4 do not chew finger nails at or after work.

ben's plumbing

they make a metal repair ring for those types of flanges....install new ring use jumbo wax ring should take care of problem,,,, did you inspect commode good may have a small crack,,,ben