Home improvement projects are a common-day occurrence at my home, so little goes on at my house that astonishes my husband. He knows I have everything under control. And he'll be the first to tell you: that's what frightens him. But honestly, practically anybody can replace a toilet.
Reasons to Replace a Toilet
The last two toilets I replaced was because my ticked-off cat urinated in front of them, because I had the audacity to go on vacation without him. Since I had to replace the sub-floors, I replaced the older toilets, too. Here are more common reasons to take out a toilet:
- Water damage due to a leaky wax ring or overflowing tub.
- Cracked or damaged body.
- Preference for low-flow toilets that conserve water.
- Replacing the flooring. Ceramic, for example, sits under the toilet and raises it (you'll need a longer connector to the wall, too).
- Remodeling trends that demand a more modern style.
Types of Toilets
The hardest thing about replacing a toilet is choosing your new toilet. Toilets manufactured prior to 1980 use 7 gallons of water per flush. Newer water-saving models use 1.6 gallons of water and are more environmentally friendly. To find out the age of your toilet, lift the lid and look inside for the year stamp.
Here are some of your toilet choices:
- Stainless steel or vitreous china (porcelain)
- White, beige, black or other colors
- Elongated or round (men often prefer elongated)
- One-piece or two-piece
- Dual flush or single flush
- Wall mount or floor mount
- Pressure-assisted flush or gravity flush
