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How to Install a New Toilet: Step-by-Step Guide
Install Replace Medium 2–4 hours (including removal and cleanup) 12 👍

How to Install a New Toilet: Step-by-Step Guide

My apartment's toilet has to be at least 15 or 20 years old at this point, and it's starting to show its age in a big way — the handle keeps sticking, the flapper goes constantly, and I've noticed some discoloration at the base that worries me. My landlord has given me the green light to swap it out myself if I want to handle it, and honestly I'd rather just have a fresh, efficient unit in there.

I've never pulled and set a toilet before, but I'm reasonably handy and I want to understand what I'm getting into. Are there different ways to approach this job, and what are the main things I should know before I start? I'd hate to get halfway through and realize I'm in over my head.…more
How to Replace a Toilet Wax Ring (Step-by-Step)
Wax Ring Flange Medium 1.5–2 hours 18 👍

How to Replace a Toilet Wax Ring (Step-by-Step)

Nobody wants to walk into the bathroom and catch that unmistakable sewer-gas smell drifting up from around the base of the toilet. Mine has been giving off a faint but definite odor, and when I kneel down close to the floor I can feel a slight dampness on the tile right after a flush — not a puddle, just a hint of moisture. The toilet rocks ever so slightly when I sit on it, which makes me think the seal underneath has finally given out.

I've owned the house about five years and this toilet was here before I moved in, so I have no idea when the wax ring was last touched. I'd like to tackle this myself on a weekend if it's a reasonable DIY job. What's the best approach for replacing the wax ring, what parts should I grab, and are there any traps I should watch out for before I commit to pulling the whole toilet?…more
How to Remove an Old Toilet: DIY vs. Pro Guide
Install Replace Medium 1–2 hours 13 👍

How to Remove an Old Toilet: DIY vs. Pro Guide

Three of my rental units need their aging toilets swapped out, and I'm standing in the plumbing aisle of the hardware store trying to figure out exactly what I need to buy before I start pulling them. I've got a handyman coming to do the actual installs, but I want to have everything on hand and understand the process so I'm not caught off guard if something goes sideways — like a rusted bolt or a cracked flange.

What tools should I have ready, what replacement parts should I grab at the same time, and are there any points in the removal where a landlord really should just step back and call a licensed plumber instead of pushing through? I'd rather know ahead of time what a 'stop and call someone' situation looks like than find out mid-job.…more
Toilet Leaks at Base Only When Flushed: Why & Fix
Wax Ring Flange Medium 1–3 hours (depending on whether a full reseat is needed) 6 👍

Toilet Leaks at Base Only When Flushed: Why & Fix

Three weeks ago I started noticing a small puddle of water forming right at the base of our main bathroom toilet, but only after someone flushes it — not any other time. Between flushes the floor stays completely dry, which seems strange to me. I've owned this house for a few years and never had a problem with this toilet before.

Before I start tearing into this and potentially voiding something, I wanted to ask: would a repair like this fall under any kind of manufacturer warranty, or is this considered normal wear and tear? The toilet itself isn't that old, and I'd hate to pull it and reseat it if there's coverage I'm not aware of.

Also, we do have fairly hard water in this area — not sure if mineral buildup could somehow be contributing to the seal breaking down faster than normal. Any guidance on what's actually causing this and where to start would be really appreciated.…more
Cracked Toilet Tank: Repair or Replace?
Tank Problems Medium 1–3 hours (tank swap, once parts are sourced) 8 👍

Cracked Toilet Tank: Repair or Replace?

Looked under the lid of our toilet tank the other day while chasing down a slow drip, and sure enough there's a visible crack running along the inside wall. Now I'm trying to decide between attempting some kind of repair versus just swapping out the tank entirely — or maybe even replacing the whole toilet. We have two kids and this is the busiest bathroom in the house, so I don't want to be without it for long, but I also don't want to slap a band-aid on something that's going to fail on me in a few months.

I'm not totally clear on what causes these cracks in the first place — is it age, water pressure, something I did wrong? And honestly, I'm not sure if a DIY repair is even a realistic option or if it just delays the inevitable. Would love to understand what I'm actually dealing with before I drag my family to the hardware store.…more
How to Fix a Broken Toilet Flange (DIY Guide)
Wax Ring Flange Medium 2–3 hours 8 👍

How to Fix a Broken Toilet Flange (DIY Guide)

My toilet has been rocking slightly and leaking at the base ever since the moving crew repositioned it when we had new flooring put down in the bathroom last month. I pulled the toilet myself to take a look and found the flange is cracked on one side — one of the bolt slots is completely broken off. The pipe below looks fine, so I don't think I need to replace the whole drain, but the flange itself is clearly damaged. Is this something I can repair with a repair ring, or do I need to swap the whole flange out? I'd rather avoid calling a plumber if this is a manageable DIY fix.…more
How to Install a Bidet on an Existing Toilet
Bidets Washlets Easy 30–60 minutes 14 👍

How to Install a Bidet on an Existing Toilet

Three days of heavy rain last week had me stuck indoors with nothing to do but finally research something I've been putting off — adding a bidet to the main bathroom. My house is older and the bathroom fixtures are original, so I'm a little nervous about making changes without breaking something. I've watched a few videos and it looks manageable, but I want to make sure I understand the full process before I start disconnecting things.

I have an older-style toilet with a standard shut-off valve on the wall behind it. Is there anything I should know before buying a bidet attachment or seat? I don't know whether to go with a simple spray attachment or an electric washlet-style seat, and I'm not sure if my setup will handle either type. Any guidance on the steps involved and what to expect would be really appreciated.…more
How to Stop a Sweating Toilet Tank
Tank Problems Easy 1–3 hours (mostly drying time for liner adhesive) 5 👍

How to Stop a Sweating Toilet Tank

My toilet tank is doing something strange — it's constantly wet and dripping on the outside, even though I can't find any cracks or loose connections. At first I thought it was a slow leak from somewhere, but when I dry it off with a towel the moisture just comes right back within an hour or so, even without anyone flushing it. The floor around the base of the toilet is starting to feel damp too, which has me worried.

The toilet came with the house when we bought it a few months back, so I don't know its full history. A neighbor mentioned it might just be 'sweating' but I'm not sure what that means or if it's actually something I need to fix. Is this a real problem and what's causing it?…more
Toilet Hissing After Flushing? Here's Why
Fill Flush Valves Easy 30–60 minutes 10 👍

Toilet Hissing After Flushing? Here's Why

Nobody ever told me how many weird sounds a toilet could make — I just assumed they flushed and that was it. But ours has started making this soft, almost constant hissing noise after every flush, and it seems to go on for a while before it finally stops. I can hear it from the hallway, which feels embarrassing when we have guests over.

I'm probably missing something super obvious here, but I genuinely have no idea if this is a water pressure thing, an air thing, or just the toilet being old. The house is a few years old and I don't think the toilet has ever been serviced. Is this something I should be worried about, or is it just a minor annoyance I can fix myself?…more
Why Your Toilet Seat Keeps Coming Loose (and How to Fix It)
Seats Lids Easy 30–45 minutes 3 👍

Why Your Toilet Seat Keeps Coming Loose (and How to Fix It)

My vacation property came with a toilet seat that was clearly never maintained properly by the previous owner — it wobbles side to side every time anyone sits on it, and the hinge bolts underneath seem to work themselves loose within days of me tightening them. I noticed it during my first walkthrough after closing and assumed it would be a simple fix, but no matter how snug I get those bolts, the seat starts rocking again within a week or two.

I'm only at the property a few times a year, so I can't keep running back to retighten everything. Is there something structurally wrong with the hinges, or am I missing something about how these are supposed to be secured? I'd love a fix that actually holds up between visits rather than a band-aid that comes loose again by the time I return.…more
How to Stop a Running Toilet for Good
Running Toilet Easy 30–60 minutes 8 👍

How to Stop a Running Toilet for Good

Three times now I've come home to that maddening hissing sound coming from the bathroom, and I'm completely over it. It's the same toilet in the main bath, and every time I jiggle the handle it stops for a while — but within a few days the running starts up again. I replaced the flapper myself last month thinking that would fix it for good, but here we are.

As a first-time homeowner I'm trying to handle as much of this myself as possible, but I honestly don't know if I'm just buying the wrong parts or if there's a bigger issue hiding inside the tank. The toilet is probably original to the house, so it's not brand new. Is there a systematic way to actually diagnose what's causing this so I can fix it once and for all instead of slapping a bandage on it every few weeks?…more
Toilet Tank Slowly Draining Into Bowl? Here's Why
Flappers Chains Easy 30–45 minutes 6 👍

Toilet Tank Slowly Draining Into Bowl? Here's Why

Found something strange happening with my toilet — after every flush, the tank seems to refill okay, but then I notice the water level in the bowl is slowly dropping, like the tank is quietly leaking into it. Or maybe it's the other way around? I honestly can't tell. I'm retired and I've owned this house for a while now, but I've always just called someone for plumbing stuff and never really learned it myself.

I opened up the tank lid to take a look and I can see the water is definitely trickling down into the bowl even when nobody's flushed. There's a rubber flap thing at the bottom of the tank and some kind of float and valve setup, but I don't really know what any of it does or which part might be causing the problem. The toilet doesn't run loudly — it's more of a slow, silent drain that I only noticed because my water bill ticked up a bit this month.…more
How to Connect a Bidet to Your Toilet Water Supply
Bidets Washlets Easy 1–3 hours depending on seat type 13 👍

How to Connect a Bidet to Your Toilet Water Supply

During my Saturday morning planning session, I realized this would be the perfect weekend to finally install the bidet attachment I've had sitting in its box for two months. My bathroom has a standard toilet with the shutoff valve accessible behind it, and the bidet kit came with what looks like a T-shaped fitting and two hoses — but I want to make sure I understand the connection sequence before I start turning things off and pulling apart my water supply line.

I'm comfortable with basic home repairs, but plumbing always makes me a little nervous about leaks. I'd love to know exactly what order to connect everything, whether I need any extra materials like Teflon tape, and what to watch for once I turn the water back on. I'm planning to do this solo, so knowing the full picture ahead of time would really help me feel confident going in.…more
Why Is My Toilet Supply Line Leaking?
Supply Shutoff Easy 30–45 minutes 10 👍

Why Is My Toilet Supply Line Leaking?

Looked under the tank this morning and spotted a slow drip coming from the supply line — there's already a small puddle forming on the floor. Got my tools out and I'm ready to tackle this myself, I just want to make sure I understand what's actually causing it before I start swapping parts. The line doesn't look obviously cracked, so I'm not sure if it's the fittings, the washers, or the line itself that's the problem. Is this something I can diagnose and fix on my own, or are there situations where I'd need to call someone in?…more
Toilet Tank Not Filling? Here's Why & How to Fix It
Fill Flush Valves Easy 30–45 minutes 8 👍

Toilet Tank Not Filling? Here's Why & How to Fix It

Nobody wants to discover that their vacation home toilet is struggling to fill the tank — especially when you've just arrived and you're already dealing with a list of things to check on. My toilet is running through water like crazy trying to refill, or sometimes barely filling at all, and it's making the whole flush cycle take forever. I noticed it right when I got here this trip, and the tank just sits there making a hissing noise without ever reaching a normal water level.

I'm not sure if it's something that happened while the house was sitting empty or if it's been a gradual thing I missed on my last visit. Either way, the toilet is burning through refill attempts and either running constantly or just not completing the fill cycle at all. Would love to know what's going on and how to keep it from happening again.…more