Here's How by Pat Logan

Dear Pat: I think it is time for a new toilet. I want a stylish attractive one, but it must also flush well and be quiet. Once I pick one, is it a project I can do by myself, or do I need a plumber? — Kat L.

Dear Kat: You should be able to install a new toilet yourself with just a few wrenches. By doing the installation yourself, the money you save on labor can be spent on a more stylish toilet design. They all have a common base and bolt pattern, so any toilet will fit over the existing drain.

If you are a sound sleeper and noise does not bother you, consider getting a pressure-assisted toilet. These are designed to use the water pressure to provide a more powerful, faster flush. The flushing sound is somewhat louder than a standard gravity flow toilet. They are slightly more expensive than a standard toilet.

The primary selection decision will be between a one-piece (tank and bowl together) or a two-piece toilet. One-piece toilets are usually more stylish and more expensive. If you are doing the installation yourself, the problem you will have is handling the weight of a one-piece toilet. With a two-piece toilet, the weight of the separate bowl and tank sections is manageable.

The first step to replacing an old toilet is to shut off the water supply line. There is a valve on the wall underneath the toilet tank. If you have never turned it off before, it may be stuck. The knob is not very strong, so be gentle as you work with it to get it to shut off.

It may drip a bit as you turn it. This is normal and does not mean it is leaky.

With the water turned off, remove the top of the toilet tank. Pull up and hold the chain to the flush valve until as much water as possible has run out. There is a raised ridge around the base of the valve seat, so use a sponge to remove the residual water at the bottom of the tank.

There are two bolts through the bottom of the tank, which attach it to the bowl section. The nuts for these bolts can be accessed from beneath the flange on the bowl section. Remove the nuts and lift the tank off of the bowl. Lay some rags on the floor because some water will drip out of the tank no matter how dry it looks.

There are two studs sticking up from the floor to which the bowl section is bolted. Remove the two nuts and washers and lift the toilet bowl up from the floor. Pull the old wax ring seal off the top of the drain. Place some newspaper over or stuff a rag into the drain hole so nothing falls into it.

Put a bead of bowl setting compound around the base of the new toilet bowl section where it will rest on the floor. Uncover the drain and place a new wax ring over it. Place the toilet bowl over the drain, being careful not to deform the soft wax ring. Tightening the bowl to the floor deforms the wax ring so it seals between the bowl and the drain. Bolt the tank to the bowl and reattach the water line.

Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about Pat Logan and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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