The Advocate
New Member
I was helping a lady get her store established in a new location. The toilet rocked very badly and leaked around the base. When I pulled the toilet, I saw that the flange ear on the left was broken into many pieces. The flange was glued inside of 4" waste pipe that is set in a concrete slab. I removed the old flange and dry fitted the new flange, but it would not seat to the floor on the right side. I finally realized that the vertical pipe was out of plumb.
I told the lady that the slab needed to be chipped away and the waste pipe needed to be relaid so that the vertical leg of the pipe was plumb. (It is more than 5 degrees out.) Since she is renting the space short term and is not sure that her business will continue in this location, she wanted me to set the toilet as best as I could.
I did manage to work the base of the toilet down to within 1/3" of the floor, then I shimmed the high side of the toilet in three places with cedar shims. I felt that the toilet would be alright since only the employees would be using it. THAT IS, until I saw the owner's 500 pound husband.
Knowing this heavy man might seat himself on this throne, I would feel a whole lot more comfortable if I could fill the gap with a bedding compound that would set hard, have minimal shrinkage, and would resist water and grunge. I understand that old-time plumbers used such a product that came in a cartridge. I have not been able to find it in town or on line. Does anyone know of this product-- name and source?
I also heard of another fix that seems promising. A man told me he remembers a 3" insert surrounded by a rubber seal which would allow the flange to settle to the floor, yet seal to the inside of the 4" pipe. Here, again, I have been unable to locate this product. Does anyone know a source/product name for this? Also, I would be interested in hearing comments about using this type of fix.
My thought was also that there might be a flange that would pivot, then could be locked to the correct angle to compensate for a pipe that is set in concrete at an angle to plumb. Does anyone know of a product like this?
I told the lady that the slab needed to be chipped away and the waste pipe needed to be relaid so that the vertical leg of the pipe was plumb. (It is more than 5 degrees out.) Since she is renting the space short term and is not sure that her business will continue in this location, she wanted me to set the toilet as best as I could.
I did manage to work the base of the toilet down to within 1/3" of the floor, then I shimmed the high side of the toilet in three places with cedar shims. I felt that the toilet would be alright since only the employees would be using it. THAT IS, until I saw the owner's 500 pound husband.
Knowing this heavy man might seat himself on this throne, I would feel a whole lot more comfortable if I could fill the gap with a bedding compound that would set hard, have minimal shrinkage, and would resist water and grunge. I understand that old-time plumbers used such a product that came in a cartridge. I have not been able to find it in town or on line. Does anyone know of this product-- name and source?
I also heard of another fix that seems promising. A man told me he remembers a 3" insert surrounded by a rubber seal which would allow the flange to settle to the floor, yet seal to the inside of the 4" pipe. Here, again, I have been unable to locate this product. Does anyone know a source/product name for this? Also, I would be interested in hearing comments about using this type of fix.
My thought was also that there might be a flange that would pivot, then could be locked to the correct angle to compensate for a pipe that is set in concrete at an angle to plumb. Does anyone know of a product like this?
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