Help! When starting to reinstall my toilet after new vinyl flooring was laid, I noticed the flange is not flush with the floor on one side, and sits above the floor about 1/2" on that side. I removed one of the nails and found it bent and very rusty. I am able to poke around the outside of and beneath the flange, on the "uneven" side, and find some of the old wax ring down there. I'm guessing I need to replace the flange but before I try to remove the existing, need to know if this is something a real novice should do. Is the flange just the round part that sits on the floor (so I could just easily nail-in a new one), or does the flange include the curved pipe that I see beneath the floor? Or...is it possible the subflooring needs to be worked on? Should I call the contractor who installed the vinyl, or is this one on me? My plumbing experience to date has been replacing a toilet supply line and successfully reinstalling the other toilet. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

Your toilet is bolted to the flange, which should be securely fastened level to the floor. Loosen the existing flange, clean out any wax or debris, and use long screws to secure it back level (if the screws won't hold, then you may have to replace some wood under the toilet). Get a new wax ring and new toilet bolts, and secure the toilet to the flange, working the toilet down level to the floor. Should work o.k. without replacing old flange.

 

you may break the flange if you try to screw it down,it sounds like it was installed
wrong from the get-go.
if you can access it underneath by removing
sheetrock,suspended ceiling etc..it would be
a good idea to replace the verticle portion
up thru the floor,then cut the pipe off
flush and glue flange inside pipe,assuming
this is four inch pipe get a flush fit flange

 

Thanks for the info. I agree that it was probably installed incorrectly when built. And I think if I tried to force it down with screws it might break (it's currenly held with 4-in. nails). Access below would be from the crawl space, a place I've never ventured and really have no desire to go! This sounds like I need a contractor as the fix you recommend is way beyond me. Darn; I was starting to feel like such a confident new-millenium-gal after just reinstalling the other toilet! Oh, well.

 

when you can snatch the pipe wrench from my
hand you will be ready