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TikTok Warned Us About This Toilet Installation Mistake. How
To Avoid It
By KYLE SCHURMAN
According to TikTok user @twinhomeexperts, many people make an error when setting a new toilet in place by rocking it back and forth, rather than twisting it.
When you rock the toilet over the top of the wax ring, you could damage the ring, harming its ability to make a watertight seal between the bottom of the toilet and the sewer pipe.
Check the instructions that ship with the wax ring to determine the proper installation method. Then, remove the old wax ring with a putty knife and put a new one down.
Carefully center the toilet over the sewer pipe and the wax ring. Watch the alignment of the holes in the flange and the holes in the base of the toilet to help with centering it.
Do not rock the toilet back and forth after setting it on the flange. Instead, grasp it by the edges and slightly twist it to help it affix to the wax ring without smashing it.
If you're worried about damaging the wax ring, you can try using a rubber, wax-free gasket. The rubber doesn't suffer permanent damage if you smash it inadvertently.