The toilet flange is a critical component of any toilet. Why so? Well, the closet flange – as the device is alternately known – serves the dual function of securing the toilet to the floor and of connecting it to the drainpipe. So if you want a toilet which is securely aligned with the drainpipe – which presumably you do – then a toilet flange is pretty much indispensable.

How is a toilet flange installed?

There are two principal methods for installing a toilet flange. The first, known as the above-the-floor method, is used when the surrounding floor has already been finished. Although this approach is the more technically challenging of the two methods, it has the big advantage of better preventing leaks. This preventive effect is essentially an upshot of the underlying mechanics of the process. You see, with the above-the-floor method you can use more wax. And more wax equates to a tighter seal.

The second approach is known as the flush-with-the-floor method. As you may have guessed, this technique is used when the surrounding floor has yet to be finished off. Although flanges fitted in this manner are admittedly more susceptible to leaks, they do, nevertheless, offer one pretty significant advantage. The fitting process is less likely to result in a shaky toilet.

In reality, there is a significant amount of overlap between both methods. Both use wax as a sealant. And both use bolts or screws to secure the fitting in place.

What materials are used?

Toilet flanges are made from a wide variety of different materials. You can get copper flanges, stainless steel flanges, brass flanges, aluminum flanges, and even cast iron flanges. The most popular flange of all, however, is the PVC flange. This particular flange is markedly less expensive than any of the many metallic flanges on the market. However, the trade-off for that affordability is that PVC flanges are both more fragile and more difficult to secure than metallic variants are.

What sizes are available?

The standard size for a toilet flange is 4”x3”. What this means in layman’s terms is that the top measures 4” in diameter while the bottom measures 3” in diameter. A flange of this size will fit most closet bend pipes and all standard drainpipes.

Another common size is 3”x3”. In this case, both the top and bottom parts measure precisely 3”. As stands to reason, 3″x3″ flanges are specifically designed to be used with drainpipes and closet bend pipes with 3” diameters.

What are the benefits?

In theory, you could sidestep fitting a toilet flange. However, this wouldn’t be smart. Soon enough, the toilet would inevitably begin to leak. Worse again, you’d run the risk of significant water damage occurring. However, with a correctly fitted toilet flange in place, such problems cease to be of concern. Moreover, the toilet will sit securely in place without wobbling around when in use.

 

For more information about plumbing and toilet flanges, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other towns in New Jersey, such as Verona, Bergenfield and Lodi.