How to Level Water to Repair a Running Toilet

Level your toilet with shims.

A running toilet constantly wastes water and can make your water bills shoot through the roof. One of the most important parts of toilet installation is sadly also one of the most overlooked. It's important that the toilet be level on the floor for it to function properly. One of the ways to level the water to repair a running toilet is to use toilet shims to bring the toilet to the proper level.

Things You'll Need

• Rag/towels
• Pint container
• Sharp knife
• Flat screwdriver
• Adjustable wrench
• Wood/plastic toilet shims
• Spirit level
• Silicone caulk
• Caulk gun

Instructions

1. Turn off the water supply for the toilet. You can find the water supply valve by tracing the water supply hose or tube from the bottom of the toilet to where it meets the valve in the wall or floor. Rotate the valve to the right to cut the water supply.

2. Lift the lid of the tank and set it aside. If this is a dual flush tank, you may need to unscrew the push buttons on the top before you can remove the lid. Set the lid aside.

3. Flush the tank. Continue to hold down the handle until the water has exited from the tank. Wipe up any excess with a rag. On a dual flush tank, press one of the buttons on top of the flush mechanism. Bail out any remaining water with the pint container.

4. Cut around the caulk at the base of the toilet with a sharp utility knife.

5. Remove the toilet bolt caps at the base of the toilet bowl by prying them off with a screwdriver. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen the bolts on either side.

6. Open the seat and place a spirit level across the bowl. Insert wooden or plastic shims between the toilet bowl and floor on the sides of the bowl to bring the bowl level. Turn the level so you can check the front-to-back angle of the toilet. Insert shims underneath the front and rear portions of the bowl as needed to make the bowl level.

7. Retighten the bolts on either side of the bowl. Keep an eye on the level as you do this so the toilet doesn't become crooked again.

8. Trim off the edges of the shims poking out from underneath the toilet bowl.

9. Insert a tube of silicone caulk into a caulk gun. Trim off the end. Apply a bead of silicone caulk around the base of the bowl. Allow the caulk time to cure.

10. Restore the water supply. Flush the toilet and check that it is working normally.

References

• Ask The Builder: Fixing Toilet Tank Problems
• Family Handyman: Replacing a Toilet
• Toiletology: Wax Ring Installation
• HammerZone: Toilet Shim Information