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How to Reduce the Height of the Toilet With a Cast Iron Drain Pipe

Cast iron drain pipes are found in older homes since most modern toilet connections consist of polyvinyl chloride, also called PVC. If you renovate a bathroom and remove a flooring, such as tile, the toilet drain sits higher than the floor, causing the toilet to sit elevated. The solution is to cut down the cast iron drain connection so it sits flush with the new floor. Although cast iron is hard, it breaks when you apply force to it.

Things You'll Need

  • Rag
  • Putty knife
  • Wrench
  • Wooden shims
  • Cold chisel
  • Hammer
  • Compression toilet flange
  • Socket wrench
  • Wax ring
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the toilet. Shut off the flow of water at the rear shut-off valve on the wall. Flush the toilet and disconnect the rear water tube connection using a wrench. Remove the nuts on both floor bolts with the wrench and lift the toilet up. Insert a rag into the hole to close up the sewer pipe.

    • 2

      Remove the wax ring from the floor, if applicable, by scraping it off with a putty knife and discarding it. If you don’t see a wax ring, it may still be on the underside of the toilet.

    • 3

      Look at the perimeter of the hole to locate the cast iron flange lip. Insert the thick end of two wooden shims under the flange on each side. The shims will slip under it easily since the flange is elevated.

    • 4

      Position the tip of a cold chisel on top of the flange on one side. Tap the head of the chisel firmly with a hammer until you see a crack form in the cast iron. Reposition the chisel on the opposite side of the flange and tap it again to crack the other side.

    • 5

      Insert a pry bar under the lip of the flange and over one of the wooden shims, which protects the floor from damage. Push back on the handle of the pry bar to raise one side of the cast iron out of the floor. Grip the raised portion and pull it up with your hands. Pry the other half of the flange out of the floor using the same technique.

    • 6

      Insert the lower portion of a new compression fitting flange into the floor hole over the remaining floor pipe. Press the rubber gasket into the space between the flange and the pipe.

    • 7

      Insert the upper portion of the flange on top of the rubber portion and align the screw holes with the underlying holes on the bottom flange portion. Tap the flange with a hammer to insert it fully.

    • 8

      Insert the screws or bolts with a socket wrench until they are tight. Slide the heads of the two closet bolts into the holes on the flange to secure them.

    • 9

      Press a new wax ring into the center of the hole, pull out the rag and reinstall the toilet.

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Next:

Plumbing
  1. How to Hook Up the Toilet Drain to an Existing Drain
  2. How to Replace Cast Toilet Drain Pipes
  3. How to Relocate a Toilet Drain
  4. How to Repair the Floor Toilet Flange With Galvanized Pipe
  5. How to Remove the Toilet Drain Tube
  6. How to Install a Toilet Drain Extension
  7. How to Repair a Hole in a Cast Iron Pipe With PC-Metal Epoxy
  8. How to Remove a Brass Closet Flange From a Cast Iron Drain
  9. How to Reduce the Height of a Toilet Cast Iron Mounting Flange
  10. How to Disconnect a Cast Iron Pipe Joint
  11. How to Raise the Height of a Flue Pipe
  12. How to Move a Cast Iron Toilet Drain

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