Closet flanges are one of the handiest fixes in the toilet. Apart from connecting your closet to the floor, they attach it to the drain pipe. An appropriately fixed flange will help prevent leaks by securing the toilet to your bathroom floor. A Closet flange could be regular, deep sealed, or offset.
The offset toilet flange is the least used of all the shapes available. That is attributed to the many problems encountered by its users everywhere. But are those issues about using closet flanges exaggerated? You are about to find out if offset toilet flanges indeed cause problems in this article. Enjoy reading!
What does an offset toilet flange do?
Like every other type of flanges, the offset toilet flange secures your seat to the bathroom floor but in exceptional cases. Sometimes, our pipe openings are too far or close to the wall. Those situations will make it tough to connect our toilet to the plumbing and require a tweak.
The offset closet flange comes in handy and remedies the situation. The offset flange attaches the pipe off-center to your toilet. With the offset flange, you can decide to position the seat a few inches from the pipe opening to any angle of your choosing.
A closet with a standard wax seal can easily fit with an offset toilet flange provided you buy a good one.
Do offset toilet flanges cause problems?
You may indeed encounter issues when using offset toilet flanges. But, it’s not like the flanges were manufactured with the problems. Even standard toilet flanges can cause problems if they are not handled appropriately. There are many reasons why an offset toilet flange may pose a problem.
First, did you buy a good offset flange? A poorly designed flange may not serve its purpose if engaged. What type of ring does your flange have? Stainless steel rings are ideal for their plastic counterparts when fastening flanges.
Was your flange tightly sealed? Even a regular toilet flange can cause leaks if not sealed well. Did you position the flange appropriately? Poor positioning of the offset flange may cause clogging. In the end, the problem associated with using an offset toilet flange may have been caused by the handler.
Offset toilet flange common problems
Common problems encountered by users of offset toilet flanges include;
- Leakages: This may happen if the toilet is not well fixed to the ground.
- Clogging: When the flange is not tightened well, it may cause issues. The flange may not be connecting the pipe to the toilet seat.
Does offset flange clog?
Clogging is possible aftermath of using offset flange. When the toilet pipe is not fastened to the flange, wastes may not go through. It is easy for you to conclude that the issue is with the flange since they are tagged “problematic.” However, the offset flange may not be the cause of your toilet clogs like obstructed plumbing vents, damaged sewer line, and pipe blockage due to unflushable items
Offset toilet flange pros and cons
Pros
The main reason offset toilet flanges are designed is to help fasten an offset plumbing to toilet seats without breaking anything. In cases where the wall is too close to the pipe opening, you can easily use the offset Closet flange instead of breaking bricks.
That would cost more than using the adjustment flange. The offset toilet flange is also instrumental when installing the closet seats to a pipe that is not centered. That will also save you the extra cost of reworking pipes.
Cons
Fixing your toilet with an offset closet flange as an amateur may be infuriating, time taking and worst of all, futile. That is because you may not have the tools and experience needed to fix it. Installing an offset toilet flange is much more complex than the regular fixes. That is why it is advisable to contract the job to plumbers who know how the offset toilet flange works.
How do you rough in offset a toilet flange?
The first thing you should do is remove the old closet if there is any. Then, put a rag in the opening to prevent sewage gases from escaping. After that, you need to verify the ideal position of the toilet seat.
For that, you would need to measure the distance of the opening to your back wall, left, right, and front. That will help you know the sorts of adjustments you will implement with the offset flange.
Make sure the toilet seat is 10 to 14 inches from the back wall. If not, the offset toilet flange is meant to adjust to the front (away from the back wall). Measure 15 inches (minimum) to the right and left to get the exact positioning of your toilet. 15 to the wall from the center of the opening and away from the center.
If the plumbing does not center after measuring to the left and right, tweak the offset toilet seat to the intersection. You can use a measurement higher than 15 too. To the front, the space should be at least 21 inches from your wall, door, or any static item there.
After getting the correct measurements, insert the offset toilet flange at the center of your markings. Remove the rag you put in the pipe earlier than, apply PVC cement to fasten the flange to the floor, and hold for a bit. Then, drive in four screws into the mounting holes on the flange.
To prevent leakage, use foam insulation to close any open space between the ground and the flange. Secure your toilet seat to the flange once you are satisfied with the earlier procedure. You are all done!
Conclusion
Offset toilet flanges are not problematic when you know how to use them properly. Most people encounter issues fixing their offset toilet because they assume the same technique used for regular flanges would work too. However, the installation of a closet using an offset flange requires extra care and expertise to achieve. It is advisable to employ the expertise of a plumber experienced with fixing offset toilets.
Arthur C. Jackson is the resident handyman and toilet expert for BestToiletGuides.com. Drawing from his experience, he tends to focus on how he can help the consumer.
