JAP69's Blog

Working on hall bath yet. Already removed toilet, removed bottom portion of vanity leaving top portion there to have use of wash bowl,  scraped the adhesive off floor, poured self leveler, opened up wall and assembled and installed cabinet, filled back in drywall around cabinet edges and applied joint compound and sanded.

What is left to do. Install flooring, install flooring sills on two door openings, elevate toilet flange, put baseboard and shoe molding back on sealing the perimeter of flooring with silicone caulk, apply trim on new cabinet edges, install new toilet, Touch up paint around new cabinet, remove top, portion of vanity, install new vanity with new vanity top and wash bowl, reconnect vanity plumbing, 

Then do a final punch out and be done with it. 

New toilet in other bath room has not plugged since started using two flush system. # 2 then  flush, wipe then flush.

The hall toilet has been a leaker since I moved in here. I have taken out the toilet and replaced the wax seal multiple times. Then after awhile it starts leaking again.

When I removed the toilet this last time a week or so ago to do the remo I discovered the toilet bolts were not connected to the flange. Why is that I asked "I"? So I moved on doing other work in the bath.

Yesterday I was down working on cleaning the surface of the flange to prepare it for putting on a flange extension to bring it up to the proper height. I looked down at the flange and seen something does not look right. I pulled out my ruler to measure to the center of the flange to where the toilet bolts are to go and discovered when they done the original plumbing the toilet flange was twisted and not in the proper position for the toilet flange bolts to be far enough in on the slot for a secure connection. The toilet flange bolts were about 1/2 inch or less from the entry slot in the flange. Previously the toilet flange bolts were set in that position and with an un-level floor the toilet jostled around and the bolts slipped out from underneath the flange causing the toilet to have to much movement breaking the wax seal and causing a leak.

Sooo, I have already leveled the floor with self leveler and need to put on a flange extension to bring the flange above the new floor level. I will be using this for the flange extension. https://www.homedepot.com/p/JONES-STEPHENS-7-in-O-D-ABS-Water-Closet-Toilet-Flange-Ring-fits-Over-4-in-PVC-DWV-Pipe-C51403/315698865 

You can see the flange bolt slots in the link. I will properly seal and connect it to the existing flange setting the flange bolt slots in the proper position for a secure  toilet bolt connection. 

Hopefully no more leaks after this after all these years.

I have no idea why I did not see the problem in the past.

https://www.thekitchn.com/spice-jar-trick-2-23780055?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

I will wager when the price of feed and grain went up to feed the horses they bitched like he!!.

When the price of horses, saddles and gear, along with the price of carriages went up they bitched like he!!.

The only thing I did since last post is caulk under the door jambs. 

I figure about another month to finish hall bath.  Some days I work, some days I don't.

By the time I am done I will have about $2,000.00 in just material for the bath remo. Just thought of another idea today, Install a built in cabinet about 14 inches wide x 60 inches tall in the hall bath. Buried in the wall is an old duct work shaft large enough for the cabinet. Found a 14 inch wide x 60 inch tall cabinet today for about $150.00. It is a free standing cabinet but I will slide it into the wall cavity after I open it up. 

What would be a contractor quote to do this remo? $6,000.00, $8,000.00, $9,000.00 ?

Toilet paper and #2 flushed at the same time could be too much for the drain to take. 

Do your #2 flush then wipe and flush the toilet paper separately.

Apparently when you drop a big log in the toilet the weight and length creates a problem for the log to pass over the high point of the drain or where ever the log jam is in the toilet. 

I can think of two remedies. Double flush or if that does not work have something available to break up the log into smaller pieces before flushing.

Got to do what you got to do to get that dodo down the drain.

The new toilet came as a low gallons per flush toilet. Govyment mandated

Has not even been two weeks in operation and it plugged last night. Had to get out the toilet drain snake and unplug it. Apparently not enough water to flush the  through the toilet. 

I was going to buy the same model for the hall toilet. Not now I aint. Going to purchase a speed [jet] flush model. It sets two inches lower than the new one but that is alright as the current hall toilet sets at 17 inches high and the one I am purchasing sets at 19 inches high.

May end up being better at two inches lower than the new one for shorter people to use.

Have not done much on bathroom remo since last post. Stripped the adhesive off hall bath floor,  Left hall toilet in for now until time to self level floor, decided to replace the hall vanity and sink top with a culture marble unit, maybe replace the sink fixtures. Finished up some work in bath and vanity area where I replaced the floor and toilet. Was not much, I installed 2 transition strips, one from bedroom carpet to new floor and one from new floor to carpet under closet door. Still have some final caulking to do under door jambs which flooring directions called for using silicone caulk, I got white paintable silicone for that which is being delivered Friday.

Yesterday I cut a resoling sheet for my shoes and installed those with adhesive. Today I done touch up gluing around the outside edges where needed. When I glued the resole on I placed them on and old pillow and placed a 50 pound bag of self leveler on them. The pillow allows the soles to compress on to the contour of the shoe bottom. The soles  of my shoes got worn to no tread on them. Do not want to fall because of slick shoe soles.

Other than that I have been relaxing.

State Dept to issue limited edition passports with President Trump on the cover.

Finished the toilet installation yesterday with my daughters help. That is in full operational mode now.

I have some silicone caulking to finish up under the door jambs to seal them up where I installed the new flooring. The flooring instructions say sealing the perimeter is necessary to prevent water infiltration. 

Then I will move onto the hall bath and apply adhesive remover to the floor and let that soak in for 24 hours or more. If first coat gets drawn in I will do another coat. Vinyl adhesive can be very difficult to remove. I will leave old toilet installed for a few more days or until I have removed the adhesive around it removing it last thing. I figure to be doing adhesive removal all this week.

See how I feel with my energy and ambition level.

I just might sit back and do nothing today.

How do you tell if a toilet seal wax ring leaks if it does not flow out onto the floor? Not very easily until serious damage is done.   

My thought is toilet makers should make a a hole near the bottom of the toilet to insert an endoscope in to look for any leaks. The hole can be covered with a cap when not in use. A periodic inspection can save a huge expense if a leak is found.

Endoscopes are not that expensive. I have seen endoscopes that connect to smart phones. Also ones that have their own screen.

I have an endoscope that is used to inspect the inside of my ears having its own viewing screen. Paid something like less than $50.00 for it.

Still working on the bedroom vanity area and tub and toilet bath which connects to the bedroom vanity area. A few hours each day trimming, caulking and set bottom section of toilet today using my contraption to elevate, set in place over toilet bolts and lower it down. A lot easier than trying to wrestle a toilet over the flange bolts by hand. Will finish assembly on water tank and install that tomorrow. My daughter helped today and said she will be available tomorrow to set water tank on bottom section.

Plugging along most every day. Every little bit puts the job closer to the finish line.

Since last report I got floor prepped and floor sealer put on. Poured the self leveler in the bedroom vanity area and the tub & toilet, bath tub room with my daughters help. We mixed according to directions, my daughter poured it out while I worked it around and done a final working with a spiked roller. Self leveling compound does not float out self leveling on it own. It is free flowing but still need to work it to level point. Checked for level after it set and it turned out level. There were originally low points in the floor that varied from 1/2  inch to the 0 point. When they poured the slab in these houses they did not do a very good job. 

After the  self leveler set and dried for a few days I put down the vapor barrier and installed the Superoak quick lock 100% moisture resistant flooring which took me awhile to do. This type of flooring needs to be put on a near perfect level floor. The flooring is 9.5 mm thick. Can not have hollow spots underneath or it can crush the lock seam

Thats it up until today. Now I need to go around the edges, under door jambs and seal with silicone caulking, Install baseboard and shoe trim, Install new handicapped toilet which sets 21 inches above floor level.  I did need to put a toilet flange extension on the old one to elevate it above the flooring the required distance.

Get that done I will move on to the hall bath scraping vinyl adhesive and do the same process all over again. 

The job is turning out to my satisfaction so far.

I may post photos of the job when done. If I can figure out how to post photos in my blog.