Every toilet, no matter how well-maintained, springs a leak at some point in time. However, that doesn’t detract from the fact that a leaky RV is a serious deal-breaker, especially when you’re trying to sell your motor home. But before you start dialing the number of a handyman, check the toilet gasket – most of the time, the problem originates from this section. Symptoms of a damaged toilet gasket include the pooling of water around the toilet base as well as a distinctive sewer odor in the bathroom. Thankfully, replacing a toilet gasket is easy. Here’s how you do it:

Preparations for Replacing the Toilet Gasket

Shut down the water supply to the toilet tank by turning off the water shutoff valve. Clear the tank of any remaining water by flushing the toilet and pulling the chain at the bottom of the tank. Once all the water drains out, disconnect the water supply hose using a wrench. Now remove the tank from the base of the toilet. Unscrew the twin bolts, but exercise caution – the head of the bolt is present inside the bottom of the tank while the nut keeping the bolt in place is located at the outside bottom of the tank. Once it’s done, lift the tank off the toilet carefully and place it upside down on rags or towels spread across the bathroom floor.

Detaching the Toilet Base

Remove the bolt protectors located at the toilet base. While removing these, you’ll notice washers and nuts holding the toilet in place. Unscrew these and then slowly rock the toilet from one side to another. This will help break any caulk or silicone seals holding down the toilet.

Replacing the Gasket

Turn over the toilet bowl and place it on the rags gently. Clean any traces of the previous toilet gasket from the bottom and cover up the flange hole with rags to stop sewer gases from coming up. Now, connect a new wax toilet gasket near the drain opening. Seal the bottom of the toilet touching the floor with silicone sealer or caulk. You need to insert new bolts into the floor-mounted flange.
Next, turn over the toilet bowl and once again place it over the flange. Ensure that the toilet drain and the wax ring remain over the flange, while the flange bolts fit through the holes at the bottom of the toilet bowl. You must install the new gasket at the bottom of the tank.

Wrapping Up

Now that you’ve finished replacing the gasket, it’s time to retrace your steps – turn over the toilet tank and carefully put it back on top of the toilet bowl. Attach the rubber washers and nuts you took off earlier, and tighten these first by hand and then with a wrench. Handle one side at a time so that the seal becomes tight. When you’re finished, just reconnect the tank’s water supply and turn it back on.

Replacing the damaged gasket of your RV toilet might seem like a monumental task, but it’s quite easy. Moreover, you end up saving money in the process, and at the same time, make your vehicle more saleable. If you require help selling your RV, we can assist you. Get in touch with us here.