Replacing a toilet, how long to wait?

Question

Everywhere I've looked about toilet replacement, no one tells you how long you must wait after installing it as to when you can actually use it, I'm asking because one person tells me you can use it after an hour, another 3 hours. Why so long? I thought after installing a new toilet its good to go, someone from lowes installed my relatives new toilet, he came in around 8am this morning, she calls me to tell me he said she had to wait until 5pm to use it, really, how long should you wait?

Answer 1

Urban myths.  The toilet is good to use instantly.  It is bolted securely to the waste pipe, making it sit firmly on the floor.  If done right, it ain't going nowhere.  The wax ring that seals up the deal does not ever "dry", it simply remains a soft wax.  There is no time element here.

Answer 2

For a standard toilet replacement it is good to go as soon as the toilet compresses the wax ring.  The long wait must have been because of some other factor than just installing the toilet.

Answer 3

if it installed right you dont have to wait the guy at lowes dont know c**p

two things a good plumber has to know

1 **** runs down hill

2 never bite your finger nails

Answer 4

You can use it immediately as long as it's secured to the floor.

Answer 5

As lawnboy says.....As soon as it is installed go for it..it cannot leak o out the wax ring..the wax never dries hard it stays soft..it is supposed to so it can adapt to any movement that may be made while utilizing it

Answer 6

The several hour wait is because you're supposed put a bead of caulk around the base of the toilet - a step that many people skip (like everyone that said "bolt and go").  It's done to prevent spills from flowing under the toilet and into the subfloor (and the ceiling of the floor below - yuck), and it's required by code in most (all?) jurisdictions.  If the toilet shifts before the caulk has cured, it's likely to break the seal.

A bead of caulk also helps to stabilize the toilet on a less than perfect floor.  Ever tried to take up door molding that's been caulked?  A 3' bead of caulk has some serious sticking power

Answer 7

You don't have to wait any specific time... once it's in you can use it immediately.