clost flange too high

[cekiv]

I've been enjoying reading through these forums... maybe you have some helpful advise for me as well. Doing some remodelling, I removed and disposed of an old toilet, removed the existing tile floor and underlayment down to the floor decking, which is 2x pine boards. I also was able to remove the original PVC closet flange by heating it up and wrestling it out from the existing 3" closet bend hub.

Now, I go to install my new TOTO, after finally finding a flange to fit the 3" hub (our local codes must all be 4" drain ??), and the existing elbow is too high for the flange pipe to rest on the floor when seated (we refinished the pine floor and are not tiling over it).

I have good access to the plumbing, as it is in the basement. The drain is 3" sched. 40. There is nothing upstream of the toilet. There is a vent stack after the toilet and before the toilet line drains into a longer 3" drain line.

The problem is, there does not seem to be room to lower the elbow, considering the vent stack won't budge down and I need to maintain the main drain slope (any idea what the minimum should be? 1/4" per foot?).

Are there any elbows made for a shorter clearance? Would it be better to go with a new 4" set up at the toilet?

 

[Jadnashua]

A 4" pipe would have a longer elbow,and probably be worse. Yes, you need in the order of 1/4"/ft slope of the line. You might be able to take out the T where it goes into the main stack and lower it. Can you post a picture?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[cekiv]

photo

Thanks for your suggestions. Here is a photo of the drain configuration. There appear to be a lot of collars and bends, etc. in a short distance! Making it more of a challenge to find a place to splice in.

 

[Mikey]

Did you ever resolve this? I'd probably have cut off the new flange so it would set deeper in the 90, and rest solidly on the floor.

 

[Randyj]

Replace the ell with a sanitary tee that has a cleanout plug on one end... then you can have plenty of slope & room to work.

 

[Terry]

Sometimes the shortest fitting is a street closet 90 and a 4" hub flange.
If needed, the hub can be cut to fit lower on the 90 bend.

 

[hj]

drain

A 4 x 3 spigot closet bend will glue onto the 3" pipe and have a 4" "pipe" riser that can be cut off at the floor line. The proper flange will slide over the spigot and rest on the floor.