The first "can't live without" utility that comes to my mind is the toilet. How glad I am to live now in the 21st century instead of three hundred years ago when people still used outhouses.

One thing every homeowner should know is how to install a toilet. This will help save you money on having to call in a plumber if you need to replace the existing toilet in your bathroom. If you are building a new home, you must know where you are going to place the toilet in the bathroom.

The best type of toilet to buy is one of the newer models on the market that is all in one piece. This is because this toilet is easier to clean. They are also more water efficient because of the smaller water tank.

When you start to install the toilet in a new home, you first have to cut the hole in the floor. The hole must be cut to accommodate the size of the floor flange and the size of the toilet. A floor flange is what the toilet fastens on to and it also fastens to the drainpipe leading to the septic tank. You do have to make sure this flange is fastened solidly to the floor. Then there are two brass bolts that hook into the flange to keep the toilet in place.

After you have completed this step, install a wax seal on the bottom of the toilet. Some wax seals come with a little plastic seal because they fit better into the floor flange and this helps to prevent any leaking from occurring. Once you have the wax seal in place, you lower the toilet straight onto the two bolts making sure they come through the holes in the sides of the toilet. Then you put the washers and nuts on the bolts and screw them down to the floor tightly. You have to do this from side to side because if you tighten one side securely first before you start on the other side, you could crack the toilet making it unusable. If you have a toilet with the flush box separate, then you install the flush box and hook up the water and test for leaks.

You will have to tighten the nuts and bolts a few times after you use the toilet because the wax seal tends to settle. This will help keep the toilet in place.