A puddle flange can be installed by anyone familiar with basic plumbing skills.
You don't have to be a waterproofing specialist or a plumber to install a puddle flange your bathroom floor. But, it does require the use of a sealant which must be applied to both the toilet and the flange, so this may limit who can install it.
The first step is to determine why the puddle flange is leaking. Your best bet is to turn off the water supply to the fixture and then flush it, seeing if the leak persists or goes away. If it goes away, then you know that the toilet is leaking on the floor and not the puddle flange. If the leak continues after a flush, it is a sign that your puddle flange has a problem. You may need assist of a plumber to waterproof your bathroom floor.
A puddle flange is a ring that's used in various forms of plumbing to connect the pipework.
It's an integral part of the drain system
They're usually used for low-pressure drain systems (up to 15 bar)
It secures a strong joint in a compact space and is adaptable with different types of pipework
Construction materials are resistant to corrosion and heat, which save the pipe from damage
Common raw materials to make these products are cast iron or malleable iron; stainless steel; copper; CPVC/polyester resin both cast and reinforced; PP/polypropylene plastic including blue plastic for potable cold water service.
Puddle flanges can be attached with a coupler, however sometimes you need to hold the flange in place while tightening which is where cover plates come in. They're fitted coverings that are screwed on and tightened so they stop the puddle ring from shifting or slipping on the pipe.
You also use them when there's no threaded area to attach your couplers onto. Cover plates can be used with either cast iron or malleable iron rings and don't interfere with the system's waterproofing but do ensure it runs smoothly and efficiently without any leakage. It is a pretty basic task for a plumber.Make sure that the wall behind the pipe will support its weight
Hold the ring in place using expansion bolts or spring clips, or attach it to its support structure
Fit the cover plate over the ring, making sure that it's seated securely on both sides of the wall
Fasten by tightening with a spanner or socket wrench
The flange gives the 'bridge' installing the waterproofing from the floor substrate to the waste pipe. This is an important area where the membrane may collapse because of the change between construction materials.
No, according to many plumbers. They are made to work on walls with wood or metal studs inside them. If you have a concrete wall or tiles behind your toilet, it will be difficult for the ring to stay in place without something holding it up from behind.
Aside from the actual ring itself, you'll need the below.
A rubber mallet or wooden hammer
Drill with bits that fit the expansion bolts/spring clips/screws
Tape measure
Socket wrenches for tightening down the cover plates/nuts/bolts
Expanding foam if your bathroom has masonry walls
There are three basic kinds of puddle flanges.
This one is designed to place on top of the subfloor and under the bathroom floor areas. It's used for joining heating pipes together filled with water, air or steam. This kind of puddle ring is made out of cast iron or malleable iron, but can also be found in stainless steel, copper or plastic construction.
This type is only suitable if you're doing a flush installation system which means that it uses gravity to deliver water into your home through sanitary pipe and storm drains. The ring itself will go underneath the tiling where it's been installed together. Raised floor puddle flange rings are manufactured from copper or steel that is either galvanised or stainless steel.
This type of ring only works with a system that uses condensation and hot water to heat your home. While there's a weatherproof seal between all the joints, these rings also have an air gap underneath them to dissipate humidity which can cause corrosion if not properly installed.
No, never. Puddle flange rings are designed to be fastened in place so they won't come apart or slip. So, you need strong connectors like expansion bolts and screws that attach the cover plates to the concrete wall. There's no point trying to glue them together because there's nothing for the glue to grip onto besides dirt and dust. It also won't help with insulation since it will block airflow around the ring if you try using silicon sealant or expanding foam instead of a connector. Finally, installing a flange incorrectly to the waste pipe can cause leakage too, so always check your waterproofing project before finishing the installation. Then you can turn on your heating system again without any risk of damaging your floor and avoid calling a plumber for help.
Bond breakers are generally placed on all corners edges, upturns, cracks, or changes in substrate. They customarily consist of neutral-cure silicone and is a critical aspect of an effective waterproofing installation. However, often they are underestimated in a bathroom waterproofing installation. They are extremely important to the membrane.
The shower should have a puddle flange butt depends on what kind of shower drain you have and what installation method you're choosing.
If you have water coming in from below the floor, however, then it's probably not a good idea to go with plastic or ceramic tiles without something underneath them to keep them safe and prevent leakage.
In fact, puddle flanges are designed specifically for these repairs which is why they're made just large enough to catch any drips before they can cause mould or rot behind your tile walls after repeated exposure to steam and humidity during every shower.
If this is an upper or suspended floor, the floor waste should also have a puddle flange.
If your bathroom has masonry concrete walls that can't support puddle flanges or expansion bolts, then you can do other kinds of brackets to keep your tiles in place. However, you should be aware that tile backsplashes over concrete walls can be very weak too and might require some kind of reinforcement like lath or chicken wire before the new backer board is installed behind them.
It's best to remember that proper preparation starts at the installation stage with any floor waterproofing project. For more information on plumbing, and the various codes and standards, take a look at the Plumbing Code of Australia.