If you find that sitting on your home’s porcelain throne produces a wobbling, shaking or creaking back and forth, it’s a sign your water closet needs repairs. Left unrepaired, a wobbly toilet base can cause the seal to break and leak water, which can damage the bathroom’s floor and subfloor.

Whether your toilet wobbles due to an uneven floor, an incorrect installation or unseen damage, the problem may be solved by performing one or more of the following:

• Tighten the mounting bolts. Over time, the nuts and bolts that secure the tank to the toilet’s base can become loose and create the wobbling sensation you experience. The wobbling may also be attributed to the mounting bolts that secure the toilet base to the floor. If either set are loose, tightening them may stop the wobble.
• Even it out. If the toilet is mounted unevenly to the floor, installing shims made from slabs of rubber or silicone may solve the problem. Available at a local hardware store, installing these components may require unmounting the toilet and re-installing it (see below) with the shims in place. Once secured, silicone caulking may be necessary to prevent the toilet from leaking water.
• Re-install the toilet. Similar to the above, if the toilet is wobbly and leaking, it may not be mounted flush to the floor or the seal at the base has been broken. This solution is probably best left to a professional, but if you’re confident in your abilities, turn off the water supply and remove the toilet and remount it, ensuring that the drain line is covered. The wax seal may also need to be replaced.
• Replace the toilet. An old, unsteady toilet may also be an eyesore and an inefficient water fixture. Having a licensed plumber replace your toilet with a new one can help ensure it is installed correctly and reduce your home’s water use.

Ready to tackle your home’s toilet trouble? If you’re uncomfortable with DIY solutions, hiring a licensed New York City or tri-state area plumber is likely the best way to ensure a proper and permanent solution to the problem.