clogplumbingtoilet
When I was lifting off the old toilet a large chunk of plumbers putty/clay fell in the opening. (There was a huge amount under the toilet, and no wax that I could see.)
I tried using a vacuum to get it out and that just pushed it in deeper. I tried a "claw" extension grabber thingy, but it couldn't hold it.
Now it's deep enough I can barely see it.
What should I do?
I found this 2 part video on YouTube that helped me understand what to do.
I ended up cutting off the top of the flange with a PVC pipe cable saw. I then used a mini hacksaw to cut some segments into the fitting and wedged the pieces out. After removing 2 small parts of the ring, the rest just wedged right out without much effort. I cut down the pipe to be flush with the floor using a pull saw. I put a level down and found the concrete was not level around the pipe. I used a rub brick and the mini hacksaw, which I could angle to cut the inside of the pipe, to get the pipe and surrounding concrete truly level with the rest of the floor. This took a while.
When I finally got it level, I put in a Twist N Set Closet Flange. I drilled 4 pilot holes and put in concrete screws. The toilet is now level and not going anywhere. Now I just have to fix my guest bathroom which has the exact same problem. At least I got a good deal on the house.
The flange should sit on top of the finished floor, if it doesn't you'll have to modify the plumbing or find another way to achieve this.
Notice in this image how the toilet waste pipe sits just inside the flange opening, this is the proper way for a toilet to sit on a flange. Even without a wax ring, this union is not likely to leak under normal circumstances (I'm not recommending a wax ring not be used).
Some folks recommend using a thicker wax ring, or even doubling up wax rings. The problem with this, is that you end up with a waste pipe made from wax. Now this might hold up, but more than likely it's eventually going to fail, and leak.
If you have access to the flange from below, you might be able to modify the plumbing to make the flange sit atop the floor. In most cases, however, this is not an option.
There are adapters available, that solve this exact problem. The Set-Rite Toilet Flange Extender Kit; described in the answers to this question, Comes with different size spacers, which allows it to compensate for various sized offsets.
Best Answer
Try a bent wire coat hanger to pierce and hook the putty. If you can't, does water still seem to drain? I would pour some water down there slowly to see if it's draining properly. You could even try boiling water which might make the putty more malleable and help flush it down.
Ultimately, if it's draining I don't think you need to worry about it. Just think about all the other things that get flushed down the toilet.