Yuck, Help! Leaky Toilet Base
My four month old toilet seems to have sprung a leak and water is seeping onto the floor at one side of the base. I sort of don’t want to know, but I’m guessing that this can’t be clean water, although it doesn’t stink or anything. But needless to say, we want to repair it,…
My four month old toilet seems to have sprung a leak and water is seeping onto the floor at one side of the base. I sort of don’t want to know, but I’m guessing that this can’t be clean water, although it doesn’t stink or anything. But needless to say, we want to repair it, not least because it went on all summer while we were away, soaking the subfloor and I don’t want to end up having to replace the tiles and subfloor too. I’m having a hard time tracking down my contractor and might have to get a plumber in there to fix it. From reading on the web, it seems like it’s a broken wax seal. The bolts attaching the toilet are loose so i think it shimmied on the tile floor, causing the break. Any idea how big (i.e. expensive) a repair that is. Also, should the toilet NOT be on tiles to avoid this happening again?
Thanks for any advice!
In my experience, you will need plaster on a vinyl floor, since caulking won’t stick to it, but can use caulking on tile. If you have slate or marble over wood, don’t throw away the stone. You need it for stability.
Master Plumber:
Thank you for the insight regarding the use of plaster or grout. No harm though, just sort of old school? I would still think it would be better to opt for grout as caulk degrades – look at all the maintenance it requires around tubs, etc.
As for the line about advertising residential plumbing services on a website being a crime, since I advertise plumbing services on my website, I feel a little clarification is necessary here for the unknowing public: it is legal for a contractor to advertise and perform plumbing services such as repairs and the changing of fixtures in the City of New York so long as they do not perform alterations. This comes from the DOB. That said, I would never touch a gas line.
I always swore I’d stay out of these debates on here. Besides, I really don’t want to change a wax seal for someone other than an existing customer –
Steve
Steve,
Toilets used to be set in plaster because the plumbing was made of soft lead and it would help anchor the flange while granting some forgiveness to an uneven floor and subpar toilet casting.
These days, plumbing is most often made of cast iron or PVC with toilet flanges that are screwed into the floor. Many old lead bends have been replaced by sturdier materials over the years and some of today’s toilet flanges bear little or no resemblance to the traditional ones. Wax is being replaced with rubber push rings on advanced units like Toto.
Most often, a bead of waterproof caulk at the joint where the bowl meets the floor is all that is needed to keep outside water sources from getting under the bowl and reaching the floor/pipe penetration where it can do damage.
Plaster is no longer a necessity when installing a modern toilet fixture on decent plumbing.
It’s just one of those things some people keep on doing…like draining water out of a hose spigot on a new steam boiler.
…or advertising residential plumbing services on a website without a plumbing license (that’s actually a crime).
http://www.GatewayPlumbing.com
Let me reiterate:
it may be the wax seal.
It should be set on grout and grout should be placed around the base. If there is existing grout or plaster, it should be chipped away and removed. To attempt to set it on the old grout or use no grout at all would be inferior.
Anytime anything has been closed for a long time or has been worked on by someone unknown, you have a chance that something else is wrong. It happens all the time. A homeowner can do this, but should be prepared for other eventualities, including that the water valve to the tank will not close properly and that the flange height may be too low. To send someone into this without advising them of the potential pitfalls would not be fair.
Steve
if the plumbing that the toilet attaches to was installed properly, all you need is the wax seal.
Disagree with Steve the tinker.
I’m assuming you don’t want to do this yourself, but the wax seal is a couple of dollars. I’d go with the one that has the plastic funnel imbedded in it.
You can undo the bolts that hold down the toilet (+ shut the water valve and undo that hookup as well). Lift, clean out old wax and any other gunk around the hole, set wax, set toilet, and replace bolts. About 1/2 hour’s worth.
Good luck. BTW, ensuring the bolts are tight by checking it once in a while (rock the seat while you’re sitting on it since, umm, you’re sitting on it anyway, or go over it with a wrench) is good maintenance.
And wax seals must be periodially replaced so this is maintenance once the situation is corrected.
Ok, probably a wax seal. When they change that they should set the bowl on plaster or grout. After setting the bowl on the plaster or grout, they should grout around the edge to seal the gap between the floor and gap. I would recommend grout as the plaster tends to discolor. The bowl should not rock at all when they are done.
I would expect a plumber or drain company (a drain company should be quite capable as they remove bowls all the time) to charge about $250.00 to do this. The upside to having a real pro do this is if they get in there and find a damaged flange, they have the know how to fix this right.
Steve
Whoa, get a plumber in there asap unless you want to ruin your floors (plus if the seal is broken it will stink to high heaven).
They can replace a toilet in 30 minutes. If their minimum is $150, that’s what you’ll pay. Well worth it imho.
Yes the toilet should be directly on the tile. Tile is best.