Leaky toilet

[Pdk Pdk]

A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet where it connects to the floor. This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is, and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed. Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base. Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call a plumber? Thanks.

[cshenk]

"Pdk Pdk" wrote

Your wax ring has gone bad and caulking the base will only trap the water into the floorboards so it leaks to the ceiling below. Sorry. If you can't lift the toilet and replace the seat, you'll ned to get a handyman. This is a simple one most handymen can do. True plummer rates not required.

To protect yourself now, yu should turn off the water tot he taiolet and use a different one (I assume 2 as this one is upstairs).

[Frank]

That would be my advice. I tried one toilet placement and overtightened and cracked the toilet. Now I leave it to the plumber.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmm, How old is it? Every bolts tight? Nothing loose around tank or base. Lastly wax ring may need replacement.

[stan]

Agree: Assuming it is a conventional North American style toilet! Possible causes:

1) Leaky wax ring/seal under toilet base. Note 1. 2) Slight (do not overtighten*) hold-down bolts on base (and or damaged ring that bolts hook into on end of pipe). 3) Condensation on the toilet running down to the base. 4) Slightly loose bolts (do not overtighten*) that hold tank portion on to base. 5) Deteriorated seal where the water tank fits against the base. It is typical 'handyman' job. We are not a plumber but have installed and maintained every toilet we have (and replaced) had since 1958. But if one does not have the tools and the know-how get someon to investigate. But make sure you agree wth the diagnosis and the cause. DO NOT just caulk against the floor

[Roger Shoaf]

I would agree that the wax ring seal is probably the culprit, but I had my fill valve develop a crack once where there was a slight leak and after replacing the wax ring, then replacing the supply line I finally discovered the crack in the fill valve. Kick-self time!

[tom]

Yep, either a leak from the wax ring, fill valve or tank/bowl gasket, a cracked bowl or tank or the hold down bolts in the tank. Simple, huh? Tom

[mm]

I don't get that. After the toilet is used, a leaky wax ring would let some water flow out, but after a few hours wouldn't it all have flowed out, after a few more woudn't everything have dried out. If he doesn't use the toilet for a couple days, wouldn't it dry out completely. OTOH, the tank is always full of water and if it's leaking it could leak forever, getting refilled automatically when it gets low.

Afawk, he's only gone overnight without using it. Shouldn't he let it sit for a few days to see whether it leaks even then, or if it dries up, like it seems to me it would if the ring were leaking.

[John]

I was looking around for something in the crawl space and I was on my back in a narrow area of the crawl space when my head hit a small puddle of water on the plastic. It smelled gross. I looked up and realized that I was directly under the toilet. Oh gross! The toilet must be leaking.

I turned off the water supply to the toilet and flushed the toilet to empty it out and decided to look at it the next day. There was more water on the floor. I dried up the floor and came back a bit later and the floor was wet again.

I got out a bright flashlight and found the real cause of the problem. The shut off valve was slowly leaking. Ironic, isn't it? I turned off the water supply to the house and replaced the shut off valve. Case closed.