toilet only leaks when plunged

[Heathcliff]

Downstairs toilet got plugged - took the plunger to it a few times, let it sit overnight, then tried it again, and now it is clear. When I was plunging I noticed some water leaking out from underneath the base. Now that it is clear it seems to flush fine with no visible leaking. My lazy side says, it doesn't leak now so why mess it with it. My anal side says since it leaked, that means water found (or made) a path through the wax seal and I should take the toilet up and reset it. Does the leakage mean there is something wrong that needs to be fixed? This is on a concrete and tile floor so there is no worry about rotting the floorboards. --H

[Ed Pawlowski]

When plunging, you built up a little pressure around the seal and forced the water out. Under normal circumstances, it may go for many years and you never see a leak because there is no pressure and a clear flow of the water.

I'd be kind of on the lazy side about it. If leakage occurs during normal use, yes, fix it. Oh, the water in the bowl acts as a trap for sewer gasses too, but it that had not been a problem, let the laziness begin.

[gfretwell]

The fix is pretty easy. There is a wax ring under the toilet, you just, turn off the water, flush, disconnect the water line, remove the

2 nuts, and lift it out. Scrape out all the old wax, drop in a new wax ring and reassemble. They usually fail because the toilet is rocking. Shim it up so it sits level and tighten up the nuts.

[Sjouke Burry]

Only if your nose is up to it. Smelly fumes will leak out along the same path as the water did.

[TimR]

It isn't terribly difficult, but it isn't all that easy either.

First, a wax ring is only about $3, so buy two. Your first time, sometimes you break it. Also, they're really really sticky.

But that isn't what is hard. What's hard is you have to lift the toilet up and work underneath it. That means you have to shut off the water (hope your angle stop works. Mine do on all the toilets but some of the sinks don't shut off fully.)

Then you either unbolt the toilet from the floor and lift the whole thing (heavy, awkward, hard to grab, and nowhere to set it), or you have to take off the tank first (that's what I do usually) and those nuts are probably rusted on, given the wet conditions in a bathroom. There's a rubber gasket between the tank and the bowl and I replace that at the same time just to save another potential disassembly.

[krw]

Let Ed take care of them. He seems to do a good job.

[Bob Villa]

I would, most likely, leave it. If you need to fix it use one of these:

[Heathcliff]

Follow-up: It leaked again. The pattern seemed to be that it would flush once or twice fine, but then the third time it would back up, indicating a downstream clog. So I took it up and used my cheapo home snake on the drain. Then the laundry sink was having drain problems too - indicating the clog was beyond the junction of those drain lines, i.e. the main line to the street. Time to call the plumbers. They snaked it out, took out some roots, and the problem is solved. I reset the toilet no problem - have done that a few times before. Thanks for all the tips -- H

[Michael B]

Roots? Time to find out about COPPER SULFATE.

[hallerb]

Nope go get some rock salt, it will kill the roots:) while leaving the tree unharmed.

Plus its CHEAP:)

just do it a few times a year:)

dissolve rock salt or softener salt in hot water, put down drain and leave for day. so the roots get more salt exposure time