Wierd plumbing issue...

[Mike (remove XX's to reply)]

My downstairs bathroom sits over a utility room in the basement, and you can see the pipes that go to and from the toilet in that room. A few months ago, I noticed water on the floor and thought I had a leak. So, I had my roommate go to the bathroom and flush. Here's what happened:

Toilet flush.... everything OK Tank starts filling.... starts leaking into the utiltiy room like crazy Tank completes filling.... leaking totally stops

I found it strange that the leak only occurred when the toiled tank was filling. Once it was full all leaking stopped. Since it did not leak during the flush, I assume that the water was clean. It seemed strange and didn't know how to diagnose it.

Any ideas?

It gets even more complicated:

So, I made that bathroom off limits until I could find a plumber (which I never did), but my roommate accidentally flushed the toliet there today. Since I was downstairs, I ran to check out the leaking. Well, guess what? No more leak. Now I'm really confused, and how am I going to ask a plumber to fix a leak that no longer exists?

I am asusuming that the leak stop is only temporary, either that or the plumbing gods have smiled on me. Any thoughts, ideas, or opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Mike

[effi]

possibility there is a hose that should be clamped onto the overflow tube in the tank, but the hose has become loose and is spraying water up and it's leaking out the top of the tank, try removing the cover and checking it

here's a diagram of what you should see inside the tank, the overflow tube is the second white rectangle from the left inside the blue area (tank water), the hose comes in from the top (and should be clamped onto the side of the overflow tube)...be careful putting pressure on the overflow tube, they can break easily at the base, requiring the whole assembly be replaced

[effi]

[tbasc]

happened:

strange

Well,

Since you can see everything... What is the starting point for the water?

TB

[willshak]

On 1/27/2005 1:34 AM US(ET), Mike (remove XX's to reply) took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

Here's a WAG. Have the roommate flush the toilet while he/she is standing, and then again while he/she is sitting on the toilet. If that makes a difference, it could be the wax seal that is leaking when the toilet is flushed without weight on the bowl, but doesn't leak when weighed down by someone. There could be a slight time delay between the flushing and when the water starts dripping.

[Mike (remove XX's to reply)]

When it leaks, the water wraps around the drain pipe to the sewer. At first I thought it was condensation, but there was too much water coming down.

flushed again today. Everything is OK. Maybe it is the toilet seal somehow, but it wouldn't make sense (would it?), since the intake line is away from the toilet.

Thanks,

Mike

[Mike (remove XX's to reply)]

I don't think that's it... there is no leaking in the bathroom itself, only beneath it.

Thanks,

Mike

[Mike (remove XX's to reply)]

Hmmm. interesting thought... that might just be it... Would it be possible to replace/repair this myself?

Thanks,

Mike