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  • #1

    Toilet leak problem...

    My second floor toilet was plugged up and the culprit, my wife, got busy and forgot to plunge it. So it remained plugged for 15 + minutes from what I understand, but this is a relatively new toilet installation approx 2 years old. Suddenly, the main floor right beneath the toilet began pouring water right from the ceiling. It wasn't a drip or dribble, my wife had to grab a bucket and filled it before she got the water turned off. So I removed the toilet and the wax seal looked okay. The phalange and plywood was intact, dry with no signs of a slow leak type problem. The PVC does elbow immediately below the phalange but I saw no signs of a real loose junction there. The toilet sits on tile, could we just have a wax ring that is too shallow? I didn't inspect the toilet to see if there was a leak elsewhere, but I did flush it again after the overflow and before I took it apart and no leaking that was noticeable. It appears to be related to the overflow and pressure buildup I guess from letting the blockage sit there for 15 + minutes. Any ideas on what this could be???????????????
    Thanks in advance!
    Mike
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  • #2
    the flange for the toilet is supposed to sit ABOVE the finish floor. The toilet itself has a recess that the wax ring sits in around the outlet. how much below the tile is your closet flange?

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    • #3
      Did the toilet overflow onto the floor?
      I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
      Now I can Plumb!

      For great information on the history of sanitary sewers including the use of Redwood Pipe
      Visit http://www.sewerhistory.org/
      Did you know some Redwood Pipe is still in service today.

      Comment

      • #4
        The phalange is definitely not above the tile. The top is of the phalange is flush with the bottom of the tile so a good let's say 1/2 inch below it. No water leaked out onto the floor. I was standing in the bathroom after I unclogged the toilet and the only signs of this downward flood was the sound... We looked at each other and were like, what is that noise?? Thanks again everyone for there help!
        Mike

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        • #5
          It sounds like your flange is sitting a little low. The easiest fix is a plastic spacer ring and a thick wax ring -- I like the kind with a rubber spout. I'd also use a little bit of sillicon caulk between the ring and the flange to get a good seal.

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          • #6
            That sounds like a solution I can still implement myself, which is great. When you get a layperson such as myself, I fear the worst aka most expensive. This forum and the collective expertise is valuable and I am very appreciative for your time! I will keep you posted on the outcomes....
            Mike
            Last edited by michaelemery; 03-29-2011, 08:59 PM.

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            • #7
              I was thinking about it today...what do people do who redo the bathroom and replace the thin linoleum with the thicker tile? Do they add the spacer ring and thick wax ring? Or something else? I can't imagine they would perform a more drastic installation like cutting out/replacing PVC.....We have a bathroom that we did the floor with linoleum and we are planning on doing tile later on down the road and I want to avoid this kind of problem again of course. Thanks for all feedback and replies!!!!!!!
              Mike

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              • #8
                The right way is to install a new flange on top of the finished floor.

                The acceptable way is to install spacers to bring the flange up to the right height.

                The way it is usually done by the tile guy and sure to leak in the future requiring a new floor is to use 2 wax rings... This is the way the tile guys usually do it...
                I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
                Now I can Plumb!

                For great information on the history of sanitary sewers including the use of Redwood Pipe
                Visit http://www.sewerhistory.org/
                Did you know some Redwood Pipe is still in service today.

                Comment

                • #9
                  I'd like to do it the right way i.e. bring the flange up as we are planning on staying at this house for 10 + years. If the cost isn't too excessive that is. I know adding spacers is probably the cheapest, what would I be looking at to extend the flange up would you think?

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                  • #10
                    A lot more when considered after the fact.

                    Without seeing the pipe and being there to access everything there really isn't a way to say. Does the pipe have room and flex to move or, is it to rigid? You will probably need access from underneath so that ceiling would be included in the price as well.
                    I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
                    Now I can Plumb!

                    For great information on the history of sanitary sewers including the use of Redwood Pipe
                    Visit http://www.sewerhistory.org/
                    Did you know some Redwood Pipe is still in service today.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      It is somewhat flexible. When I try to look at the flange I notice there are 4 screws....two that were installed from the top down and two that were installed from the bottom up. With the fact the toilet is on the second level and the fact that the main level is of course finished, I couldn't remove the flange even if I wanted to without cutting through the main floor ceiling. I am thinking we will do the plastic spacer/thick wax ring at this time. As long as that is acceptable i.e. will prevent a leakage occurrence then I can live with it. Thanks for the feedback and all further ideas/expertise are always welcome. I will keep you posted also.

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                      • #12
                        Well here is where I'm at (this is for my benefit, and anyone who is not an expert reading this post to avoid redundancy). I placed in the plastic spacer ring in. I bought what appears to be a new kind with a black foam ring on the bottom from Lowe's. It's advertised "no caulk needed". I still used caulk though at the interface of the floor/flange and flange/spacer. Used the additional screw holes on the perimeter to bolt the plaster ring down more securely into place onto the flange and plywood. Actually had to drill the two holes into the spacer to line it up approp with the existing holes in the flange. Added a "heavy duty" commercial type jumbo wax ring and pushed it all into place. Fit smoothly and level. Will turn the water on in a couple hours, just letting the caulk dry for a bit. I'll let you know if I blow the house up (=

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