Small leak at toilet base - bad wax ring?
- Thread starter Oro_O
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If the subfloor is wood the toilet may rock on the floor and eventually this breaks the seal at the wax ring. Greatly dependent on the type of toilet and how well it sits squarely on the flooring.
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
How does caulk "support" the toilet ? Caulking has no structural value. It's for appearance/looks only.
If it does leak, how is that leak detected ?
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
How does caulk "support" the toilet ? Caulking has no structural value. It's for appearance/looks only.
If it does leak, how is that leak detected ?
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
How does caulk "support" the toilet ? Caulking has no structural value. It's for appearance/looks only.
If it does leak, how is that leak detected ?
Toilets set on tile floors usually need some shimming due to unevenness of floor. Even with shimming, toilets can still have a little movement. Caulking into those gaps around the base does stabilize the toiler a bit. I caulk around, but leave the back open incase there is a leak it'll show up.
Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
My old school plumber always grouts around the toilet base. It helps support the toilet and stop movement while still allowing you to detect any leakage.
How does caulk "support" the toilet ? Caulking has no structural value. It's for appearance/looks only.
If it does leak, how is that leak detected ?
Toilets set on tile floors usually need some shimming due to unevenness of floor. Even with shimming, toilets can still have a little movement. Caulking into those gaps around the base does stabilize the toiler a bit. I caulk around, but leave the back open incase there is a leak it'll show up.
Originally Posted by double vanos
Just got done replacing a too small toilet with a one piece jobbie. I like it. I have heard it's code to caulk around the base but I recommend waiting a week or two before doing that just to make sure the wax ring sealed up good. If everything stays nice and tight and dry, then caulk it up. Having said that, none of my toilets are caulked at the base because if there's trouble I want to know right away. Caulk may conceal a wax ring failure which, as noted here can be disastrous.
I caulked around the base on mine, for the reason of keeping things cleaner.
I have a Ranch House and can check for leaks by going in the basement.
Another option would be to caulk ONLY the front and sides. Leave the back area caulk free.
Just got done replacing a too small toilet with a one piece jobbie. I like it. I have heard it's code to caulk around the base but I recommend waiting a week or two before doing that just to make sure the wax ring sealed up good. If everything stays nice and tight and dry, then caulk it up. Having said that, none of my toilets are caulked at the base because if there's trouble I want to know right away. Caulk may conceal a wax ring failure which, as noted here can be disastrous.
I caulked around the base on mine, for the reason of keeping things cleaner.
I have a Ranch House and can check for leaks by going in the basement.
Another option would be to caulk ONLY the front and sides. Leave the back area caulk free.
If the toilet is shimmed correctly it should be perfectly stable when subject to typical loads. Then the nuts on the closet bolts hold it down. If that's not sufficient you're doing something wrong.
That said a bead of caulk several feet long around the base will surely provide some additional resistance to movement. It has adhesive properties.
That said a bead of caulk several feet long around the base will surely provide some additional resistance to movement. It has adhesive properties.
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