We noticed some water on our bathroom floor the other day. At first I thought I splashed some water around while shaving. My wife noticed that it seemed to be coming from under the toilet.
On December of last year we had just gotten a new toilet. Can't be the toilet.
We figured out that the wax ring was leaking.
On Tuesday, after a trip to the YMCA and while we were down out of the mountains and in town, we stopped at Lowe's to pick up a new wax ring.
Instead they had a newfangled silicone seal that's supposed to be far superior to the old fashioned wax ring.
Today we went to install it.

Keeping in mind that because of a peripheral motor nerve condition I have weakness in both of my hands. My right hand being nearly useless. My wife doesn't allow me to help wash the crockery because of this. We figured the toilet's like one big hunk of crockery and my wife'd havta do the lifting.
I'm glad she's a sturdy strong Italian.
I did the unbolting and disconnecting of the water supply and she yanked it up offa the floor.

In our bathroom the toilet's held down to the flange with lag bolts going into the floor rather than having studs coming up from the flange with a coupla nuts holding the toilet down.

We finally got it all lined up and bolted down.

So far the floor's still dry.

There is a town plumber that's very good and gets lotsa work. We thought we'd try to do the job ourselves first and save a few bucks on a service call.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Wayne—I have been having the same issue. We have tile floors in our bathroom and I think that makes the problem worse. There is no “give” on that hard ceramic tile when those of “more to love” size (like me) have a seat and I think it squishes the wax. But that is just my guess.

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Possum—The other white meat!

Awsome. I bought a new toliet from Lowes this will be my 1st installation too in our cottage on back side of property

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Spin The Wheel

Sounds like you did a fine job. Dry -R- Good.

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Just a shooter

With three grandkids under roof, I stay prepared:

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

we needed a new toilet in one of the bathrooms and purchased one at Lowes.... the sales guy suggested a reinforced jumbo wax ring, got that too, lowes has installers that will pick up your purchase at the store, bring everything out to the house, haul away the old toilet, install the new one.....my kind of sales transaction...

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There's nowt so queer as folk

I think I need the jumbo wax ring!

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Possum—The other white meat!

Dunno how many toilets I installed over the years,maybe 1000,but I always liked the jumbo wax seals with the plastic thingy that extended inside the flange.Havent done one in ten years now-woohoo!!

No no problems with toilets here but I did have a leaky wall that just got fixed! Quality construction from 1996. Apparently they forgot or decided not to install underlayment between the plywood and the siding all the way down. Instead they just randomly put it on and at the top of the window..... instead of cutting off the extra they just folded it up and stapled, creating a nice pocket for water!!

Then when the main windows got caulked we found this on the upstairs windows

Check out those gaps that were never sealed!!! I can put my pinky all the way through those gaps

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I took the plunge and read this whole thread. Now I feel drained, and I look a little flushed.

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Just pretend this is witty.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Those new sealing rings are great-we used one not too long ago-beats those nasty sticky suckers made of wax.

Biggest mistake you can make is use the wax ring and the
hardware pack that comes with new toilet kits. The wax ring is
of poor quality and bolts, both T & tank are plated steel. After
a short period of time they will rust and are a major job to get
out later for repairs. The better wax rings are messy because
they are good wax. I always use the oversize wax ring, the
Mucho Grande size. I also buy brass Tbolts & tank bolts. If you
have broken flange and have to use the lag type studs instead
of T bolts thet sell a flange repair that is a heavy stamping.
Costs $10. It allows you to screw it to floor with at least 4
Screws( that get you away from soft wood caused by leaking
wax ring and permits you to use Tbolts. If toilet isn't on flat
even surface it will eventually leak even if put in tight. If you
have this problem they sell plastic wedge shims to level them
out. I find the waxless seal really works well if you have a
very solid drain and solid level floor.

Good thread.
Been putting off swapping the thrones because while no leakage
the studs from the floor to the base are iffy. Also the reduced flush
now sold makes me hesitate... short run but old iron pipe.

I just replaced a toilet and glad I listened to the salesman. He recommended a taller toilet, (It has some special name which I don't recall) but is sure makes it a lot easier getting up if you a tall person like me.

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Bill

These are a HUGE help if you have back problems.

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Possum—The other white meat!

If you have a short run cut off cast iron and go plastic. You can
use a Fernco adapter to make transition. They sell the "tall boys"
now that will flush a bucket of golf balls. $200 range for good
ones.

Just finished (last week) the first of three bathroom remodels (main bath). We replaced the toilet with a Jacuzzi brand (higher & elongated)== the guy at Lowe's told us to use two wax rings because of the design. Not a problem. Also, new piping for shower, tiled floor and shower walls, wainscoting, etc.

The basement bathroom had puddled water but the gasket between tank and bowl was leaking. We turned the water off as we were planning on replacing the toilet (using the master bath toilet from upstairs). Everything fine for two weeks=then 1/2 inch of water. Called a plumber and he found it was the kitchen sink drain (50 year old iron pipes) had rusted out and leaked downstairs. Then the main bath plugged up!

As of yesterday, everything is "OK". Get the shower curtain up in the main bath and I can start demo in the master bath this weekend. Plumber will install a new walk-in shower just before Thanksgiving, then drywall repair, paint and tile. Then new wood floor in master bedroom and I'll tackle the downstairs bath.

All this so I can retire in a couple of years (if the house doesn't kill me first!).

BTW: I have found the way to do plumbing is one piece at a time! Install a piece, go to Lowe's/HD for the next part, repeat as needed.

The guys at Lowe's always know when I'm doing plumbing==I come in every hour or so, all day!

I'm thinkin' that if we ever need to move that toilet again, I'll get one of those flange repair kits.
Now that I know what's under there, I'll have a better idea of what I'll need to repair it.

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Keep on Chooglin'

On our new toilet, one quick push gives a low volume flush and holding the lever down empties the tank and it takes a good big swallow.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I'm only 5' 8" but having a peripheral motor nerve condition makes certain things kinda challenging.
I refused to use a seat extender (that's for handicapped people) but when we replaced our toilet I did want one that was taller and oval shaped. My wife likes it better too.

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Keep on Chooglin'

That's the thing about living in a small town in the mountains of West Virginia.
Nothing's really "local" in the generally accepted way.
Out here local's less than 35 miles away.

When we bought this old house, We had to chase blockages and leaks. Eventually, we collected some plumbing supplies we think we may need some day. Including a drain snake and heavy duty sewer rod.
I have had to replace all the under sink drains and I keep a selection of gaskets handy along with toilet guts and a coupla extra flappers.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Oh, yeah. A friend's dad just died and he was a maintenance mechanic at a local plant (Alcoa?). We hosted a yard sale and the daughter gave us all the remaining tools. I got about $1000+ in sockets, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc and a big Craftsmen roll away=all quality stuff. I have separate tool boxes of specialty tools, including plumbing and electrical "stuff". Just had to get a bigger one for the plumbing tools (weighs ~30 lbs now), plus a wooden gun crate of pre-cut pipes, etc. Never know...........

Have put 710 miles on the car since Sunday evening. Sitting here drinking coffee and having lunch. This thread! My my my my my! Got a 5 p.m. meeting with a senior adult Sunday School class. Don't know if I can keep a straight face! Couple of Sunday mornings ago I was leading the Communion Service. Right during the Apostles Creed, a little girl let out a high pitched blast that echoed throughout the sanctuary. It was all I could do to keep from laughing. Everyone and I do mean everyone was looking around. Some had their head down in their hymnal! That little toot was a real hoot! Totally changed the atmosphere of the service. Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

We replaced our thrones with American Standard, Champion "4" models. Their increased height and 4" flush opening is easy on the back and we have yet to have a toilet back up or become plugged. However, I have never tried to flush 20 golf balls simultaneously as they bear no resemblance to what normally exits my south end.

We just installed one of those American standard toilets that flushes golf balls. She sounds like a after burner. I watch my grandson just incase I see his shoes sticking out of the toilet. Lol. You never know with this kind of power. The misses picked it out when we remodeled the bathroom. The old toilet the cycle timing was off. But this one don't be sitting on it when it flushes.

I wonder what Al Bundys brand of toilet was?

The mighty Ferguson.

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Keep on Chooglin'

this is the brand and type we just had installed..........it came with the best features and warranty over other types and works great every time.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

When my brother remodeled his place, he made a road trip to Canada. Apparently there is big business selling thrones that actually flush to Americans.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Don't you guys miss the older, inefficient toilets where you can watch your waste matter doing mesmerizing victory laps before struggling to finally exit but always leaving a little something behind, requiring a second flush?

The water saver toilets are a joke, they may require less water
to flush, but that doesn't compute when you have to flush 3
times to get the job done.
The ultimate competition style toilet is the Hi-rise-2 speed flush.
You got to becareful buying some of the gimmicks because the
running gears can be expensive. Worse if discontinued parts
can be hard to find.

Ahhhh.......the XP1000 . Comes with five point harness and foot rest as an option if I remember correctly.

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Forum consigliere

Then there's the one's with the pressurized tank. They sound like a jet taking off when you flush. They work well, but VERY loud. Get the new Super Sucker 2000 from Armenian Substandard! Stand clear when flushing for your own protection. Wouldn't want to lose any body parts.

Seriously, to those who disdain low flush toilets - times have changed. The early ones were terrible, but newer designs flush better than the old toilets you are so in love with. We have Vitra commercial grade toilets in this house - made in Turkey, I think. They are excellent flushers, but not fancy designer looking units.

In my previous home I had to replace a 1970s toilet (cracked bowl) with a low flush Kohler bought because my wife liked its design. What a piece of junk that was. Wouldn't flush anything - but that was 20 years ago.

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Or something like that . . .

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I was thinking of incorporating a toilet in to a Lazy Boy chair,
with a built in beer cooler and snack storage. The recent issues
in the NFL has killed this as a viable concept as a money maker.

Snubby,
I installed 3 toilets over the last 18 months (one just last Saturday) and used the green silicone Sani-seal Ring too - they work GREAT! I did put a bead of Silicone Magic-lube ll (used on O-Rings and for swimming pool seal applications - not like GE Silicone because it never cures but always remains very sticky) on the top between the seal and the bottom of the toilet (as insurance) since the cast porcelain will always have some minor lines or roughness cast into it. Not necessary according to the instructions but I just like the extra insurance. They are re-positionable if need be (unlike wax which you only get one shot with) and are much thicker so you never have to double up on the wax rings. I actually bought an extra one last week just to keep in my inventory - for either for myself or a neighbor if an emergency creeps up. Well worth the $10 bucks and I'm DONE with wax!

PS: Hope you also used Plaster of Paris to "set:" the toilet. The Braided Supply Lines are also very good! PS: The BIGGEST mistake some guys make is they "Gorilla tighten" the Johnny Bolts...... Crrraaacckk.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Didn't know 'bout the Plaster of Paris thing. Fortunately the toilet sits good and solid.
We're gonna redo our bathroom floor and I might just get a proper flange repair kit when we pull the toilet.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Our toilets will work ok for a while, then something will go wrong with one or both of them. I can't seem to get a flapper chain that won't stretch or kink and get hung up. I was getting water on the floor and i figured that the overflow wasn't fast enough and allowed it to overflow the rim. We've been here about 35 years and they have been a constant battle.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Back in my early days and when I went to trade school plumbing was part of the curriculum. Later in time it was separated into its own course. I went the route of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
Now since my teacher always used cutting by hand cast iron soil pipe as a punishment I decided not too long into the school term I wanted nothing to do with plumbing!
Too this day after serving as Building Engineers and as a Chief Building Engineer I still do not want anything to do with plumbing......
My solution to plumbing problems? Call a Plumber!

ALWAYS use Plaster of Paris just prior to setting the toilet down. Not only do you get an air tight seal, but more importantly the toilet will NEVER rock, move, or put uneven stress on the Johnny Bolts.

Take the toilet and dry fit it. Trace with a pencil around the perimeter of the bowl so you know exactly where to put plaster. When you have everything in place and are ready to rock, mix up Paster of Paris (you need to work relatively quickly as the plaster dries fast) dab all around the inside of the pencil line and place toilet on top. After tightening the Johnny Bolts, use your finger to remove and smooth out the Plaster that protrudes from the fixture to leave a nice even bead. Not only will you have a perfectly seated toilet that wont rock, move or shift but you will also seal the toilet from water going underneath when you mop the floor. Sounds complicated but in reality it's very easy!

Drip pan, ice bucket and you're all set.

The last thing I can say on the subject is the pros and cons of
sealing a toilet to the floor with chalk or plaster of Paris. It will
seal toilet from water going under it. The problem with doing this
is it will trap any leakage from toilet under it. This can allow the
leakage to go undetected until you have a major problem. A
small leak can go undetected for a long time. To the point you
have rotted out flooring material to replace. This is especially
true in houses that have toilets over craw spaces or in locations
that you would not see that you had a leak from underneath.
Second floor locations will show up fast when it leaks through
ceiling. I would rather have the leak show up on bathroom floor
than have to repair a ceiling. I manage a lot of rentals, most are
houses built back in 20s & 30s. Toilets are common problem
I average one a month in rentals. I will not put a 50yr old toilet
back in when seal fails. Many times the cast iron flanges are bad.
I find these had been seeping for years, just enough to keep them wet. The leak was not detected until it was bad enough to
put water on the floor. So use your judgement whether you
want to seal the toilet to the floor.

In theory - - - maybe, but in reality I've had a few leaks in the past and the water leaking quickly makes its way right through the Plaster. Plaster is not hard to penetrate when constantly attacked by water. Believe me, when you have a gas leak it will penetrate right through Plaster as will water in very short order.

The other great thing I like about using Plaster of Paris is that for ANY reason should you choose to remove the toilet (remodeling, new floor, new toilet, etc) all that is necessary is a few slaps from your palm and the Plaster is quickly released (with no harm to fixture) as it is not a strong seal.

I would NEVER use Silicone sealant as it is very strong and would be a royal pain to break that seal.

I've NEVER seen a Professional Plumber install a toilet without using Plaster and if it's good enough for them I guess it's good enough for me too.

Been thinkin' on this. Coulda been that the toilet rocked ever so slightly and this caused the wax ring to fail and leak.
I used to sculpt, make molds, cast foam latex, slush mold latex and expanding polyurethane foam. Making and airbrushing masks.
I think I have some Ultracal 30 mold making plaster, I could use some of that after we put a new floor in our bathroom.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Snubby: I admire your Guts & Grit! Both of you! You keep a chugging!

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It's The Carbonaro Effect!

This thread reminds me why I like my "OUT HOUSE" so much, never replaced a wax ring, and never had a leak!

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I am the Majority
How about u

What ARE y’all eatin’ up there in Ohio?

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet