Toilet wax rings & seals - leak repair guide:

Here we explain how to detect and repair loose, leaky toilet base seals - why the wax ring seal is critical for sanitary toilet function and how to spot and fix a leak. We explain how to diagnose and repair problems with toilets, leaks, flushes, odors, noises, running and wasted water.

Our page top photo shows ugly staining in a toilet bowl - strong evidence that this toilet has been running, wasting water, possibly flooding the septic system, and sometimes giving bad flush performance as well. Details are below.This article series discusses the cause, diagnosis, and repair of toilet problems (water closet problems) such as a toilet that does not flush well, clogged toilets, slow-filling toilets, running toilets, loose wobbly toilets, and odors at leaky toilets.

Odors in Bathrooms Traced to Leaky Toilet Seals or Loose Toilets

Clogged, partly clogged, slow drains or a partly-blocked, failing drainfield can also cause odors when the surge of water from the washer causes a gas backup in the system.

We discuss how to track down the source of sewer gas or septic odors at SEWER GAS ODORS.

Also see DIAGNOSE CLOGGED DRAINS for more detailed advice along that problem path.

But often we have traced a sewer gas odor in a building to two types of toilet drain connection and leak problems

• Loose toilets - if your toilet wobbles on the floor 
  
  it is unsafe and unsanitary.
  
  The wobbling has compressed the wax ring intended to seal the toilet to the waste pipe, permitting sewer gases to enter the building at the toilet base, and risking leaks of sewage and water into the structure.
  
  We have even found termite damage and rot at floors where loose toilets went un-repaired for too long.
  
  If your toilet is wobbling on the floor both flooring repairs and a new mounting flange or closet flange may be required, depending on the extent of damage to the floor below the toilet. Details of how to make the necessary repair are at LOOSE TOILET REPAIRS where we also illustrate various toilet mounting flanges, gaskets, and seals.
• Check for leaks at the toilet base -
  
  you may see stains on the floor at the base of the toilet (photo above), or in severe cases the floor may be wet or the tile or flooring may be damaged.
• Don't forget to check for leak stains 
  
  in the ceilings of rooms located below the toilet as well.

• Secure toilets with leaky wax ring seal - new closte spud-ring -
  
  even if the toilet does not wobble on the floor, its wax ring may be inadequately sealing the toilet to the main drain waste pipe flange in the floor. Perhaps the wax ring was not installed properly, misaligned, or even omitted.
  
  Or the toilet sealing wax ring may have been previously compressed by a loose wobbly toilet that was "repaired" simply by tightening the bolts securing the toilet to the floor, leaving the squashed old wax ring in place.
  
  Replacement toilet seals between the ceramic under-side of your toilet and the toilet mounting flange and waste pipe can be any of the following:
  
  A traditional wax ring toilet seal - shown above. Wax ring toilet seals, also referred to as closet ring, toilet ring, spud ring, or Oatey's Johni-Ring are sold at plumbing suppliers, building suppliers like Lowes & Home Depot, and online.
  
  A waxless toilet-gasket such as the SaniSeal BL01 "Waxless" toilet seal (shown below) or the Fluidmaster "Better than Wax" waxless (pvc) toilet seal.
  
  A toilet mounting-flange and toilet seal wax-ring combination package such as the Danco 10718X

• Septic additives 
  
  like Rid-x™ won't fix a problem with building vents nor sewer odors, and are generally not recommended anyway - see ADDITIVES & CHEMICALS for septic system maintenance.
  
  Are septic products needed? Are septic treatments even legal? [Some are prohibited.]

At page bottom you will find a list of toilet trouble diagnosis and repair articles. Actually most toilet problems are fixed easily and right at the toilet by a simple adjustment, while others may not be the toilet's fault at all, and may need more thoughtful diagnosis and repair.

Taking off the toilet tank top: Some of these simple toilet diagnosis steps require that you look into the toilet flush tank on the back of the toilet.

Just lift the top off of the toilet tank and set it carefully aside on the floor where you won't break it or trip over it.

If you leave the tank top on the toilet seat (as we did for this photo) you're asking for trouble, and also, it's a bit in the way.

Our sketch below shows the parts you'll see inside the toilet tank. You may want to refer back to this drawing while reading the details of each class if individual toilet problems listed above and how they are detected, diagnosed, and repaired.

This article describes and illustrate the different types of toilets found in buildings.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2017-08-29 by Dan

My master bath "water closet" (WC) is next to the walk in shower. ONLY when I use the shower do I get strong sewer gas odor in the WC only -provided I leave the WC door closed. I run the exhaust fan in the WC for a few minutes and the smell is completely vented outside.

Running water in the master vanity sinks (2) and/or the tub does not result in odor.
Any thoughts and/or suggestions before I replace the wax ring and/or call a leak detection contractor?

On 2016-12-20 - by (mod) -

Tracy

The toilet needs to be removed, the wax ring replaced, and then bolted securely to the floor.

On 2016-12-18 by Tracy

My toilet continues to run and recently my toilet when you sit on it moves

On 2016-12-03 by Anonymous

There is a church next door which has a sewar gas odour ( not in the basement) the odour is in the washroom kitchen area, the odour is strong outside the building ,it is noticeable a few doors from the church but I suspect the church is the culprit how can. The odour be inside and outside the church?

On 2016-11-24 by Anonymous

While I was cleaning the toilet, I found fecal mater on the back of the toilet and on the floor. Could that be a sealing problem? Can that be fixed or should I get a new toilet?

On 2016-10-24 - by (mod) -

Mohammed

An extension of the vent pipe may have been made to stop downdrafting sewer gas odors.

Applying charcoal directly to a roof surface makes no sense to me whatsoever. I'd ask the contractor what they were doing and why.

It does sound as if the vent piping is defective, under sized, mis-routed, or leaky.

On 2016-10-24 by Mohammed Rehman

Would like to know an innovation of our roof has taken place where I see the vent pipe has been extended to about three to four feets. Before it was like six inches from the bottom and a layer of thick charcoal has also been applied on the roof, before it had concrete rock scattered all over the roof. I live on the top floor and 24 hrs bad odor comes from my toilet and its surrounding floor.

The maintenance person came and put a wax inside the toilet base and told me that you did not had wax means the wax was used.

After he left I saw that the area where he tighten the screw was broken, now both sewage pollutant smells for 24 hrs coming from outside the apartment and when my neighbor flushes his/her feaces the bad odor comes from the toilet and from the lower layer of the floor, what should I do next. Please let me kn

 

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Continue reading  at LOOSE TOILET REPAIRS - details on how to repair a loose leaky toilet at its base - or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR
• CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS
• PLUMBING LEAK DETECTION METHODS
• PLUMBING LEAK DETECTION & SHUTOFF DEVICES
• SEWER GAS ODORS
• TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR - home
• FLUSHOMETER VALVES for TOILETS URINALS
• LEAKY TOILET SEALS, ODORS
• LOOSE TOILET REPAIRS
• LOW WATER USAGE / POWER FLUSH TOILETS
• TOILET DESIGN CHOICES
• TOILET CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• TOILET CLOG REPAIR, UN-BLOCK
• TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST - home
• TOILET FLUSH OPERATION
• TOILET FLUSH HANDLE LEVER REPLACEMENT
• TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
• TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST
• TOILET FLUSHES POORLY
• TOILET LEAK CATASTROPHES
• TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY
• TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP
• TOILET REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE
• TOILET RUNS CONTINUOUSLY
• TOILET SEAT / SEAT-LID REPLACEMENT & BOLT SPREADS
• TOILET TANK / CISTERN LID REPLACEMENTS
• TOILET TANK SWEATS
• TOILET WON'T FLUSH
• WATER DAMAGED BATHROOM FLOOR REPAIR
• TOILET TYPES, CONTROLS, PARTS - home
  • TOILET MANUFACTURERS & SOURCES - common toilet manufacturers, brands, models, and contact information for various toilet manufacturers

Suggested citation for this web page

LEAKY TOILET SEALS, ODORS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to TOILET INFORMATION

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