A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
where it connects to the floor.
This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh
paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
(and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
a plumber? Thanks.

"Pdk Pdk" wrote

> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
> where it connects to the floor.

> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
> a plumber? Thanks.

Your wax ring has gone bad and caulking the base will only trap the water
into the floorboards so it leaks to the ceiling below. Sorry. If you can't
lift the toilet and replace the seat, you'll ned to get a handyman. This is
a simple one most handymen can do. True plummer rates not required.

To protect yourself now, yu should turn off the water tot he taiolet and use
a different one (I assume 2 as this one is upstairs).

cshenk wrote:
> "Pdk Pdk" wrote
>
>> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
>> where it connects to the floor.
>
>> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
>> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
>> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
>> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
>> a plumber? Thanks.
>
> Your wax ring has gone bad and caulking the base will only trap the
> water into the floorboards so it leaks to the ceiling below. Sorry. If
> you can't lift the toilet and replace the seat, you'll ned to get a
> handyman. This is a simple one most handymen can do. True plummer
> rates not required.
>
> To protect yourself now, yu should turn off the water tot he taiolet and
> use a different one (I assume 2 as this one is upstairs).
>
>
That would be my advice. I tried one toilet placement and overtightened
and cracked the toilet. Now I leave it to the plumber.

In article <MlLrm.128633$(E-Mail Removed)>,
"cshenk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Pdk Pdk" wrote
>
> > A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
> > where it connects to the floor.
>
> > Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
> > more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
> > floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
> > (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
> > a plumber? Thanks.
>
> Your wax ring has gone bad and caulking the base will only trap the water
> into the floorboards so it leaks to the ceiling below. Sorry. If you can't
> lift the toilet and replace the seat, you'll ned to get a handyman. This is
> a simple one most handymen can do. True plummer rates not required.
>
> To protect yourself now, yu should turn off the water tot he taiolet and use
> a different one (I assume 2 as this one is upstairs).

But before you condemn the wax seal, don't forget that water flows
downhill. I had a little water on the floor next to the base of the
toilet a few weeks back, and it turned out to be nothing but a loose
tank-mounting bolt.

A few years ago, we called in a plumber at work to fix a leak that all
assumed to be a bad wax seal. When he pulled the toilet, he didn't like
the looks of the drain pipe, so he started jack hammering up the
concrete floor. $1500 later, we still had water on the floor around the
toilet.

Turned out that the water heater, directly above in the attic, was
leaking. Water was running down inside the wall and seeping behind the
toilet.

The moral is, diagnosis is everything.

Pdk Pdk wrote:
> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
> where it connects to the floor.
> This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh
> paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
> and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
> Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
> a plumber? Thanks.
>
>
Hmm,
How old is it? Every bolts tight? Nothing loose around tank or base.
Lastly wax ring may need replacement.

On Sep 15, 11:31*am, Tony Hwang <drago...@shaw.ca> wrote:
> Pdk Pdk wrote:
> > * * *A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of thetoilet
> > where it connects to the floor. *
> > * * * This started about a week ago. *At night, I've crunched up a fresh
> > paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
> > and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
> > Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
> > * * * Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? * Butif it's
> > more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
> > floorboards to the ceiling below. * *Hopefully it's a simple home repair
> > (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
> > a plumber? * * Thanks.
>
> Hmm,
> How old is it? Every bolts tight? Nothing loose around tank or base.
> Lastly wax ring may need replacement.

Agree: Assuming it is a conventional North American style toilet!
Possible causes:
1) Leaky wax ring/seal under toilet base. Note 1.
2) Slight (do not overtighten*) hold-down bolts on base (and or
damaged ring that bolts hook into on end of pipe).
3) Condensation on the toilet running down to the base.
4) Slightly loose bolts (do not overtighten*) that hold tank portion
on to base.
5) Deteriorated seal where the water tank fits against the base.
It is typical 'handyman' job. We are not a plumber but have installed
and maintained every toilet we have (and replaced) had since 1958. But
if one does not have the tools and the know-how get someon to
investigate. But make sure you agree wth the diagnosis and the cause.
DO NOT just caulk against the floor

On Sep 15, 4:43 am, pd...@webtv.net (Pdk Pdk) wrote:
> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
> where it connects to the floor.
> This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh
> paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
> and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
> Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
> a plumber? Thanks.

Yep, either a leak from the wax ring, fill valve or tank/bowl gasket,
a cracked bowl or tank or the hold down bolts in the tank. Simple,
huh? Tom

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:28:14 -0700, Smitty Two
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>A few years ago, we called in a plumber at work to fix a leak that all
>assumed to be a bad wax seal. When he pulled the toilet, he didn't like
>the looks of the drain pipe, so he started jack hammering up the
>concrete floor. $1500 later, we still had water on the floor around the
>toilet.

This is why I do my own repairs, even when I don't know how to do
them. At least when I screw up, I don't blame myself for more than a
couple weeks.
>
>Turned out that the water heater, directly above in the attic, was
>leaking. Water was running down inside the wall and seeping behind the
>toilet.
>
>The moral is, diagnosis is everything.

Yup.

On Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:30:09 -0700, "Roger Shoaf"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>"Pdk Pdk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:7477-4AAF7DD1-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
>> where it connects to the floor.
>> This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh
>> paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
>> and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
>> Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
>> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
>> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
>> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
>> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
>> a plumber? Thanks.
>>
>>
>
>I would agree that the wax ring seal is probably the culprit, but I had my

I don't get that. After the toilet is used, a leaky wax ring would
let some water flow out, but after a few hours wouldn't it all have
flowed out, after a few more woudn't everything have dried out. If he
doesn't use the toilet for a couple days, wouldn't it dry out
completely. OTOH, the tank is always full of water and if it's
leaking it could leak forever, getting refilled automatically when it
gets low.

Afawk, he's only gone overnight without using it. Shouldn't he let it
sit for a few days to see whether it leaks even then, or if it dries
up, like it seems to me it would if the ring were leaking.

>fill valve develop a crack once where there was a slight leak and after
>replacing the wax ring, then replacing the supply line I finally discovered
>the crack in the fill valve. Kick-self time!

tom wrote:
> On Sep 15, 4:43 am, pd...@webtv.net (Pdk Pdk) wrote:
>> A home toilet has developed a slight leak at the base of the toilet
>> where it connects to the floor.
>> This started about a week ago. At night, I've crunched up a fresh
>> paper-napkin square on the floor alongside the base where the leak is,
>> and in the morning the napkin is soaked with the water it absorbed.
>> Oh, if it matters, the leak is on the side of the toilet at the base.
>> Should I use some kind of caulking around the base? But if it's
>> more serious, I don't want to maybe have the water leaking through the
>> floorboards to the ceiling below. Hopefully it's a simple home repair
>> (and removing the toilet is NOT simple for me), or should I simply call
>> a plumber? Thanks.
>
> Yep, either a leak from the wax ring, fill valve or tank/bowl gasket,
> a cracked bowl or tank or the hold down bolts in the tank. Simple,
> huh? Tom

I was looking around for something in the crawl space and I was on my
back in a narrow area of the crawl space when my head hit a small puddle
of water on the plastic. It smelled gross. I looked up and realized
that I was directly under the toilet. Oh gross! The toilet must be
leaking.

I turned off the water supply to the toilet and flushed the toilet to
empty it out and decided to look at it the next day. There was more
water on the floor. I dried up the floor and came back a bit later and
the floor was wet again.

I got out a bright flashlight and found the real cause of the problem.
The shut off valve was slowly leaking. Ironic, isn't it? I turned off
the water supply to the house and replaced the shut off valve. Case closed.