We are remodeling our master bathroom. WE removed the toilet because we intend to get a new one but our project was stymied. We haven't replaced the toilet. It has been several months. Yesterday, we started smelling sewage. HELP! Can we just put a new toilet in and the smell will go away? I have pour water down the drain a couple of times.

Hi Icelady:

Is the toilet hole just wide open with nothing covering it? If so, that is not a healthy thing as sewer gasses are escaping all the time! As you suspected, you need to plug off the toilet pipe.

You can certainly put a new toilet in and the smell will go away.

You can also plug the drain line off with a WING NUT TWIST AND SEAL PLUG... see images. They are sold at all home supply stores.

Heck, you could even just put a rag in the toilet hole and push it in real hard to plug off the sewer gasses, but the plug above is your best/healthiest choice.

Questions? Let me know...

Mark

The toilet has the trap for blocking the sewer gasses so having it off is not good, cover it up

New or old toilet will not fix this issue alone, you need to replace the wax ring properly also. If you have the old toilet just put it back with a new ring or go with a damp rag tightly stuiffed into the closet bend