Installed anew wax seal twice now and still have leakage at the base of the bowl.Flange is pvc and is about 1/4" above floor level.what might be the problem.How do I fix this.tx

Are you sure the floor is stable and the toilet isn't moving at all when its in place? If the toilet moves at all, you will break that seal over time. And it sounds like that's what is happening.

Hi all:

Did you install an entire new toilet or working with an older toilet... let me know?

Mark

Hi mark-this is a new toilet.

The toilet should absorb that 1/4". I would not use wax ring with flange but rather the "skinny" wax ring. That's because there is less to compress. As a result it will allow toilet to go down as much as possible.

Hi Nantiluk:

If a new toilet install I wanted you to double check the tank to bowl connection. Sometimes, when a new toilet gets installed a leak can occur between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl connections and it can show up looking like a wax ring seal issue... ;) Check the rear of the toilet just below where the toilet connects to the tank... use toilet paper to check for wetness here... could be the issue, too!

Otherwise, tell us a little more about what the wax gasket looked like after you lifted the toilet after the first wax gasket leaked... was it a good looking seal or was it offset or squished to one side?

Did you set the toilet bowl first and then connect the tank to bowl? If not, this would probably aid in setting the bowl squarely and level...

Back to you...

Mark

Milo-tx for the reply.But that's exactly what I used on my 2 previous attempts.yet got a leak in both cases.so there's got to be something else.maybe I did something wrong.

Do you install the wax ring first and than toilet on top of it ? Or, do you put wax ring onto the toilet and then set them on the closet ring ?

It seems to me you are not setting the toilet straight onto the hole. Any movement left or right will move wax ring causing a leak.

There is a certain skill every plumber develops in installing toilets. If you are doing it for the first time - then I would suggest you utilize help of another person. Set toilet directly down and onto the bolts. Straight on. One movement in downward direction. Toilet will be guided by the bolts. Once bolts are through the opening in the base of the toilet, gently press on the bowl. It will compress the wax ring and eventually sit on the floor. Tighten up the bolts. Do not overtighten. See what it does...

Mark-there was no leakage between the bowl and the tank.I checked it very carefuly.I set the wax seal on the flange then the bowl on top of it.Dint pay attention to the seal after removal

Milo-yes I put the seal down on the flange then the bowl.well I aligned the bolts very carefully and didn't encounter any problem in slidiong the bowl down.then I sat on it.

Mark-the bowl is sitting on the floor right now,no seal(dont have any.)checked the level and it is off by about 1/8"to the right.(lower).marked the contour of the bowl with tape on the floor.

Does the water appear with every flush? Or is it only wetness around the base of the toilet ?

Milo-the odd thing is that after having poured in a great quantity of water in the bowl everything remains dry for quite a while,then the water appears at the base,evrytime after I flushed??

Milo-by the way the water always appears on the right side of the bowl when facing it

Open the lid and make sure the 1/4" fill tubing is inserted into the overflow tube. Sometimes it sprays onto the lid and outside the tank.

Also, make sure toilet doesn't fill too high. Some toilets have overfill tube too tall allowing tank to fill all the way to the top. In this case, water would overflow through handle opening.

In addition to wax leak: It can leak from the seal bet. The tank and bowl. Also, it can leak from tank bolts.

I would also check the angle stop and water supply. They may drip on the floor, travel to the base...

Please, check it out. Observe tank filling with lid off. Watch for oversprays or any abnormality during fill up.

There could be hair line crack in the bowl. Such cracks are hard to notice. Go over the porcelain surface with your finger nails and feel for cracs. Or take cigarette ashes and spread them over the bowl. It will show the crack

Milo-tx but for the time being I can't do anything,everything is dismantled and will have to wait until the next reinstallation.


Mark-how do I send you the pictures I took of the seal and the flange after I just removed the bowl.



Mark

Mark-I just installed my bowl for the 3rd time.For a long while I thought evrything was OK.no leakage at the base.but then,there was the water again.How do I insert a picture of the seal

To attach a picture to your post, do the following.
1. Click advance
2. Scroll down and click on the manage attachment.
3. Manage attachment window will open.
4. Click on Brows, chose your picture where it is located.
5. Double click on the picture.
6. Once it in the box to the left of the Brows, then click on the upload to the right of the brows.
7. Now it will show in the upload file from a URL box.
8. Close the manage attachment window and hit submit answer and you are done, good luck.

John

Thank you very much John.it worked nicely

Thanks for the photos. Closet ring and wax ring look good to me. I would concentrate on :

1. Tank to Bowl connection
2. Angle stop
3. Flexible Water supply
4. Crack in the Bowl ?

Tank to bowl no water-flexilble water supply no water.you suggested gicarettes ashes on the bowl(porcelain part I guess)bowl must be wet also.

What is angle stop

Angle stop is the valve that supplies toilet with water. There is a water supply connector attached to it connecting angle stop with toilet bowl.

Milo-tx.could I install another wax ring on top of the one I just removed but still attached to the bowl

Yes, use the skinny wax ring ( without the flange )...

Milo-gone try it and see what happens.tx for all your help

Let us know how how you did...

Milo-trying to post a picture to you.aint working?

Milo-finally got it going.What is this hole in the bowl? This was filled up with silicone.Could this cause the leak I am having.By the way my reinstall did not work.still leakage

Excellent advice from the other experts that covered all the bases except one. Wax seals are designed to prevent leakage from a discharge when you flush.
However, they are not designed to prevent a leakage if there's a partial blockage that bounces water back up the line and then drains away. Could it be that you have a partial clog that's sending water back up past the wax seal for a instant and then draining away?
I offer this because all the other reasons have been mentioned and I've run into it before.
Good luck, Tom

Tom
Tx for the comments.well I like to point out that at the present time only the bowl is installed no tank.I poured in a bit of water(24oz).also,I did not have any leakage
When my old bowl & tank were installed so there couldn't have been any back up right?In any event I am at a total loss as to what causes this leakage.Dont know what to do now.


Tom

What is this hole in the bowl.It was completely filled up with silicone.(see picture)

Here it is

What's the brand name on the bowl? The hiole looks like a jet.
Who filled it with Silicon Jel. If it came that way I'd ask for a replacement or purchase a major brand. Good luck Tom

This is a Crane bowl.and that is a major brand.hole was filled when I got it.Hole is also blind,doesn't lead anywhere.

At this point I would plug the hole again. Maybe it should be plugged in first place. Or I would take it back to the store and exchange it for another bowl. There is slim chance 2 bowls will have same problem.

It is possible the hole is there left from manufacturing process. Since the bowl has hollow compartment I imagine the hole is there to vent hot gases during drying. Then it is plugged.

Milo-tx
I guess so. In any event it doesn't solve my problem.

At this point I would set the toilet up on a couple of sawhorses and run some water through it. This will show you if there is a leak in the underside of the bowl.

PS. Milo is correct, that hole that was filled with silicone needs to be filled with silicone, they come from the factory that way.

hole was filled when I got it.Hole is also blind,doesn't lead anywhere.
Milo, Lere,
Are you guys saying that this is a normal bowl and not a manufactures defect?
Is this the way toilet bowls are made now days? If so quality control sure has changed since I retired.
If this were my call I'd take that bowl back and exchange it for a siphon jet ( instead of a gravity flush wash down) bowl by a different manufacture If this were your customer would you install and guarantee the install?

It is possible the hole is there left from manufacturing process. Since the bowl has hollow compartment I imagine the hole is there to vent hot gases during drying. Then it is plugged.
I can't buy that Lee. When the factory makes a boo-boo they make a porcelain plug and hope it holds. In my time Briggs was great on passing defective bowls after they pligged a hole. Sometimes the patch held and sometimes we were out there replacing bowls under warranty. Talk to me guys! Would you install this bowl? Tom

mygirlsdad77

Tx for your sggestions.I did put the bowl on horses and filled it with water.After a while I checked it and there was absolutely no trace of any water.By the way I filled up that hole with silicone.

Now, if there is a hole for water to get in - there has to be another hole for water to leak out. Did you look where the second hole is ?

Installing toilet is a one shot deal. We rarely have problems like yours and have to lift freshly set toilet. If I had to do it so many times as you - I would find it more economical to bring it back to the store for exchange or complain to the manufacturer requesting new replacement toilet with installation fee refund.

Milo-at this point I merely want to find out what is causing the leak.

To all those who helped me I am glad to tell you that I reinstalled my bowl and have no leaks so far.
So it looks as if evrything is o.k.

Milo, Lere,
Are you guys saying that this is a normal bowl and not a manufactures defect?


I can't buy that Lee. When the factory makes a boo-boo they make a porcelain plug and hope it holds. In my time Briggs was great on passing defective bowls after they pligged a hole. Sometimes the patch held and sometimes we were out there replacing bowls under warranty. Talk to me guys! Would you install this bowl?? Tom



Hi Tom. Ive actually seen the white silicone on the underside of some brands of toilets. Im not familiar with the manufacturing process of toilets, I just know that I've seen it more than a few times. Never had a problem with them toilets, so I'm assuming it's a normal thing these days. I never really thought all that much about it, just saw it when inspecting new toilets as I take them out of the box(surprising how many are damaged during shipping). I would have set the bowl before caulking was removed, but after it was removed, I personally would not reset the bowl, or attempt to reseal the hole myself, for liability reasons. At that point I would have opted for a replacement bowl. Ill be keeping my eyes open to look specifically for the silicone from here on out, got me interested now. Sorry for the late response, been busy.

to all those who helped me I am glad to tell you that I reinstalled my bowl and have no leaks so far.
so it looks as if evrything is o.k.

Glad to hear things are leak free. Fingers crossed.

Glad you got it resolved !