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AKaeTrue · Mar 28, 2008, 12:52 PM

From what I've been reading, I'm guessing my new toilet is not sitting on the wax seal correctly.
You have to hold the handle down to let it flush all the way and there is a
Very faint but bad oder that smells like a foul oder being covered up with air freshener.
This started happening after a new floor and toilet was installed.
Does this sound like the toilet is not sitting on the wax seal properly?

Thanks

massplumber2008 · Mar 28, 2008, 04:13 PM

Hey AK...

Who installed the floor?

Did they add a layer of floor and tile? Or did they remove a layer of floor and then add flooring PLUS tile to equal thickness of old floor?

If they did not remove floor... then you may have issue with closet flange being below the floor (the closet flange is supposed to sit on top of the finished floor).

The poor flush and an improper connection to closet flange (such as extra wax gaskets needed to install toilet and make up for thickness of added flooring certainly suggest the need to lift the toilet and determine issues that need to be addressed.

They make closet flange extension kits that may be helpful... (see pic.#2)

For now... answer this as well. When you hold handle down... does toilet flush completely.. If it does then it makes me wonder if interior tank is adjusted properly.

I figure your inner toilet tank will look something like my picture below (see pic.1). Study the pic. For a second or two... the toilet handle should not have more then a 1/4" play at the chain to flapper....water level should be to within 1" of overflow tube... fill tube should be letting water into overflow tube as tank refills... check these things out first... get back too us with details.. see if we can help more... Talk soon.. MARK

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AKaeTrue · Mar 28, 2008, 04:52 PM

Hello Mark,
Some tile guys removed tile and put down new tile and installed new toilet.
When you hold the handle down, the toilet does flush completely.

The diagram is how all my other toilets in the house look, but this new one has a black ball thing in it and a red and yellow thing on the chain.
The water only fills up half way in the tank.
And even when you hold the handle down, not all the water drains out of the tank to flush the toilet with, about half of the water stays in the tank.

I checked the handle and chain, there is no slack in it.

This is what the inside looks like. And thank you for your help.
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massplumber2008 · Mar 28, 2008, 05:00 PM

That explains the poor flush issue:

Turn the screw at the top of the yellow circle counterclockwise (float arm will drop)... turn until water level at 1/2" or so below the black overflow pipe... that should improve flush quite a bit. Try that.. test flush.. get back to me.. I will be back in a half hour... Mark

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AKaeTrue · Mar 28, 2008, 05:37 PM

That completely fixed the flushing issue! Thanks!!

I believe we'll need to have someone come out to pull the toilet
Though, because the flush doesn't have anything to do with the oder, right or no?

massplumber2008 · Mar 28, 2008, 05:56 PM

Cool... always glad to hear when it is an easy fix!

Now... the tile guys removed the old tile and tiled on top of old floor.. That is not always best... but if professional tile guys.. I won't question manner of installation. The point here is that this info. Suggests that the closet flange is probably reasonably close to where it should be.

The odor...

Does the toilet move when you sit on it? How about if you grab with two hands and twist/rock a bit... any movement?

If no movement/motion, etc... then need to know-->> Is this toilet on 1st floor.. 2nd floor... basement? Looking for visual confirmation that there is a leak... ceiling... basement?

If no clear evidence of leakage.. look around for other evidence of odor.. such as the tub drain or the sink drain..?

Let me know what you think... Mark

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AKaeTrue · Mar 28, 2008, 07:38 PM

Yes, the tile guys tiled over the old floor that was by the toilet.
Some of the floor was destroyed when ripping out the old tile and that was replaced, but not by the toilet.

The toilet is on the second floor, there are no obvious leaks, ceiling below is dry, no water stains.

I cannot move the toilet bowl part, it is caulked also (don't know if that would make a difference or not),
But I don't recall it moving before the caulking was done.

You can however move the tank. It moves very easily when I push and pull on it.

I will flush the drains in the tub and sinks tonight to see if the odor goes away. The smell pretty much surrounds the toilet area though.
Does a foul, kind of fruity smell sound familiar at all?

Thanks again for taking this time with me.

hkstroud · Mar 28, 2008, 08:24 PM

I agree that the toilet is going to have to be pulled. Sounds like you do not have a good seal between the toilet and the floor flange. May just need a new wax ring or you may need an extension for the floor flange. Depends on how much the floor level was raised from installing the new floor tile. That's why I don't like to caulk around the toilet, if there is a leak there I want it to come out where I can see it.

massplumber2008 · Mar 29, 2008, 04:22 AM

I'll tell you... the only reason people caulk a toilet to floor is usually because it rocks... i.e. the toilet cannot be secured to flange/floor properly so they caulk toilet in and run. I am not saying your tile guys did that by the way... just thinking out loud here.

Like Harold said, general rules for setting toilet on second floor especially is NOT to caulk in toilet so that if toilet base starts to leak owner will see the leak before it destroys the ceiling below.

But I am curious... if bowl is completely caulked around the base then that odor should not be able to escape through... unless floor is rotting below that... but I doubt that at this point (no moisture anywhere)... Hmmm...

Check the drains like you suggested in last post. And that toilet tank needs to be tightened down... should not rock back/forth.. will be issue down the road! Give us your thoughts about caulked in toilet bowl... talk later... Mark

AKaeTrue · Mar 29, 2008, 12:42 PM

Thank you both for taking the time to respond.

I believe there is a leak, the grout around the toilet looks damp in spots
And the oder is much worse today.
Almost like a sulfuric smell maybe.

The other smell was really noticeable yesterday which prompted my question,
And today now this.

We're having someone come out Monday.
Would turning off the water to the toilet prevent further leaking? (edit, water for toilet has been turned off)
No one has been using the toilet either so this oder is really bothering me.

I was always under the impression that toilets were caulked because the city smokes the sewers?

Thank you once again for all the time spent with answering my questions.

massplumber2008 · Mar 29, 2008, 04:17 PM

Hey AKaeTrue:

Thanks for update... looking forward to information after Monday.

And toilets should not be caulked... city smoke tests or not. Only thing caulk around toilet base can do is secure unstable toilet (not good... should replace/repair flange instaed! ) or hide a leak!

Talk soon... Mark