For the past several months, my sister has complained that her toilet seems to move just a little, almost imperceptibly. We've been meaning to check on it, but as everyone knows the economoy is horrible and we've been hit hard. Money is VERY VERY scarce in my house. I should mention I almost never have cause to go into her bathroom because I have my own. Today I went in to use her bathroom because I really had to go and hers was closer and I noticed that her sheet vinyl flooring (which, when brand new, was an off-white color) is now greyish black in most places. Realizing that water under the flooring can cause mold, I panicked and grabbed a washcloth and dampened it with water from the sink, then rubbed hard on the floor. The blackish-greyish stuff came off (in that spot, anyway). I know I have to call a plumber now, but it will have to wait until Monday because I absolutely cannot afford after hour emergency fees.
My question is: if the wax ring has deteriorated and has caused a significant volume of water to become trapped beneath the sheet vinyl and our concrete slab, would mold/mildew rise to the surface of the tile, or is this some other substance?? Can the adhesive underneath "float up" to the surface of the tile??
Tile does not feel wet, damp, or spongy.
I should also mention my sister has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and as the result, she's not the best housecleaner because it is hard for her to apply enough pressure from a standing position and she can't kneel or get on the ground. She has very long hair and uses a lot of hairspray, so is it possible that the buildup, along w/ normal dirt tracking, may have caused this?? I am just terrified about this. I am not in great health myself, so I can't fix the wax seal myself, much less the floor. The floor does not seem to be bubbling up or be coming loose. That's why I am so puzzled. Wouldn't water under the vinyl flooring eventually cause the adhesive to fail and the floor to come up??
