[icelady]

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.

[massplumber2008]

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

[Zemuss]

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

[ballengerb1]

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