Problem setting new toilet

[William Ryan]

HELP! I’m extremely frustrated! I’ve tried setting my new toilet in place several times but it still has a small seeping leak link from underneath. Here’s the scoop: We completely remodeled our bathroom – including moving the toilet flange a few inches via the installation of what I call an “offset” toilet flange. The piping is all solvent welded PVC and is not leaking. Unfortunately, after the installation of new flooring the flange is recessed about 3/4” and is slightly pitched (about 1/4” higher at the front edge then the back edge).

For the first attempt I used an extra thick wax ring with a built-in plastic flange – but it barely made contact so I pulled the toilet back out immediately. I then used a wax ring/flange with urethane foam inside along with a regular ring of wax (no flange) to try to build it up a bit. Seepage appeared within a day or two. For my next/last attempt I installed a 1/4” spacer ring (called a “Stack-N-Seal Flange”) on top of the floor flange and then repeated the use of a wax ring/flange with urethane foam along with a regular ring of wax (no flange). This seemed to seat pretty well, but I noticed slight seepage within two days.

What am I doing wrong!! Is the offset flange contributing to the problem by causing excessive backsplash? The toilet is flushing beautifully.

The only thing I can think of doing differently is using two “Stack-N-Seal Flanges” (they are designed to work together) and seal them together and to the floor flange with silicone. I didn’t seal the current extender/spacer to the floor flange b/c the instructions seemed to indicate it wasn’t necessary. I guess I would then either repeat the use of both a wax ring/flange with urethane foam along with a regular ring of wax (no flange) OR maybe use two wax rings – both with flanges and urethane foam. OR maybe I should sandwich the wax ring/flange that has the urethane foam between two regular wax rings.

Thoughts?

Ed Breyer
Chicago, IL

[racefanoneParticipant]

ED you did not say if you have a 2pc. or a 1pc.stool.If you have a 2pc,tank and bowl,you might check to see if water is leaking from between the tank to bowl connections and running down the back of the bowl.Maybe the bowl is cracked and leaking.You might try cleaning the closet collar,run a bead of clear silicone around the collar,set the wax ring on itand then put another bead of silicone on the top of the wax ring ,clean the stool bottom and set it on the wax ring.let us know how it turns out ,good luck

[edbreyerParticipant]

Racefanone:
Thanks fot the reply. Based on your advice I will pull the toilet and remove all wax and the existing spacer and then put in one or two new spacers – this time sealing them together and to the floor flange with silicone – then I’ll use a single urathane reinforced wax ring with built-in plastic cone/flange. I hadn’t thought of putting silicone in contact with the wax ring – put it can’t hurt and will likely help! I have also realised that I didn’t screw the existing extension ring to the floor – it’s just sitting on the floor flange (w/o silicone)- so I’ll also take care of that issue. I’ll let you know how it turns out after this weekend.

[email]null[/email]

[Author]

Posts