toilet install - did I screw up?

majakdragon · 10-22-2006, 11:14 AM

747,
For purpose of clarification only, I am referring to a ring (they are available in different thicknesses) that simply goes over the existing flange and screws to the floor through the existing flanges mounting holes. Looks just like a regular closet flange, including the closet bolt slots. It has a seal on one side and is really simple to install. Much easier (and foolproof) than two wax seals.

Dusty · 10-22-2006, 05:55 PM

The tile I laid was small mosaic. It's not very thick at all, maybe 1/8" if that. The subfloor was fine and I'd removed the vinyl. With mastic etc. I doubt the floor is even .25" higher than the subfloor. Meanwhile, the wax ring I bought was called an extender or some such thing (I can't really remember except it was the one for higher floors because I figured I had better not take a chance and that the wax would pack down. I guess the wax would have been about 1.75" - 2" high..as mentioned earlier it took a couple of days for me to get that toilet really tight on the floor again because I think there was more wax than I needed on that ring.). It is one ring but much thicker than normal that I put on the bottom of the toilet before putting it back. The flange is the original with the new screws from the ring pack I got (thank heaven for those since the others were plastic and broken). The flange that was there is a newer plastic type and it looked fine and was cleaned off before I replaced everything (gads that wax does travel I must say..the old stuff was all over the bottom of the toilet).

If the wax was blocking the drain, how would that make bubbles? Wouldn't it be more likely to cause backup? The toilet flushes just fine, no problem there, no extra flushes required so far.

majakdragon · 10-22-2006, 06:16 PM

If the wax seal is partially blocking the exit hole of the toilet, the water MAY be discharging fast enough that it is getting "aerated" in the process and the bubbles will naturally rise. You may not have a "problem" at all. If the discharge hole is blocked by the seal, it will show up later when enough paper hangs up on it.

Ron The Plumber · 10-22-2006, 07:29 PM

Ever think the source of the smell is from something else, i.e. crack or broken vent in wall, how about the sink, the overflow in a sink overtime gets crap built in it, put your nose at the sink overflow, does it reck, how about air infiltration from an outside source, could the wind or breeze carry it in through a window.

Time to look at other sources, or, time to pull that toilet and see if you did in fact have a good seal, you say a few days to get toilet tighten to floor, this should not have been an issue, wax at room temp will squeeze down and spreed.

Dusty · 10-22-2006, 09:43 PM

Well wax may spread easily if someone had the strength to push the toilet down hard enough but I am female and an out of shape one at that so not much strength there to give it the push a big strong hairy male could. As I mentioned, the ring I got was pretty high. So I took a few days of standing, sitting, pushing, and tightening the bolts because just when I thought it was done I would notice I could rock it a bit so more standing, sitting, pushing and tightening until it was down. Probably the bolts were part of the problem as I was so concerned about not overtightening them. Anyway, it seems solid now.

The sink might be worth a look. I have a new one I am going to be putting in soon as the one I have has a crack in the porcelain.

I have tried to figure out if the smell could be coming from somewhere else. Also why it's only sometimes but so far I haven't found anything to hang this on.

I'm open to suggestion, but I'm thinking that maybe this is one of those things that may wait until it becomes more of a problem so that it may be easier to figure out (or better yet it goes away). That or call the plumber and see what he charges to install the new sink and some kitchen taps and have him take a look at the toilet. I don't want to call just for that at the moment. The taps and sink I could do myself but with all the other stuff I have to do it may be a lot faster and easier to pay to have it done.