Could a toilet improperly seated on its wax ring be the cause of an occasional septic odor in my new half bath?
duanescott
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Replies
Absolutely!
I've had a situation where drain water from upstairs moving fast past downstairs sink will "suck the trap". Could be a possibility if sink venting is not working well.
Like MrSQL my first thought was the trap in the sink being sucked out by the toilet (or a another fixture or appliance).Besides it is the easiest thing to check. LOL
Edited 11/12/2009 2:01 pm ET by sisyphus
You should pull the toilet.
When you pull it look at the seal between the wax and the other adjoining parts.
If you see black areas where it should be sealing, the wax didn't seal.
When you re-seal the toilet. Make sure the wax completely seats against both the toilet and the flange.
I dry off the everything with a hair dryer. Wax won't seal against anything wet.
It's good to have a little to much wax in between them when you put it back down.
The extra will squeeze out.
Will Rogers
Thanks for a very detailed solution. Appreciate the help.
duanescott
Yes. But of course there are a dozen other possibilities, such as a bad vent connection in the wall, water leakage somewhere, etc.
It shouldn't. Your plumber should have installed an "S" pipe below the toilet IN ADDITION to the one built into the toilet. This is exactly what the extra "S" pipe would guard against. Also, if air can escape through a suspected bad toiilet wax ring, water can and will escape too. If your hearing "gurgling" noises from another sink when another fixtures is used you will know if the other fixture is "sucking" away your seal in the "S" pipe.
Check the vent and make sure it isn't clogged or plugged with something. Second, run all of your fixtures one at a time and listen to the other fixtures for the gurgling. If there is some sort of vacuum somewhere that is removing your seals your vent stack needs additional venting. This is common when new bathrooms or fixtures are added to an existing system that wasn't originally designed to move that much air and water.
Good luck!!
I've never seen a second trap installed below a toilet.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
Your right it isn't common but a few plumbers in my neck of the woods put them in if they have room for them just as a backup against toilet failure. They also oversize the vent pipes for at least double what their actually installing to accomodate additions to the home.
Not necessary but just somethings they have encountered over the years.
Seems to me it's just something else to clog.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
Excellent, detailed explanation. Thank you very much. Good luck I will need!
duanescott