| Author |
Message |
    
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 661
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 11:00 am: | 
|
The issue -- a toilet which isn't plumb, but sits on a slant. It used to rock ever so slightly, but eventually settled itself at this slightly rakish angle. I don't know how/where toilets are fixed in place, so I can't diagnose what would cause this. Is it a plumbing problem or a structural issue? Could a flimsy floor be to blame? This is a little add-on powder room and seems underbuilt.
So, something must be done, and of course, I'd like it to be as little as possible. Who would you call to address this? (I guess I'm worried that if I call a plumber, he'll charge me $75 to blame the floor.) |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 263
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 11:06 am: |
|
Call a plumber to re-set your toilet in a bed of plaster of paris or grout.This will allow him to level the commode and also will seal around the perimeter of the bowl.This is,of course,if the floor is not rotten or otherwise lacking structually. |
J L Bryant
Citizen
Username: Jeffbryant
Post Number: 30
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 11:14 am: |
|
Geez, if it used to 'rock' I'm surprised the seal didn't give-out at the base and cause massive leakage at the floor. It might've already actually, but you may not see it. Wow... I hope you're lucky.
Turn off the supply, empty the tank, unbolt the toilet at the floor (& wall, if attached there), pull it out, get a carpenter to make sure all is sound & relevel sub-flooring as needed, re-install finish flooring, then have the plumber reset the fixture. I get that you want to save money..... but this is not something to 'skimp' on. Have it done right, have it done thoroughly, and it'll last you a liftime. |
emmie
Supporter
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 789
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 12:31 pm: |
|
I had the same problem just last week, only it also started leaking around the base. Plumber came and said that it was sitting on a slant because it was installed wrong years ago. Had nothing to do with the floor. In the end I needed a new tiolet but maybe your can be leveled out. In my case it wasn't possible because of some sort of ring thingy that the toilet sits on was falling apart. Good luck. |
J L Bryant
Citizen
Username: Jeffbryant
Post Number: 31
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 2:07 pm: |
|
emmie - the 'ringy thing' is the seal (see previous post). To a degree, it will offset any improper floor-level issues (towards why your plumber said 'had nothing to do with the floor') because the toilet schmushes (yes, technical term  ) down on that wax seal and 'seals' the toilet to the waste line. Sometimes an improper seating of the fixture on that seal does take years to show up (like in your case); other times it's immediately obvious from the first flush.... However a level floor is definitely a crucial starting point.
Very curious, though.... just why did you end up needing a new toilet??? Couldn't have been just from the faulty seal.... had to be something else... |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 662
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 2:27 pm: |
|
I will hope that emmie and I had the same original installer, and that my toilet only needs to be RE-SCHMUSHED! (I don't think it's leaking as I've pulled back the floor covering and can see no evidence of moisture, just a flimsy plywood floor which seems to be flirting with collapse.) |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 264
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 2:27 pm: |
|
A level floor is optimum,not crucial.What with settling and old age in general,floors will sometimes tend to slope a little.This can be compensated for without tearing up the entire room and can add years of good function to a bathrm.If theres structual issues,thats a different ball of wax,but if you're talking about a floor thats slightly off kilter,but relatively sound,and the rest of the room is sound,taking up the flooring to re-level the sub-floor is a pretty drastic,not to mention expensive,type of repair,in order to level a toilet. |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 665
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 2:46 pm: |
|
Yay, george H! I'm feeling better and better. Thanks for the reassurance, everyone. (Plumber comes Monday.) |
emmie
Supporter
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 796
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 3:44 pm: |
|
mim,
Well, my ex husband, not a plumber, installed said toilet, about 20 years ago. To make it level he shoved a piece of wood...(a shim?) under the base somewhere. Didn't know that until plumber started looking at the problem. Anyway, probably could have kept the toilet, but the bowl was all scratched up, seat cracked and it used a lot of water...not like the new toilets today. That thingy that fell apart was that wax ring that JL Bryant mentioned. Maybe could have kept toilet if it were in better shape. Got a Toto that uses much less water. Can't beleive I actually love a toilet and am posting about it. This is what it's come to. Gotta get a life. If your toilet is fairly new, you probably won't have to have it replaced. |
JC
Citizen
Username: Demolitionman
Post Number: 26
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 10:20 am: |
|
 |
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page