Water Leaking From Base Of Toilet

[buffymad]

Every now and again I find water coming from the base of the toilet. It's not gushing and there's not a big pool but you can see the water is coming from underneath. It runs along the grouting between the tiles on the floor. It doesn't seem to do it when you flush, just randomly appears overnight (never through the day).

Have had a couple of people to look at it. One a friend of the family and another a proper plumber. Both were puzzled and couldn't tell me what the problem was.

I've looked on the internet and lots of sites mention a wax seal. I said this to both people and they didn't seem to know what I was on about!

Any clues/ideas what to try next?

[The Builder]

If a plumber has looked at it Buffy, I won't go into the obvious possibilities because he'll already have done that.

The only things I can think of is a cracked WC pan (it can happen), or maybe condensation running down the outside of the pan

[rockyracoon]

We had this when we had a new loo fitted in, plumber came and said condensation but I knew it wasn't, turned out there was a hairline crack in the pan so we had to get a new one.

[tonyav]

Had something similar some years ago, turned out not to be the toilet, it was a very small hairline crack in the water feed pipe.

[Clanad]

The wax seal you've mentioned is the probable suspect, in my opinion. Firstly, it's not visible until the toilet is removed. Here in the U.S., the toilet base is held down by a bolt on each side that's usually covered on the base of the otilet by a small round ceramic cover. It's not glued down and pops off rather easily leaving the 'nut' which is then unscrewed to release the toilet.

The toeilet (again, here in the U.S.) fits into the wax ring which is usally bright yellow in color and bout 4 inches across and the ring itself is about 2 inches in diameter. It's meant to be placed onto the base and toilet simply fits into it. The plumber would place the toilet into the ring and then rock it back andforth until it seats solidly and then replaces the nuts, being extremely careful not to tighten to securely else face the breaking of the ceramic base on the toilet.

Wax ring looks like this:

https://www.plumbersstock.com/product/3450/no-seep-10-toilet-gasket-wax-ring-with-bolts/?gclid=CKumgZ7R1r0CFWXl7AodVzwAvw

Good luck!

[buffymad]

No cracks anywhere, both plumbers said that. One wondered if perhaps the cistern was dripping and causing overflow but then he said there was no evidence of that as everything was dry where it needed to be. He adjusted the water level and now it's not flushing very well either, grrr!

Water is def coming from underneath base of toilet, nowhere else and def not condensation.

[mastercraft]

Buffy, is it a 'close couple' or separate cistern and pan? There could be a leak at the flush pipe seal (if separate). If there is a crack in the pan you will see a drop in the water level inside the pan. Does the level look any lower in the morning?

[buffymad]

It's all joined together if that's what you mean! The water level in the pan is always very low, whatever time of day it is.

[The Builder]

With a close-coupled system, Buffers, I think your plumber would have noticed any leak between the pan and the cistern. It's usually fairly easy to trace.

Don't dismiss the hairline crack possibility. What you see is only the outer part of a WC pan. It doesn't carry any water. The inner bowl and outlet are mostly hidden from view.

[buffymad]

What's the best way of finding a hairline crack? Should I wrap a towel round different parts of the toilet and see if anything ends up wet? Sorry, useless at this!

[The Builder]

If it is the WC pan. Buffers, the only way is to remove the pan completely, maybe stand it on a couple of pieces of timber (so you can see underneath), then fill the pan and look hard :o)

[mastercraft]

There is no need to remove the pan. If the cistern is not overflowing, the water level in the pan will drop....If it has a crack.
Flush, then somehow mark the water level in the pan. Leave it 2/4 hours and check level again.