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Cicero · 08-23-2005, 07:30 PM

My commode is leaking! Allow me to explain in detail what I’ve been working with. My home is about 50 years old. Mind you the commode is only about 12 years old, and internally it appears sound, no tank leaks, no cracks or leaks in the bowl or trap either. Now, the waste line for the commode is just off the main stack, it has been snaked, I’ve ran water straight into it, it drains like a charm, no back up. Ceramic tiles were put down in the bathroom, and no other sub flooring was put down, the tiles were set directly over the floor. Now there’s currently a cast iron closet flange set slightly recessed below the ceramic tiles by a millimeter or two. But there’s a ton of grout and mud that is very uneven all around the flange. Originally just a wax seal with a polyurethane gasket was put down and the commode over it. But this leak, which comes and goes over the years has come back again.

Since then I’ve taken off the commode, and I removed all the wax. I added a second cast iron cosset flange on top of the old one and smeared on a smaller wax ring trying to seal all around the flange. Then I put on a second over sized wax ring with the gasket pointing down. I set down the commode, pressing it down with my body weight to make a seal, I tightened the commode down, and the damn thing STILL leaks. Short of blowing the whole damn house up, I’m ready to give up and let the damn thing leak until the whole sub floor gives (not for a couple years at least, it actually seems quite sturdy) and I’ll just rebuild from scratch.

What am I to do? I’m afraid I have to start ripping up the ceramic tiles; I’m concerned the uneven tiles, and the messy job between the tiles and flange is why I have such a persistent leak. Does anyone have any ideas what I should do?

08-23-2005, 07:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cicero Tilted	Leaking commode My commode is leaking! Allow me to explain in detail what I’ve been working with. My home is about 50 years old. Mind you the commode is only about 12 years old, and internally it appears sound, no tank leaks, no cracks or leaks in the bowl or trap either. Now, the waste line for the commode is just off the main stack, it has been snaked, I’ve ran water straight into it, it drains like a charm, no back up. Ceramic tiles were put down in the bathroom, and no other sub flooring was put down, the tiles were set directly over the floor. Now there’s currently a cast iron closet flange set slightly recessed below the ceramic tiles by a millimeter or two. But there’s a ton of grout and mud that is very uneven all around the flange. Originally just a wax seal with a polyurethane gasket was put down and the commode over it. But this leak, which comes and goes over the years has come back again. Since then I’ve taken off the commode, and I removed all the wax. I added a second cast iron cosset flange on top of the old one and smeared on a smaller wax ring trying to seal all around the flange. Then I put on a second over sized wax ring with the gasket pointing down. I set down the commode, pressing it down with my body weight to make a seal, I tightened the commode down, and the damn thing STILL leaks. Short of blowing the whole damn house up, I’m ready to give up and let the damn thing leak until the whole sub floor gives (not for a couple years at least, it actually seems quite sturdy) and I’ll just rebuild from scratch. What am I to do? I’m afraid I have to start ripping up the ceramic tiles; I’m concerned the uneven tiles, and the messy job between the tiles and flange is why I have such a persistent leak. Does anyone have any ideas what I should do?