Advice needed for toilet leak

[Channor]

Hi,

I have a Toto legato toilet (with a unifit adapter) installed 4 years ago; I recently started noticing water seeping out of the base, through a small break in the caulk.

Would anyone have suggestions on how to diagnose the exact source of the break, without lifting the toilet? I'm hoping to figuring out whether it's a break in the porcelain or a wax ring issue before calling a plumber.

If it's indeed a wax ring issue, is it better off to keep using a wax ring vs replacing it with waxless? While the flange sits roughly flush with the finished floor, the floor is not entirely level (which I suspected could be what pulled the wax seal apart only after 4 short years).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Geofd]

Hi,

I have a Toto legato toilet (with a unifit adapter) installed 4 years ago; I recently started noticing water seeping out of the base, through a small break in the caulk.

Would anyone have suggestions on how to diagnose the exact source of the break, without lifting the toilet? I'm hoping to figuring out whether it's a break in the porcelain or a wax ring issue before calling a plumber.

If it's indeed a wax ring issue, is it better off to keep using a wax ring vs replacing it with waxless? While the flange sits roughly flush with the finished floor, the floor is not entirely level (which I suspected could be what pulled the wax seal apart only after 4 short years).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I have a Toto legato toilet (with a unifit adapter) installed 4 years ago; I recently started noticing water seeping out of the base, through a small break in the caulk.

Would anyone have suggestions on how to diagnose the exact source of the break, without lifting the toilet? I'm hoping to figuring out whether it's a break in the porcelain or a wax ring issue before calling a plumber.

If it's indeed a wax ring issue, is it better off to keep using a wax ring vs replacing it with waxless? While the flange sits roughly flush with the finished floor, the floor is not entirely level (which I suspected could be what pulled the wax seal apart only after 4 short years).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Geofd]

There is a dye at Home Depot that is sold at Home Depot or Lowe’s you put it in the tank or bowl then flush

 

[Channor]

There is a dye at Home Depot that is sold at Home Depot or Lowe’s you put it in the tank or bowl then flush

Thanks. I should add that the toilet doesn't leak unless flushed - sorry if unclear. Which I think rules out porcelain crack within the toilet bowl area. Still, I guess porcelain crack beyond the bowl is still a possibility.

That being said, would you have any suggestions on how to further pinpoint the leak source? When flushing the dyed water, I imagine it will show dyed water seeping out from the toilet base; I wonder if there's a way to determine for sure whether it's from the wax ring or somewhere else.

 

[Geofd]

There 2 possible places
There is a rubber gasket tha goes between the tank and bowl
And your wax ring
You also have tank to bowl fasteners you can see them in the tank or under the tank
These leak continuously if water is in the tank(usually)

For the gasket leak it comes out between the tank and bowl put your hand 9n the back of the bowl when you flush check the tank to bowl fasteners anyway

 

[breplum]

I've never heard nor could imagine the rubber donut seal where the china and unifit adapter leak.
If it isn't the tank-to-bowl, then it is the wax seal OR a crack in the porcelain.
The way we test is to put it up on a set of sawhorses or mud buckets and do flush testing.

 

[Helper Dave]

Basically what they're saying is you have to pull the toilet to know for sure. Especially if you have it caulked, you don't necessarily even know how much water is leaking out.