We bought a house a year ago, and for all that time the toilet has sat sturdily on the floor, not rocking or making any noise when you get up. But just yesterday, it has started to make a loud "pop" from what seems to be the floor whenever you get up. It's a very loud, noticeable noise, and it happens whenever you remove weight from it (but DOESN'T make the sound when you put weight on). The toilet doesn't rock or shift whatsoever, even pushing it very hard it doesn't budge. Any suggestions what could cause this to suddenly start happening? I'm worried that the wax ring could be deteriorating, or worse, that there could be subfloor damage.
Toilet started making loud pop when you get up
- Thread starter BrokeHomeowner
- Start date
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No idea
Is it possible the toilet seat is loose, or a poorly made seat which needs replaced?
I tried your suggestion, so I lifted the seat and put my weight directly on the rim of the bowl. When I did that, I was looking very carefully, and was able to see that the toilet is in fact rocking forward, ever so slightly. So, one mystery solved! Thank you!
What could cause the toilet to start rocking when it never did before, and how can I fix it?
sarg
Well-Known Member
If no leaks at the ring then do a search for toilet wedges. They are a common item.
Thank you for the suggestion. Why would the toilet suddenly start rocking after a year of being perfectly stable? Could there be a leak, or the ring deteriorating?
sarg
Well-Known Member
I would guess the issue is with the flooring. The toilet does not rest on the sealing ring.
To know for certain the toilet would have to be pulled and the floor inspected for potential rot or deterioration.
To know for certain the toilet would have to be pulled and the floor inspected for potential rot or deterioration.
If the toilet is moving then it most likely doesn’t have a good seal to the pipe. This can leak sewer gas and water.
A toilet can rock for several reasons.
1 Broken or rusted closet bolts.
2 Loose nuts on the toilet closet bolts
3 flange broken
4 Flange not secured to floor
5 Rotten floor
Those 5 items come to mind.
The toilet should be reset after finding the cause.
Thank you for your reply! I'm lucky to have a basement below the toilet where I can get a good look at the floor beneath it. I think the subfloor looks pretty healthy. The tiles on top of the floor also aren't loose or cracked. Nothing is wet, either above or below. Can this rule out rotted floor as the problem?
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If this was my issue, I'd buy a new wax ring, pull the bolts, pull the toilet, replace the wax ring, insert new bolts, tighten and level toilet, shim until stable, then caulk the base, leaving just the back open. Let it sit for a day, then enjoy.
Thank you. I know that's probably the best thing to do. The problem is, I don't know if I can afford to pay a plumber to do all that for me (I am not able to lift heavy things like a toilet, so I will have to pay someone). I'm trying to decide if it's safe enough to just tighten the bolts, or if that's too risky and I should just pay to have the wax ring replaced. I don't know how to tell whether the wax ring has good integrity. Perhaps it's not possible to tell. I don't know the age of it, because we only bought the house a year ago.
Is there any way to tell if the wax ring is in ok shape, short of pulling the toilet?
Honestly, I don't think anyone on this forum could tell you whether your wax ring is ok or not. Houses need maintenance, and when you shortcut maintenance, this causes long term damage. This damage is going to cost you thousands of dollars more than a $10 wax ring currently. If you hire a handyman, this would be an easy task, which should take just a few minutes. Do you have any strong neighbors? Strong relatives?
Just throwing it out there.
Just throwing it out there.
If the toilet is moving then the wax is bad.
Thank you for all your advice, everyone. It sounds like the smart thing to do is to pull the toilet and replace the wax ring. That way I won't be worrying about it anymore. I'll ask around and see who I can find to help me.
Thank you!
Thank you!
sarg
Well-Known Member
Be aware there are dozens of different toilet seals other than the simple wax rings. Just do a search for toilet seals.
