Do-it-yourself toilet repair
Q. The linoleum around my toilet has a dark stain that won't wash off. My next-door neighbor is a "do-it-yourselfer," so I asked him about it. He said the stain is caused by a leak under the toilet bowl, and he advised me to replace the "doughnut." When I asked for a "doughnut" at the hardware store, the kid at the checkout stand gave me a funny look and didn't know what I was talking about. He said to come back later when the manager was back from lunch. Was my neighbor pulling my leg, or is there such a thing as a "doughnut" that stops a toilet from leaking?
A. "Donut" is a slang term for what is formally called a "wax ring seal." This is simply a ring of bee's wax that seals the base of a toilet to the drainpipe fitting in the floor. Without a doughnut, water can leak under the bowl every time the toilet is flushed. Besides being unsanitary, moisture under the toilet bowl can cause fungus and dry rot in the floorboards and framing. If you have a concrete slab floor, damage of that kind cannot occur, but the surface flooring can be damaged or stained.
The darkened flooring around your toilet is clear evidence of leakage, as your neighbor correctly pointed out. Replacing the seal will prevent further leaking, but the original color of the vinyl (or linoleum) cannot be restored.
If you are short on plumbing experience, the best approach is to have the repair done by a licensed plumber. If you prefer to do it yourself, there are plenty of demonstration videos on YouTube. The procedure is not complicated but requires some care and a strong back. Here are the main steps:
• Turn off the water valve under the toilet tank.
• Disconnect the flexible pipe from the water valve.
• Flush the toilet to be sure the tank is empty.
• Use some old towels to soak up the remaining water in the tank and bowl.
• Remove the nuts from the bolts at the base of the bowl.
• Lift the toilet and move it out of the way. (This is where the strong back matters.)
• Scrape away remnants of the old wax seal from the toilet base and drainpipe.
• Apply the new "doughnut" to the drainpipe, centering it over the opening.
• Set the toilet back in place so that the opening under the bowl meets the wax seal. (Precise alignment is essential to prevent further leakage.)
• Press down on the toilet until it is fully in contact with the floor.
• Reattach the nuts and washers to the bolts, taking care not to over-tighten them. (Over-tightening can crack the base of the toilet bowl.)
• Seal the base of the fixture to the floor with a bead of silicone caulk.
If these instructions sound like more than you'd like to tackle on your own, let a professional do the work while you relax with a cup of coffee and a real donut.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
© 2016, Action Coast Publishing