There’s nothing worse than walking into the bathroom/toilet and already it smells like shit and you haven’t even been yet… like wtf’s going on and on other days you can’t smell anything.
Do you sound familiar?
Jack, this is Jack. What I’ve just described is a common occurrence that happens more often than you might think.
Most of the time it’s an easy fix and I’m going to tell you exactly how to do it right now.
Although the principles are identical, I will explain the steps I use for Australian toilets and installations.
First, make sure you check the water seals on your water traps if there is an odor coming from your bathroom. Use a torch or your smartphone to check the area where the water is going down the plug.
If you live in an area that requires floor wastes to be present on the floor, make sure to check the basin, toilet and shower.
If they are all good then you’ve just pretty much eliminated it to the toilet seal.
More than likely it’s the black rubber seal that sits around the outlet of the toilet trap called a pan connector.
The water in your toilet bowl prevents the sewer gases from returning to your bathroom.
This rubber seal can lose its seal over time, mainly due to age.
Sometimes the rubber connector for the toilet pan can leak water from the toilet. But the main problem is the return of methane into the room.
Below is how to replace and test the toilet pan connectors for both a S trap and a P trap toilet.
If you’ve got one of these new fancy pancy concealed closed toilet suites, sorry ya shit out of luck repairing on the cheap.
There is no other way to get access than to remove the entire bowl. Easy at times but depending on the plumber if it’s silicone down as well as screwed.
How to test for a leaking toilet waste pipe
Sometimes it’s hard to tell or test if you have a leaking toilet pan connector depending on what toilet trap you have. A The P Trap toilet, which runs through the wall, will leak more onto the floor each time it is flushed.
Just press the button and check, if you’ve got water dripping down, you’ve got a stuffed rubber seal.
P Trap toilet pan test- Make sure that the toilet tank is full for this test.
Grab the connector rubber for the toilet tank and press the button.
You can feel the seal with your hand and if there is any food coloring, you can also help.
Place a couple of drops into the toilet tank doesn’t matter what color it is and then flush the toilet.
A leaking toilet waste tube rubber will cause the water to leak.
Make sure to place a towel down under the pan rubber so it doesn’t leak all over the floor if you do have a leak there.
S Trap toilet pan test- Make sure the toilet tank is full.
Check the black pan connector rubber around the toilet for leaks. Flush the toilet.
You can use food coloring to see if there is any leakage. However, the S Trap is more difficult to detect leaks than the other methods.
To see if water is leaking, you can rely on your eyes to inspect the rubber seal. However, it is more important to check if the rubber seal has perished and allows methane gas to escape into the room.
We know what a p trap is and what a s trap toilet trap pan looks like. Now we need to know how to find out if the toilet waste pipes are leaking.
This is how I do this job. You will see what you should do and what to avoid.
Basic hand tools are required.
For a quick and simple way check out the video below where we use a wax sealant, but if you want a more professional job… read on.
Now I must stress here that this isn’t a 10 min job.
To To replace the rubber seal on the pan connector, you’ll need to take the toilet pan out of its place.
It can be quite a task as toilets can either be screwed down and silicon to the floor, or concreted down.
Concreted down toilets will require you to replace the pan, as they are non-reusable.
These steps can be used for high, low and mid-level toilets. They may differ depending on the toilet suite but the principle is the same.
Things you will need are
- Toilet pan connector rubber seal (just ask for it as they’re a standard size)
- Rubber gloves or surgical gloves to protect our self from diseases
- Toilet flush pipe seal or pan cone rubber also called (check with old as they come in 40mm and 50mm)
- Bag of mortar to bed down onto the floor if not and screwing it
- Pan screws and clear silicon
Step 1 Turn water off-
Turn the water off at the toilet stop valve to stop water going to the toilet tank cistern. Push the buttons on the tank to drain all water.
Step 2 Remove toilet cistern-
- Once you have all the water drained out of the tank it’s time to remove the cistern tank. You will need to remove the water inlet pipe from the cistern. This connects the toilet stop valve to the cistern.
- Next, remove the bolt from the flushing tube. The The flushing pipe is the large pipe that is connected to the backside of the toilet pan and sits under the cistern tank. For now, just let the nut slide along the pipe.
- Next, take out the screws holding the cistern to the wall. Each corner of the tank should have a stainless-steel screw. The screws should be removed. Next, you can lift the flush pipe off the wall and remove the cistern. Keep in mind that there may be some water remaining in the tank, so you should just tip it down to the toilet.
- The toilet flush pipe seal must be removed from the back.
Step 3a Remove toilet pan(screwed)-
Depending on how’s it been installed and brand of the pan.
Some toilet pans can be screwed in 4 holes or 2 holes. Either way, they must be removed.
They may be star drive or flat drive depending on the installer and should be either stainless or brass.
Some people silicon only the pans, then cut off the heads of the screws. They will then silicon them in the places where they are supposed to be. If you try to remove a screw that keeps spinning, it is possible to just silicon the head off.
- The screws should be removed from the toilet pan.
- With a hack saw blade or long-bladed knife, remove all silicon from the bottom of the pan.
- After you have removed most of the screws and silicon, you may be able rock the toilet pan side-to-side to break up the remaining silicon.
- Once the toilet is fully clear and ready to lift off lean the toilet back towards the wall to drain the excess water that’s inside the trap so you don’t spill it everywhere.
Step 3b Remove toilet pan (concrete)-
- When a toilet pan is concreted down to the floor there is only one way to remove. It can be smashed out, as you probably guessed.
- Sometimes they come out in small pieces, other times in large quantities.
- You will create more mess if you don’t have a bucket to put the trash in. The water trap will leak if you crack it.
- You can clean it with a towel or mop. You may need to chisel any leftover concrete that’s stuck to the floor from under the pan as you want a smooth level surface to work with when installing the new pan. Once it’s all removed and cleaned move to the next step below.
Step 4 Remove the seal-
Once the toilet is removed we can see the pan connector collar.
The rubber seal can be removed by removing the white plastic retainer rings.
Use gloves here if you haven’t already got them on and pull the seal off.
Install the new seal and put the retainer ring back. It is as simple as replacing the toilet pan seal rubber.
Step 5 Installing toilet pan-
- Make sure the area where you are installing toilet pan is getting silicon and screwed down is dry and clean.
- Then, place the toilet pan in its original location and ensure it slides into the rubber seal. Be careful here as the new rubber will be tight so go easy pushing it through and don’t go too hard slamming it down onto the floor. Toilets can chip and break easily because they are porcelain.
- When the toilet is back in place, draw a thin line of pencil around the toilet’s base. Next, remove the pan.
- Apply silicone, making sure it stays within the lines.
- Place the toilet in its original place, using the pencil line as a guide. Don’t over tighten the screws or you will crack the pan and up for a new one.
- Clean any excess silicon up from around the base and that’s the pan installed.
Step 6 Install toilet cistern-
- Remove the old toilet flush pipe cone and slide the new one on. Slide the toilet flush pipe seal onto the toilet pan.
- Start to tighten the nut by placing the toilet cistern on the flush pipe near the big nut. Don’t tighten the nut too much until you mount your toilet tank.
- Screw the toilet tank onto the wall, then screw it back. Finally, tighten the flushing pipe nuts.
- Turn the water off and connect the water supply to the toilet.
- Fill the tank, flush the toilet and check for leaks.
FAQ:
Q: What are toilet seat wipes, and why do they leak?
A: A toilet seat wipe is a device that sprays water or a cleaning solution on the toilet seat before or after use. It can leak due to faulty valves, hoses, nozzles, low water pressure, or clogged filters.
Q: How can I stop a toilet seat wipe from leaking?
A: You can stop a toilet seat wipe from leaking by following these steps: turn off the water supply to the toilet, disconnect the hose from the toilet seat wipe, inspect the hose and the nozzle for any cracks, holes, or blockages, replace or clean the hose and the nozzle if needed, reconnect the hose to the toilet seat wipe, and turn on the water supply and test the device.
Q: How can I prevent a toilet seat wipe from leaking in the future?
A: You can prevent a toilet seat wipe from leaking in the future by following these tips: use only the recommended water pressure and cleaning solution for your device, avoid twisting or bending the hose or the nozzle, clean the filter and the nozzle regularly, and check for any signs of wear and tear or corrosion.
Conclusion
That is the simplest and easiest way to repair a leaking toilet waste pipe.
Now you are probably wondering what’s the reason toilet pans get concreted down and not just screwed down and the answer is simple.
Toilets should be laid flat on a level surface. If it is not, the toilet will crack or be worse on a lean.
Nothing worse sitting on a toilet pan and feels like you are falling off it so that’s the main reason why a toilet is concreted down.
Have a leaky pan cone rubber? Learn how to fix it today
