Sewer gas odor

I have a store with a bathroom containing only a toilet and sink. No drain in the floor. There is an odor of sewer gas that comes and goes in the store area. Sometimes it is in the bathroom, but we can never pinpoint it. I inspected the bathroom but can't find the source. The base of the toilet is dry. The trap in the sink is filled with water. The stack pipe is covered by a plaster board wall all the way to the roof, so I can't readily inspect it, but there hasn't been any changes to the wall. Is it possible the wax seal on the toilet is leaking sewer gas but not water? Any ideas?

Very possible. A toilet will flush and water won't spill out without a wax ring in place. The wax rings sole purpose is a seal from sewer gases.

Try nudging the toilet and see if it moves...
If it moves it guarantees a leak!
A leak is still possible if it doesn't move.
I'd try replacing the wax ring before going crazy anywhere else.

kingsotall said:

Very possible. A toilet will flush and water won't spill out without a wax ring in place. The wax rings sole purpose is a seal from sewer gases.

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Maybe if the flange, the floor, the base of the toilet, and every other variable fit just perfect. In the real world, water seeps out all the time when the wax seal is bad.

I wouldn't rule out a restricted vent or a partially plugged drain as possibilities.

I have a lady friend who is having this same problem.
She has 3 toilets. Two upstairs and one down. The one
down stairs is the one leaving the odor. She has
replaced the wax ring, but it continues to smell.

She had a guy come out and test for leaks, but he found
none. She says it was a little wet around the flange
but dried it out and bleached the area. She left the
toilet off for a few days to dry everything out. Still
smells in the bottom room. Could it be a vent plugged
up leading to the roof ?

I'll have to go look it over, but was just wondering
if this might be one of the causes ?

Thanks,
Bob.

Smoke bomb the line from the Clean out. Where ever smoke comes from, is where your sewer order's are coming from.

Verdeboy said:

In the real world, water seeps out all the time when the wax seal is bad.

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Really?

A few years of actual plumbing experience have taught me otherwise...