Leaking Toilet too close to wall- need advice

Hi,

I have discovered my toilet is leaking at the base. It appears to have been doing this for quite some time as it appears there is water damage on the wall. The toilet is an American Standard Cadet elongated low flow. From looking at it, the tank is jammed against the wall and the toilet it higher off the floor in the back than in the front. It measures about 11 inches from the wall to the bolt holes. I'm concerned that the cause of the problem is the drain pipe is too close to the wall for the toilet and the original installer forced it to work.

Any advice? Will a drain offset solve this problem and allow for 12 inch rough in? I would like to replace the toilet with a Toto Drake because it has never done the job very well but i need to solve the rough in problem and the leak.

Thanks,

Dave

Most 12" rough-in toilets need more than 11" to fit (sometimes as little as 1/4"). You could use a 10" rough-in toilet. If the toilet isn't sitting firmly on the floor (does it move at all if you sit on it?) that could easily be the reason for the leak. A toilet that moves will break the wax seal and likely leak.

Its firm and does not move. They put tile grout around the base so that may be what is making it firm. I guess i need to pull it and see what is under there.

I have never used an offset flange, but I see no reason why that wouldn't work. You only have to gain 1/2" or so for a 12" rough in toilet to fit and those offset flanges gain more than that.

I pulled the toilet today. It already has an offset flange to bring it to 10 inch rough in. It was leaking all around and the grout in the tile absorbed a LOT of water. I wiped it up and it pooled back in few minutes. Will if have to remove the tile and grout around the toilet or will it dry out?

Can anyone recommend a toilet with 10 rough in that isn't hugely expensive AND that flushes well and doesn't clog?

Thanks,

Dave

It sounds like you have water UNDER the tile, and that is not going to fix itself,

Well, it depends on how long things were leaking...the floor could be rotting. If it is still sound, then, yes, it should dry out. You may want to plug the drain with a rag and face a fan towards that area to speed up thing. Any of the Toto's that use the Unifit adapter would work when you get the 10" one (it comes with a 12" one). They are not the least expensive, and depending on where the water supply is, you may have to move it since the skirt on the toilet is wider at the back than typical toilets. Terry has a list of toilets on his home page with reviews. don't know if any of them are 10", though.