Toto Aquia leak

We've been using the Toto Aquia dual-flush toilets for 2 years, and have so far, loved them. However, I just noticed a leak in one of them last week. Checked the inlet hose and tank screws - no leaks there. So I pulled apart the toilet but didn't see anything obvious. Only thing I can't really check is the plastic trapway unit. It looks OK but is hard to say until it operates under pressure. At this point, I'm at a loss of what else to check. Ideas?

You can work you way down, and see where water may be.

You start at obvious things like tank to bowl connection.

Water supply connection

Did someone forget to turn on the light at night?

Wax seal at flange?

Thanks for the hints, Terry. I have checked the tank to bowl connection, and the water connection (using some toilet paper). No leaks there. Light was working - plus the water was not yellow! The Toto Aquia does not have a wax seal. The only possibilities, I think, are the connection between the trapway and bowl, or the plastic trapway itself. I can't seem to find replacement trapway parts on the web - any ideas? If not too expensive, replacing the trapway may be worth a try.

The plastic adapter connects to the floor flange with wax or a waxless seal. 99% of the time we use wax for the floor to adapter connection.

Then the bowl inserts into the adapter.

Hmmm...I didn't see a wax ring between the floor and trapway, and it looks like a wax ring will push the flange up too high from the floor. The current flange just has a rubber gasket on it. However, I don't think the leak is from this connection because the water leak was pooling on top of the tile floor, all around the flange. If it was this connection leaking, I think the water would have leaked into the space below the tile floor and not made it on top of the floor. I'm starting to think the leak might be between the bowl and the inlet to the trapway, since this is just a simple push-in fitting. Unfortunately, this connection is hard to see or reach when connected, being underneath the tank and bowl.

Might be time to call a qualified plumber? Do you do service calls up on Camano Island? If not, anyone else you know who might be qualified for Toto? Thanks.

We sometimes go to Camano Island. We add a trip fee to it.
It may be that someone left off the wax for the floor connection.
It is normally installed with at least one wax seal between the flange and adapter. Terry Love 206-949-5683

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Wax ring is between flange and the TOTO PVC

The wax ring should be below the gray TOTO PVC piece that sits on top of the flange. The rubber gasket is part of the TOTO PVC piece. So if you unscrew the nuts and lift the TOTO piece off the T-bolts, you will be looking at the flange on the floor. On the underside of the TOTO PVC piece should be the remains of the wax ring. If there is not wax, this was not installed according to directions. (I am assuming this is an Acquia II toilet).


These flanges install with wax between the floor flange and the adapter.

The rubber seal on the back of the I and the top of the II / III accept the spigot from the bowl.

Shellbank - thanks for the info. I have the Aquia I, which does not have the gray flange on the floor. Since the water was found around the outside of the white flange, I've assumed the leak is not inside the floor flange since the water would have seeped into the space around the inside of the flange instead.

Anyway, I reassembled the unit without replacing anything last week, and so far it has not leaked! I filled the trapway with water and didn't see any leaks, so I can only assume that somehow the leak was around the black rubber seal between the bowl and trapway on the top. Perhaps just re-seating the unit caused the seal to "heal itself"??

BTW, I couldn't find the trapway or replacement parts anywhere on the web. Just in case I need to fix it again... The bowl and tank appears solid and not leaking.

Terry - Thanks for your input on coming to the island. I've reinstalled the toilet as is, and it hasn't leaked again - yet. As Shellbank indicates, the Aquia I model may not have a wax ring. I tried putting on a wax ring, but it raised the floor flange piece too high off the floor, so I don't think it uses one. I don't have the installation instructions (the plumber threw them away I think), and can't find them on the web either.
Just curious - what are your travel rates? Same as your on-site working rates?

Pretty much, I normally expect a 1/2 hour travel to a job. Beyond that I have to track how much longer it would take.

All of the Aquia adapters use wax between the adapter and floor flange.

Click to expand...

The adapter REQUIRES a seal between it and the toilet flange on the floor. A wax ring is designed to be squished when placing the (bracket adapter in this case) thing on the flange. If it doesn't squish, it isn't sealing. The combination of you pushing it down (a toilet helps because of its weight but that won't work here) and then tightening the bolts will get the adapter seated flush on the floor. If there is any backup or splashing, there's nothing to keep it from running onto the floor without this seal. The seal keeps it all in. Not having a seal will also allow sewer gasses to leak back into the house.

An alternative to a wax seal (least expensive and works) is a waxless seal. At least a couple of companies make them - Fluidmaster is one. Regardless, you must have that adapter sealed to the toilet flange.

If you don't get the toilet seated properly into the seal on the adapter, it's possible it could leak there, but that's hard to do.

jadnashua - Now that I think about it, and having looked at the waxless seal online, I think there is such a waxless seal on the floor flange.

I've had the toilet back for close to 2 weeks now, and it hasn't leaked yet. Perhaps just the re-adjusting fixed it. I am keeping an eye on it, and if it leaks again I'll use the waxless seal.

Thanks.

Complete Instructions for the Aquia written by Jamie