Please help! LOUD noise noted when getting up from potty after use

[AutismMom]

I am in California (if that matters). This is a recent build.

I recently started noticing a loud noise when I get up after using the toilet. The potty is loose but not sure if it actually rocks. The toilet tank seems almost too flush with the wall behind it although I am able to remove the lid and replace it with no issues.

What could be causing the loud noise? The noise persists even when I remove the tank lid and use the potty without it. Could it be the toilet seat itself that is causing this noise? I DO intend to fix the lose toilet - we're in the midst of removing our laminate floors and replacing it with tile as my autistic teen tends to play with the water in the bathroom and there is already some sign of water damage to the floor.

I know NOTHING about construction and am not handy. I am willing to pay for peace of mind as my life with my autistic son is already very challenging. I do not want to risk any DIY and cause more issues. My biggest fear is having to get a new toilet and then mess with the drain lines etc if the toilet was installed too close to the drywall. Should I fix the toilet first BEFORE worrying about replacing the floor?

Please help me.

 

[BECplumbing]

I am in California (if that matters). This is a recent build.

I recently started noticing a loud noise when I get up after using the toilet. The potty is loose but not sure if it actually rocks. The toilet tank seems almost too flush with the wall behind it although I am able to remove the lid and replace it with no issues.

What could be causing the loud noise? The noise persists even when I remove the tank lid and use the potty without it. Could it be the toilet seat itself that is causing this noise? I DO intend to fix the lose toilet - we're in the midst of removing our laminate floors and replacing it with tile as my autistic teen tends to play with the water in the bathroom and there is already some sign of water damage to the floor.

I know NOTHING about construction and am not handy. I am willing to pay for peace of mind as my life with my autistic son is already very challenging. I do not want to risk any DIY and cause more issues. My biggest fear is having to get a new toilet and then mess with the drain lines etc if the toilet was installed too close to the drywall. Should I fix the toilet first BEFORE worrying about replacing the floor?

Please help me.

Where is the noise coming from? Is it coming from the tank or the bowl because it could be a variety of things it could be the fill valve which is probably the most likely. Does it stop when the toilet stops filling or does it only make the noise when you flush it. If it stops when the toilet stops filling, then it’s most likely the fill valve.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Check for smells or leaks. I suspect the rocking is because whoever put the toilet in did not use shims. I would try to insert some shims, I guess what I would do is to re-snug the closet bolts without forcing rocking, and then insert shims toward the rear left and the rear right. Cut the shims so they don't stick out.

You don't want rocking because that can make the wax ring have fissures.

 

[Bannerman]

From your description, I suspect lifting your weight off from the front of the toilet, maybe resulting in the toilet to rock backward, causing the tank to make contact with the wall behind.

One method to confirm this, will be to face the toilet from the front, then use your knee to place downward pressure on the front of the toilet seat, which will then allow you to observe how much the toilet is rocking front to back. If there is movement, quickly lifting your knee off the seat, will then likely result in the noise to re-occur.

Since you are planning to replace the flooring, as a temporary DIY solution until then, obtain some plastic toilet shims from your local hardware store. While someone is placing weight on the front of the toilet, insert two shims, one at each side of the rear of the toilet, between the floor and the toilet base. This should prevent the toilet from rocking backward until the toilet is eventually removed to replace the floor, and to correct the cause of the loose mount.

Ceramic or porcelain tile floors, are often thicker than laminate, and depending on house construction, may require additional underlayment support below to prevent the floor from flexing and breaking the tiles as a result.

With increasing the floor thickness, the existing toilet mounting flange placement will often become lower than the finished floor, thereby requiring flange extension(s) to increase the flange height, or sometimes requiring complete removal of the flange to add a short section of pipe before installing a new flange at the correct height. It maybe prudent to replace the flange if the cause of the loose mount is due to breakage of the exisitng flange, but repairing the existing flange is also likely possible. If the flange is to be replaced, suggest having it moved forward slightly if possible, to provide some additional space between the toilet tank and wall.

 

[SteveW]

I am in California (if that matters). This is a recent build.

I recently started noticing a loud noise when I get up after using the toilet. The potty is loose but not sure if it actually rocks. The toilet tank seems almost too flush with the wall behind it although I am able to remove the lid and replace it with no issues.

What could be causing the loud noise? The noise persists even when I remove the tank lid and use the potty without it. Could it be the toilet seat itself that is causing this noise? I DO intend to fix the lose toilet - we're in the midst of removing our laminate floors and replacing it with tile as my autistic teen tends to play with the water in the bathroom and there is already some sign of water damage to the floor.

I know NOTHING about construction and am not handy. I am willing to pay for peace of mind as my life with my autistic son is already very challenging. I do not want to risk any DIY and cause more issues. My biggest fear is having to get a new toilet and then mess with the drain lines etc if the toilet was installed too close to the drywall. Should I fix the toilet first BEFORE worrying about replacing the floor?

Please help me.

At the risk of asking the obvious, have you thought of calling a plumber? This is likely to be a small problem for them to fix. You've gotten some good advice from folks above, about shimming the toilet base, etc. Reach4 also mentioned to potential for damage to the wax ring if the toilet is indeed loose and rocking. From the POV of a professional plumber, this is a quick and easy fix.

Word of warning -- watch out for national chains. Best in my opinion to find a local plumbing company with good reviews on sites like Reddit.

 

[GReynolds929]

At the risk of asking the obvious, have you thought of calling a plumber? This is likely to be a small problem for them to fix. You've gotten some good advice from folks above, about shimming the toilet base, etc. Reach4 also mentioned to potential for damage to the wax ring if the toilet is indeed loose and rocking. From the POV of a professional plumber, this is a quick and easy fix.

Word of warning -- watch out for national chains. Best in my opinion to find a local plumbing company with good reviews on sites like Reddit.

You get your reviews and recommendations from reddit?! That's ridiculous. The amount of bad information on that site is more plentiful than the stars.