Just reinstalled a Kohler power flush toilet after a remodel. Standard wax ring. Good connection. New flange. Floor is flat. Toilet is siliconed to the floor in addition to the bolts. First 20 or so flushes were fine but now it leaks to the basement with every flush. Any experience on power flush systems blowing wax rings?
Power flush blowing wax ring
- Thread starter Charash
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- power flush wax ring
hj
Master Plumber
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The ONLY way it could happen would be if the sewer is obstructed, which would cause a pressure build-up when it flushed.
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Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
No amount of flushing power will create pressure in the drain for the toilet. If the flange is on top of the finished flooring where it should be, the horn of the toilet is in the opening, so the wax sees no flow from the bowl. If the horn does not get set squarely over the flange, the wax gets squished into the drain opening as the bowl is set, and the seal is not properly make.
Best to start over, and be more careful with the alignment of everything. Set the bowl with no wax first to determine where the shims need to go. If the bowl rocks at all, it needs to be shimmed, which is normal. Once the shim placement is set, then go back and reset it with fresh wax.
Best to start over, and be more careful with the alignment of everything. Set the bowl with no wax first to determine where the shims need to go. If the bowl rocks at all, it needs to be shimmed, which is normal. Once the shim placement is set, then go back and reset it with fresh wax.
Don't do that again. Search for discussions on Polyseamseal, although other acrylic caulk is good to. If you use the RTV silicone, it will be very hard to remove. I am not a plumber, but Terry is a leader in the not-silicone for toilet bases message.
After getting the toilet up with single-edge razor blades and utility knife, examine the remains of the wax seal. Are there signs of a blow-out? How thick was the wax and/or how high is the top of the closet flange with respect to the floor surface?
While the toilet is off, Charash might consider playing a garden hose into the hole at max volume.
Have somebody ready to turn off the hose. Run the water at 4 gpm or better for maybe 15 minutes unless backup or leak is detected.
- if the water rises to the closet flange, get the pipes cleaned out,
- if water starts going into the basement during that, there is a non-wax leak.
Last edited:
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
It's also possible that the toilet cracked or a plug wasn't done well and opened up. Some defects don't show up immediately.
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