Calling all plumbers...again.

[basswipe]

As many here know I've taken time off from work and have been staying at my dad's house after his fall and surgery.

Well I've had some time on my hands and noticed a large sagging water stain in his down stairs laundry room.I just assumed that this had been addressed ages ago as my father never mentioned it again when first noticed years ago.This leak only seemed to manifest itself when there was combo of heavy rain with strong wind...like yesterday.

At about 9pm last night I hear my dad getting up to use the bathroom.Because of his condition I always go and ask if he needs anything.His upstairs bathroom is actually a full bath connected to a half bath.He uses the half bath because its connected to his bedroom and didn't get much use until a week ago when he came home.Anyway he gets done,I go back downstairs.About half hour later I go to use the toilet in the laundry and son of bitch there's water dripping from the ceiling.

I open up the ceiling to take a look and noticed the plywood around the main drainage pipe from upstairs is saturated.To make this long story longer, every time the toilet in the half bath is flushed the dripping starts.

I've flushed the toilet in the full bath,filled both sinks and taken a shower and no leaking.But if the toilet in the half bath is flushed and you then go use the sinks or flush the other toilet the dripping lasts longer and yet none of the other fixtures can initiate the leak on their own.

My major question is why would this leak appear to manifest itself more heavily when we get the heavy weather when the leak itself seems to have nothing to do with the weather?

Before the half bath was being used regularly the leak would show during heavy weather I assume in combo with some fixture in the full and/or half bath being used.But when there is no rain/wind the only way to intentionally make the leak is to flush the toilet in the half bath.Very confusing.

I'm a painter and not a plumber and have no idea what's going on here.I'm getting ready to pull my hair out.Stress I don't need.

Obviously I'll be calling a plumber 1st thing in the am Monday,but at the moment any insight here guys?

PS.Sorry about the novel sized post but it makes feel better just to get this out.

[spence]

I think the connection between the toilet and the weather may be your imagination

Other than that, replacing the wax seal on the problem toilet would be a cheap and easy place to start.

-spence

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by spence

I think the connection between the toilet and the weather may be your imagination

Other than that, replacing the wax seal on the problem toilet would be a cheap and easy place to start.

-spence

It really does seem to leak heavier when we get the crazy weather, at least according to my father.This is the first time since I've been at my dad's that the weather was like it was yesterday.And yet no dripping in the 9 days prior to yesterday and that bowl is getting flushed at least a half a dozen times a day.

I would love to think its just the wax ring.I timed the dripping and it definitely lasts longer if one of the other fixtures is used after the halfbath toilet is flushed,yet none of the other fixtures on their own can initiate the leak.

I don't know.

[Adam_777]

First thing you want to do is a complete system check on the toilet and the feed line going into it.If all is tight and no leakage is detected from any of the seals that hold the bowl to the base check your shutoff valve before the line.Sometimes the leak will run back into the wall depending on the angle of the valve.Next shut the water off at the valve and flush the toilet.Grab a bucket and fill it with water.Dry the area around the drain where it looks like it's leaking.Fill the tank and toilet with water from the bucket.Check for a leak.Flush the toilet and check again for a leak.If it is leaking at this point remove the toilet and check for cracks, a broken flange or bad seal.If it's not leaking it's somewhere in the plumbing to the toilet.Verify it by turning the water back on and flushing it and watching the leak.Sometimes you can't visibly see the leak on the toilet when checking it make sure you clean it well and use your hands to check for leakage.Toilets are simple and you can get a new one for under 100 at any big hardware store.I'm not a plumber but have installed a few of them.The new ones use less water than the older ones and may be better if you have to pay for water or are conservative.Good luck with it and if the bolts don't come off the flange I've used a dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut them.New bolts come with most seals or can be bought seperately.

[GattaFish]

Like Spence said. for a couple bucks I would start with wax ring and closet bolts. then see what you are left with. Hope fully that will do it. If you still see dripping when you run a sink check the sanitary adapter at the wall/floor where the P-trap/S-trap connects to the main drain line.

[Fishpart]

Could also be a bad seal on the vent stack where it goes through the roof. I had one that dripped only when the wind drove the rain a certain way. Some times the rubber flips over and holds water and sometimes they are just cracked.

[OX]

While you have the Watercloset off to replace the waxring, pour 5 gal bucket of water down the closetbend and check for leak. If it is the roof flashing, it should only show up during rain or melting snow on roof.

[Redsoxticket]

The grey water is probably being blocked due to a failure at the septic system. This will be more apparent during heavy rain where the leach field is soaked with water. Then grey water will then back up and leak at the weakest link.
and if no septic then same analogy with town sewer.

disclaimer: I'm not a plumber

[basswipe]

The leak was both the halfbath toilet and the vent stack.

The old copper pipe going up to the toilet had corroded away at the flange.It was replaced with some nice new pvc.Toilet leak solved.

I left the ceiling opened up before I re-sheetrock and compound it so some air could get up their and dry out the subfloor.Good thing too as it rainded today and I have a straight shot view of the vent stack all the way to the roof and yep there was a slow drip coming all the way down from the roof.

[Adam_777]

Congrats on finding the problem.How do you seal a vent stack anyway ?

[Fishpart]

Originally Posted by Adam_777

Congrats on finding the problem.How do you seal a vent stack anyway ?

I fixed mine with roofing cement and I watch it, with a ranch it is easy to get on the roof. I am only a few years from a roof job, so I'll replace the boots then.