Solving home plumbing problemsWelcome to our solving home plumbing problems page. It's my desire to help the regular joe blow with simple common problems. Through out my site you'll find solutions to many every day plumbing jobs. For now will concentrate on.... 1. Getting rid of that foul toilet smell
The smell I'm refering to, is ever present and smells like one of the following. 1. Sewage musty smell. (of all home plumbing problems this has to be one of the most annoying and potentially dangerous) This smell represents airborne bacteria in the millions. The first smell indicates a broken seal on the toilet outlet. (where the toilet enters the drain) This is usually caused by a toilet pan that has not been securely screwed to the floor.The missed shots of urine, eat the brass screws, till they break. The toilet starts to rock a little and cracks the drain joint. Through this cracked joint, sewer gasses escape readily and supply that pongy smell. Smell no.2 A sour urine smell. This smell is usually quite acrid (not nice) It is caused by the base or your toilet pan not being sealed to floor. Again, missed shots of urine is the culprit.The urine runs under the toilet pan and no amount of cleaning can get at it. The Solution The following solution involves pulling the toilet pan out, remaking drain joint, resealing and rescrewing pan to floor.
It's time to get your toilet back into place, rescrewed, resealed and smelling like a rose:) Place the toilet into its original position. Get a pencil and mark base outline and toilet screw holes. Remove toilet. Make sure floor and drain connection is dry. (There are two ways you can remake drain connection. 1. Silicone the gap between the toilet horn and drain. 2. Use a rubber compression fitting. (reccommended) see photo below. Simply push the connecter into drain and then toilet into connecter.
This pan connecter will fit into eartherware or pvc (plastic)pipe.They come in straight and offset from 20mm 3/4" to 40mm/1.5" With babies like these, it makes home plumbing problems a breeze. They allow a small amount of movement in drain and toilet pan and.... Use no tools or solvents to install. If you can't source a compression pan connecter, you will need to use silicone between the earthernware collar (old orange clay type pipe) and toilet pan outlet. To use the compression collar simply push into drain.
Drill 1/8" or 2.5mm hole in toilet screw markings. (timber floor) If concrete you will need to get some masonary raw plugs. (Pan screws come with the correct raw plugs as part of the package.)If possible try to get stainless steel pan screws. Squeeze silicone inside the line marked out for toilet. Place toilet on markings and screw down (Make sure the screws are firm and no more. To tight, and you will crack the pan. Have faith that the silicone will hold the pan in place.) Well done, your half way through the first of your home plumbing problems Now its time to replace the flush pipe. Dry and clean the horn of pan, the grommet washer for toilet cistern and flushpipe to pan connecter.
Silicone flush pipe to cistern grommet and flush pipe to pan connecter. Insert one end of flush pipe into cistern and the other into horn of pan.Screw up cistern nut (Clockwise) Now its time to clean up excess silicone. Make up a mixture of dishwashing detergent and water (strong brew)Put into squeezy bottle and spray over silicone. Get an iceblock stick and firmly wipe silicone off.Clean stick with rag after each wipe. Yehaaa Your a legend. Grab a newpaper and give it a test. Naa, just kidding. (Give the toilet at least 12 hours (24 hours is better) for silicone to go off. Great start to home plumbing problems and you're smelling as fresh as a daisy.
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