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Amy Shari
  • Zion, IL
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Overweight tenants - Wax ring issue

Amy Shari
  • Zion, IL
Posted Oct 2 2011, 14:30

My new tenants have moved in now as of one week ago. They are both older, have a hard time walking around, both morbidly obese, and the male is recovering from heart surgery.

Prior to them moving in, my daughter and I spent the summer in the house, probably two out of the three months, while I fixed it up and tried to rent it out. We lived there and any issues that I noticed were repaired immediately. When they moved in, a week ago, there were zero issues.

Today, they phoned to say that there is water leaking from the base of the toilet. Of course, I know it is the wax ring. But the whole toilet, and wax ring was replaced exactly one year and three weeks ago.

I suspect that the toilet/wax ring could not handle the 300+ pounds of the male..and that in the process of him trying to get up from the toilet, which is pretty low as it is a cheaper model,the bolts were wrenched loose a bit and the wax ring broken.

I of course will replace it but here is the rub....if a fully functioning toilet with an intact wax ring was damaged due to the extra weight...a new one will also get damaged...I cannot replace this thing every other week...it is not due to neglect that it is breaking but due to the extra pressure. What all would you do?

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James DeRoest
  • Investor
  • Century, FL
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James DeRoest
  • Investor
  • Century, FL
Replied Jun 1 2016, 23:29
Originally posted by @Stone Teran:
Originally posted by @James DeRoest:
Originally posted by @Terri Mccullough:

I'm having the same issue with my tenants and the toilet leaking.  We have replaced the toilet 2x most recently abut a month ago.  They have called 3x already saying it's leaking again.

 Is the tenant overweight? If it is, then the toilet leaking is their bill to pay.

What obese people do, and I was told this by my plumber whilst repairing one of ours that had an overweight tenant, the tenant will sit on the toilet and to pass waste they literally rock themselves back and forth, moving their not inconsiderable gut around at the same time. Which in turn busts up the toilet and/or the wax ring.

My tenants were sufficient in size and weight not just to break the wax ring seal but managed to break the bottom of the toilet off as well. Heavens only knows the psi that the carriage bolts lived through.

There is a solution though; buy a bigger and more expensive toilet. The aqua source $99 toilet from Lowe's seems to do the job. So far.

Oh and tell the tenant that the next breakage is on them.

 No.

This thread has some great accurate replies and also hearsay from others who say "my plumber handy man said..".  If you don't know, don't reply.

A well installed toilet with a good closet ring with support an enormous person.  There are a lot of ways a toilet can leak so it's hard to give advice without looking at it.  The height of the closet ring and the condition of it are very important factors.

 It's not about how well a toilet is screwed to the floor, it's about 300-500lbs of leveraging force.

Here's a web page that describes the power of leveraging. Worth a read for anyone who didn't do physics at school. Like yourself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever

A quick calculation would seem to indicate that a 350lb person, sitting 18" above the fulcrum and the action being 1" above the ground, rocking on a toilet would produce around 6,300lbs of force on the toilet.

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Christopher B.
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Knoxville, TN
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Christopher B.
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Knoxville, TN
Replied Jun 2 2016, 01:19

Without getting into the larger debate, I use the Sani-seal on all my rental toilets instead of a wax ring. Better at preventing leaks, easier for my guys to change out if needed, can be stacked on top of each other for extra height if needed, and at the end of the day makes me less concerned about a toilet leak so worth the few extra bucks. 

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Lynn McGeein
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Virginia Beach, VA
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Lynn McGeein
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Virginia Beach, VA
Replied Jun 2 2016, 04:44

It is my understanding that obesity is considered a disability, so I would be required to grant my tenant a reasonable accommodation, such as allowing them to, at their own expense, install a grab bar or install their own bariatric toilet, to be returned to normal at their own expense when the lease ends.  If they did not wish to do this, then they would be charged for damages each time they break a toilet.  I'm not a lawyer so no legal advice, just how I would solve the problem.    When my toilets need replacing in my units, I do install the new chair height or comfort height toilets as I think it helps.  

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Replied Jun 2 2016, 07:34

@Ryan Dossey

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Replied Oct 29 2020, 22:18

This thread is a life saver. I have the exact problem. The toilet has never leaked and it was just reseated 2 years ago when we re-tile the bathroom floor. I just took in a new tenant and he is about 200 lbs. The first time he used it, it leaked. But when I went to check it out, I kept flushing but don't see any leaking. After I clean up the leaks, waited a whole day, went check again and there was no leak. It is bone dry there. Thank to the posy by Dick M, I've found the problem. Because the tenant is a big guy, he must has sat against the tank and pushed it back and so tilted it a little. I simulate the situation by pushing the tank back with my hand and flush it. Sure enough, water is leaking from one of the bolt connecting the tank to the bowl. I am going to pick up the Secure-A-Tank that John Henry suggests. I will post back after I receive and install the Secure-A-Tank to confirm that the problem is fixed. Meanwhile, I hope this info will help someone out.

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Replied Mar 25 2023, 04:46

Hi, I've got the same issue going on.  I work in a group home for developmentally disabled.  We have an employee that must weight 500-600lbs.  Pretty big gal.  Anyway, toilet started to leak around the base, so a handyman came and replaced the wax ring, yes, it was broken.  Now, a week afterwards, I'm finding puddles of water on the floor and it's wet around the base after her shift.  I don't think anyone at work is taking me seriously when I tell them I think its from a heavy person sitting on it, wiggling around to reach certain areas.  It didn't leak right after fixing it, but it did after her shift.  How much weight were these toilets and/or rings meant to bear?

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Andrew S.
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  • Raleigh, NC
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Andrew S.
  • Investor
  • Raleigh, NC
Replied Mar 25 2023, 05:44

You may want to try one of the newer product to replace the wax ring.  They are made of foam and look quite sturdy.  I have used them with good success for several years now - no wax mess to deal with and possibly stronger.  Back when the wax ring was invented, there were fewer extremely heavy people whilst this had changed by the time they developed the new generation seals.

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Henry T.
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Henry T.
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Replied Mar 26 2023, 00:19
I don't know if this is a new or old house. Are you sure the floor is stable? Is it old diagonal tongue/groove subfloor under fir? Or is it two layers of new 3/4" plywood? I like to see the later in a bathroom.
The toilet area is usually the weakest area of an older house.
Buy them a new Amer Standard Cadet 3 elongated. Theyre really good and your tenants will love you long time. They're high and have a powerful flush, and fairly inexpensive. My plumber buddy recommended it and I've been putting them in my places over the last 6 years.
  Next time you do your toilet put, a bead of high quality glue or caulk around the entire toilet where it meets the floor, don't expect the two bolts to secure the thing, that's not enough.

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Henry T.
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Henry T.
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Replied Mar 26 2023, 00:23

You keep fixing it until you get it right. 300lbs is nothing.  If they're 800 lbs then I dont know what to say.

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Richard F.#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
  • Property Manager
  • Honolulu, HI
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Richard F.#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
  • Property Manager
  • Honolulu, HI
Replied Mar 26 2023, 15:15
Quote from @Henry T.:
  Next time you do your toilet put, a bead of high quality glue or caulk around the entire toilet where it meets the floor, don't expect the two bolts to secure the thing, that's not enough.
You should NEVER caulk around the base of the toilet...if there is a mounting issue, fix the subfloor and mounting flange height/alignment properly. When the floor flange is parallel and properly aligned to the toilet flange, it will be properly supported with regard to weight distribution. By caulking the base, WHEN there is a wax ring leak, the moisture will sit on your subfloor, which is exactly what rots them to begin with. The difference is, when you do not caulk the base, that seepage will become noticeable on the floor at the base LONG before it starts causing serious deterioration, providing a major clue that a new wax ring is needed.

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Henry T.
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Henry T.
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Replied Mar 26 2023, 21:05
Quote from @Richard F.:
Quote from @Henry T.:
  Next time you do your toilet put, a bead of high quality glue or caulk around the entire toilet where it meets the floor, don't expect the two bolts to secure the thing, that's not enough.
You should NEVER caulk around the base of the toilet...if there is a mounting issue, fix the subfloor and mounting flange height/alignment properly. When the floor flange is parallel and properly aligned to the toilet flange, it will be properly supported with regard to weight distribution. By caulking the base, WHEN there is a wax ring leak, the moisture will sit on your subfloor, which is exactly what rots them to begin with. The difference is, when you do not caulk the base, that seepage will become noticeable on the floor at the base LONG before it starts causing serious deterioration, providing a major clue that a new wax ring is needed.

 That's right, you caulk after the toilet has been properly installed. Plumbing Inspector won't pass your installation otherwise.