Thanks all, for PJ's leading me to reread this enchanting thread (except for the unpleasant recollections it triggers of the actual major inconvenience).

It really is priceless. Pique, I am touched by your quote below, though, as I ponder it, I'm not positive I want this to be my inheritance...
Had been hoping for something more along the lines of "may my memory be..."

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
What an epic! This thread is going to be one of the more memorable ones--right up there with Vulva Chic.

If the tank is gone and the toilet bowl is dry, that's a problem. The water in the bowl normally acts as a barrier that prevents sewer gas from getting into the bathroom.

You could try sticking a rag in the toilet and into the sink drain to try to stop the sewer gas, but from what you said previously it seems likely the wax ring is shot and the gas will leak out of there anyway.

This is a hazard and definitely needs to move up the "to do" list. This is standard work for a competent plumber.

The toilet bowl needs to be pulled (just four bolts at the bottom), the drain cleaned out (it will be accessible once the toilet is out), and the toilet re-installed. I'd just put in a new one. It won't cost a ton more to buy new and you'll get a water efficient unit.

Many thanks, wtg. (How DO you know so much about everything??)

I've been putting off getting a comparison realty market appraisal (plus getting an architect or structural engineer to let me know if it's feasible to extend that 1/4 bath to a whole one with a dormer - and cost).

That's several appointments of costly (time and money) professionals - hence delay.

Didn't want to just replace toilet (especially considering cost and still stranger fixture color combination it would yield).

Plus unnecessary cost of toilet and plumber if I am advised I can (and should) extend tiny toilet room. (Have been told before that added whole bath would make my house much more salable.)

However, reading online about sewer gases online I'm thinking Febreze isn't an adequate meanwhile solution.

quote:

What is the Main Cause of Sewer Gas in a Home?
The main causes for sewer gas odor in the home include the following:

Leaks
Cracked pipes
Air vent blockage
Drain clogs
Dry plumbing
Loose toilets

Final Words

A sewer gas detector may also be called a combustible gas detector, sewer gas leak detector, sewer odor detector, sewer gas detector of the home, or combustible gas leak detector for sewers.

Long-term exposure to sewer gas can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Sewer gas detectors can provide homeowners with a means to test the presence of sewer gas in their homes if they smell sulfur.

Sewer gas leaks can be fixed by hiring plumber. They will find and fix the leak, that is usually caused by old, defective and degrading plumbing infrastructure.

Certainly sounds like it describes my fixtures.

Maybe I can get a decent 2nd hand toilet from "ReStore" place that works with "Habitat for Humanity".

There probably is a fill valve available to replace what's in your old toilet, but it won't be at Lowes; you'd have to order it online or maybe from a plumbing supply house. But I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

We splurged and got Totos, but there are some pretty good toilets out there and they aren't all that expensive.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Se...tchpartialmax&NCNI-5

Maybe somebody has experience with one of ones available at HD and can suggest a good candidate...here's what The Spruce recommends:

https://www.thespruce.com/best-toilets-4176673

I understand wanting to optimize and coordinate projects, but I think this is one of those cases where this particular project just needs to get done soon.

I should have added that the friend seeking to replace the flapper at Lowe's, spent a good deal of time (his and sale's helper) trying to order a replacement from multiple sources.

I guess the present toilet's being almost definably antique (is it true that 75 years is the cut off?) it's not surprising if it can't have parts matched.

Then too if it's a matter of replacing the toilet, I think of my lengthy thread some time back about replacing my fridge. (The relative merits of getting a new one compared to an any old - working - alternative.)

(Consensus was to forget that or any new appliances, in favor of just emptying house and cleaning it to a sparkle instead. That a Craig's List or similar makeshift would entirely suffice.)

I'm applying that standard to a temporary toilet all the more, as any toilet would be 2nd hand to a buyer just as to me.

I just must get that professional opinion first -about whether it's even possible to extend the old teeny weeny bathroom - then take it from there. If not, faggedaboutit (getting a replacement toilet of any provenance). If feasible, price the job and how much it's worth to eventual sales price. Just hope I can replace the toilet without ripping out one of the teensy walls!

(I went through similar ages ago to replace a tub in the small ground floor bathroom. Sleazy contractor persuaded me the present one was a safety hazard owing to water stains on ceiling below.

(I was much younger and even more ignorant about home ownership issues, at same time my preoccupation remained managing my two sons who were pretty messed up thanks to sociopathic ex and dysfunctional nuclear family who left me floundering, while colluding with him.)

It's been non-fun!

Now I just want to get out of the house as economically as I can, making allowances for residual and new health issues which have left me kind of burnt out.

I rather suspect dormer wouldn't work anyhow for the bath extension (chimney in the way?) and if not, of all replacement appliances, a presentable toilet of any origin is the least of my sales appeal concerns.

I'm grateful to you, though, for enlightening me about the risks of a dry, sulphurous smelling toilet! Helps goose me into action to attend to this possible accident.

Hmmmm... I am having flashbacks to my childhood. Our toilets are from 1952. The original flush mechanism did NOT have a flapper, it had a stopper bulb that had a rod coming out the top that ran through a guide that was attached to the overflow tube. It looked like this:



Keeping the rod perfectly straight and aligned over the outlet was a pain in da butt.

However, modern Fluidmaster flappers would replace the whole bulb and rod assembly. So maybe that's not what you are facing.

We may have discussed this before...

I frequently see used toilets on craigslist for cheap or free. It would cost the labor to pull the old one out, replace the wax ring and maybe the screws in the floor, and install it. While you have it out, address the clog.

Then at least there would be a working bathroom at such a time as you were ready to sell the house. Otherwise you might have to concede a thousand bucks or so when you disclose that the toilet isn't working and there is a clog south of it.


One of my former cellmates said that whenever he moves into a house, he replaces all the toilets, even if the house is brand new. I guess, because he can.

quote:

Originally posted by pianojuggler:
We may have discussed this before...

I frequently see used toilets on craigslist for cheap or free. It would cost the labor to pull the old one out, replace the wax ring and maybe the screws in the floor, and install it. While you have it out, address the clog.

Then at least there would be a working bathroom at such a time as you were ready to sell the house. Otherwise you might have to concede a thousand bucks or so when you disclose that the toilet isn't working and there is a clog south of it.


One of my former cellmates said that whenever he moves into a house, he replaces all the toilets, even if the house is brand new. I guess, because he can.

Oh, for sure!

That's something like what I had in mind unless advice I gets encourages me to expand the little loo nook via dormer into a whole bathroom.

I'd never leave a non-working toilet when putting a house on the market. Apart from the capitalized PROBLEM, it would stink!

The main point wtg was making was that in-between now and then (house being marketed) it - and I - might explode. Therefore, I'd better get my tukkes in gear sooner rather than later.

Well, if you can post a few pictures of the inside of the toilet tank, perhaps we handyfolks of WTF can make some suggestions to get it working again.

But you still have a clog.

I still think a thin snake will work, but at this point, you need to get the top of the clog wet to soften it up so the snake will grab.

Don't forget after friend began with snake (and failed), a well-reputed local plumber sweated blood working with his augur, also failing (After which he left without even billing me - also forgetting to do small job on other toilet.)

The original mystery has never been resolved - I just managed, thanks to friend, to stop the rising water - the emergency.

It's not clear whether correcting someone's turning "off" (not) the valve in the wrong direction was primarily instrumental in inability to stop the water's continuing to rise.

Oh, I can't bear to think about this again, until I decide whether or not I'm going to proceed with the loo extension.

Reminds me of our home repair of a few years back. We had a cracked bathtub liner. We could have just replaced it - but spouse suggested we get a new tub. I said, if we were doing that, we should get a larger tub and also replace the drain for the tub which had caused us problems. If we did that, maybe we should remodel the whole bath. If we did that we should really replace all of the piping in the house with copper. If we did that, we should really redo the kitchen since it was on the same lines. If we did that, we should also replace the floor in the kitchen. If we did that we should replace the ceiling in the hallway which had one of those popcorn effects. If we did that...we should really move out for a few months. Upon completing all of that, we still weren't happy with the water pressure, so we replaced the water line to the street - which meant tearing up the front lawn - so we decided to put in a sump pump, a back-up valve and pit in the front lawn to protect the basement - and since we'd had some leakage, replace the drain tiles and waterproof the side of the basement.

Moved back in the house and two days later, the compressor on the central air conditioner blew - replaced that and the furnace.

Thank heavens we didn't just replace the liner on the bathtub.

LOL. Kluurs.
Can't remember whether or not I described tearing down a wall to replace a tub I'd been told endangered my (heavy) son.

Con-artist contractor told me the heavy cast iron tub in place was at risk of falling through the floor (showing me water stains).

Hey, I was much younger and wholly preoccupied with two little hellions. Unfortunately, it was impossible to get the replacement fiberglass tub in the very small bathroom, hence. wall had to come down.

Well, it really all began thanks to a dishonest tile layer who dragged out replacing the floor tile in same room. In between stage one and two, the toilet sunk into the tile and cracked it because he hadn't extended the toilet flange as he should have, instead layering several wax seals beneath it.

All of which led to the (new) toilet leaking - and from thence the water stains on the floor (ceiling of basement).

I was quite a sucker in those days. Now I'm just ignorant, but skeptical.

Sorry I brought it up. I was hoping there was good news and I was interested to hear what the solution was.

quote:

Originally posted by pianojuggler:
Sorry I brought it up. I was hoping there was good news and I was interested to hear what the solution was.

No worries.
I know you only meant well, and were interested especially having invested so much time and effort into trying to help.

(Those drawings still impress me! Appreciate your brainstorming and idea/expertise contributions. That of everyone who tried to plumb - as it were - the mysteries. ).

If I were an "influencer" just think how much clickbait this would have elicited.