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Water Around Toilet Base? Here's Why & How to Fix It
Leaks Base Floor Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 9 👍

Water Around Toilet Base? Here's Why & How to Fix It

My maintenance team flagged a water issue at one of the units — there's a small but persistent puddle forming around the base of the toilet, and I'm trying to narrow down the cause before I send someone in to fix it. The building's maintenance guide says the toilet was recently reseated with a new wax ring, so that should rule out a failed seal — but the water keeps coming back regardless.

What's throwing me off is that the manual points to the wax ring as the default culprit for base leaks, yet I'm not sure that's actually what's happening here given the recent work. I need to figure out whether we're dealing with a condensation issue, a loose connection somewhere, or something else entirely before authorizing a full toilet pull.…more
Bathroom Smells Like Sewer Gas? Here's Why
Smells Sewer Gas Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 6 👍

Bathroom Smells Like Sewer Gas? Here's Why

Looked everywhere online but can't figure out why my main bathroom has started smelling like rotten eggs or sewer gas — it's been happening on and off for about a week now. The toilet is a Kohler two-piece and seems to flush fine, no leaks that I can see around the base. The smell is worst in the morning when we first use the bathroom, but it sometimes lingers all day.

I checked under the sink and everything looks dry, but I honestly don't know if the odor is coming from the toilet, the drain, or somewhere else entirely. My husband thinks it might be the wax ring but I'm not sure. Is there a way to track down where sewer gas is coming from without calling a plumber for every possible cause?…more
How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger
Clogs Blockages Easy 20–45 minutes depending on method 10 👍

How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger

My neighbor's bathroom never seems to have any drama — she's got kids the same age as mine and somehow her toilet just always works. Meanwhile I'm standing here on a Saturday morning with a backed-up toilet, a sink full of dishes, and zero plungers in the house. I have no idea how we don't own one, but here we are.

The bowl is sitting about three-quarters full and I'm nervous about trying to flush again. I've heard you can use dish soap or baking soda and vinegar, but I'm not sure if those actually work or if I'll just make things worse. Is there a method that's actually reliable without a plunger, or am I going to end up calling someone out on a weekend?…more