# Toilet drain too close to wall.



## lhoney2 (Jul 13, 2007)

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. 

Bought our house about a year ago. It was built around 1979. A toilet in one of our bathrooms was leaking. I tried installing new gaskets on the tank-bowl bolts, but no help.

I finally bought a new toilet and installed it today. The old toilet's tank was touching the wall behind it, and so is this one. The drain pipe is too close to the wall, by a pretty good bit. It is actually pressing pretty hard. Hard enough that it is not able to get a good seal between the tank/bowl seal. That is where the water is coming from. Yes, it took me this long to figure it out. :blush:

So, what can I do about this? Are there tanks that are made for this type of installation? The last toilet doesn't fit and this one doesn't either. 
HELP!

Thanks,
Lonnie


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## lhoney2 (Jul 13, 2007)

Actually solved my problem somewhat. I remembered the drain opening in the floor was larger than the opening on the bottom of the bowl. So I loosened up the flange bolts and moved the toilet forward until the bolts wouldn't move anymore.

The tank had enough space to clear the wall, the tank/bowl seal was seated well and no more leaks.


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## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

Most toilets flanges are set on 12" centers away from the finished wall, but some are made for 10" centers for small bathrooms.
As long as your wax seal is good and the toilet cannot move at all, and it is functioning without leaking, you should be good to go.
Mike


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## lhoney2 (Jul 13, 2007)

> Most toilets flanges are set on 12" centers away from the finished wall, but some are made for 10" centers for small bathrooms.
> As long as your wax seal is good and the toilet cannot move at all, and it is functioning without leaking, you should be good to go.
> Mike


The wax seal is new, and the toilet feels solid. I've done 10 test flushes since shifting it forward and everything is dry so far.

Wife will be happy when she gets home.


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## MechanicalDVR (Jul 4, 2007)

Toilets come in 10",12", and 14" rough in, distance from the finished wall to the center of the flange. I just hope if you slid the bowl forward that the horn of the bowl is inside the flange opening and not partially blocked on the edge of the flange.


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## ron schenker (Jan 15, 2006)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Toilets come in 10",12", and 14" rough in, distance from the finished wall to the center of the flange. I just hope if you slid the bowl forward that the horn of the bowl is inside the flange opening and not partially blocked on the edge of the flange.


This would make for some pretty serious water damage on the floor below 
You make a very valid point


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## MechanicalDVR (Jul 4, 2007)

I have seen to many times in the past where a toilet had been leaking into the sand below a slab and not til it was pulled for another reason had it been discovered, along with all the nasty stuff growing from the "fertilizer".


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## lhoney2 (Jul 13, 2007)

Wouldn't there usually be an indication of this type of situation, like water leaking onto the floor? I have tile in the bathroom, installed directly on top of the slab. I don't see how the waste water could miss the pipe without alerting me almost immediately.


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## MechanicalDVR (Jul 4, 2007)

It is possible to leak into the area under the slab and not leak out onto the floor. Most new toilets have very shallow horns on the bottom of the bowl and could staddle the flange itself. If the outlet was partially blocked you will see blockages often. How much did you pull the bowl forward to clear the wall?


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## dmaceld (Jul 4, 2007)

If the drain is accessible, you could maybe change out the flange unit for an offset flange. That will give you about a 1" shift in toilet location.


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

"So I loosened up the flange bolts and moved the toilet forward until the bolts wouldn't move anymore."

How can that be done? it is a circle... and the bolts are at 9:15 position... how can they move forward....


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## bigMikeB (May 31, 2007)

KUIPORNG said:


> "So I loosened up the flange bolts and moved the toilet forward until the bolts wouldn't move anymore."
> 
> How can that be done? it is a circle... and the bolts are at 9:15 position... how can they move forward....


They can move forward because of the oval holes in the toilet base and the fact that the flange itself has play room to fit the often misformed holes in the china casting. There is plenty of play in both places.


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

you are talking about a tiny bit of moving around.... but I found that non-scientific.... because the hole at the base should fit in only the center of the drain hole which means only one position. and the hole alignment at the flange and toilet should dictiate that position to be only one possible choice rather than play around with various positions....

but this is on the paper ... in real life... may be everything is not scientific.


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## zenn (Nov 30, 2008)

*Interesting*



dmaceld said:


> If the drain is accessible, you could maybe change out the flange unit for an offset flange. That will give you about a 1" shift in toilet location.


My problem is that my floor joist is just at the 12" and I don't know what to do. Would this offset flang work for me. What would be the purpose of the flang. I really have to move this toilet for space :icon_cry::huh:


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## JDC (Mar 11, 2008)

You could rough in the drain at 10" and get a 10" rough toilet or you can header off that joist to get the 12"


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