Is a loose toilet a big deal?

Here’s an issue that we see in 90% of home inspections – Loose Toilets.

It sounds silly, but it’s true! We literally see this condition all the time!

So is this item a big deal in the great scheme of a home inspection? The answer is no – most of the time.

Usually, the fix is simply that the floor bolts just need to be re-tightened on each side of the toilet. This can be accomplished with just about any type of wrench and takes mere minutes to complete.

But occasionally, we run into a situation where the condition of the toilet being loose – usually for extended periods of time without being repaired, causes the toilet to be offset from the floor connection. There is a wax ring located at the base of the toilet that provides a gasket connection for the wastewater and solids to pass through.

Over many years, the wax ring can break down, which could cause leaking. But the condition of a loose toilet over time can also cause the toilet to become offset from the wax ring, which can also lead to leaking. This usually is from the simple rocking motion that people make when sitting on the toilet and/or getting up from it.

And over time you can end up with a scenario similar to the one that occurred in the pictures included here….

So I received a frantic phone call from a realtor friend of my wife who lives in Massachusetts, who suddenly noticed prominent water stains located on her kitchen ceiling.

My first question to her was, “Is there a bathroom located above the kitchen?”

The answer was yes.

So my direction to her was, “Please go upstairs and push on your toilet to see if it rocks back and forth.”

Lo and behold, the toilet was loose. In fact, it was very loose, rocking back and forth very noticeably she said!

So my next instruction was for her to tighten both of the floor bolts, which they promptly achieved.

And then I advised them to continue monitoring the kitchen ceiling, and if additional staining is noticed, at that point the wax ring under the toilet may need to be replaced.

Checking back with them a week later, they said they had not noticed any additional leaking.

But then they asked me how do they remove the stains located on the ceiling from the leak?

Well we’ll save that for the next blog!

 

Michael McCarty

NH Licensed Home Inspector # 316

HUD 203k Consultant # 1939

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Cathy Cooper
    5/16/2025
    From the moment I reached out to schedule my inspection I was impressed. I received a return call within 24 hours and was able to have my inspection next day due to cancellations caused by weather. Mike was prompt, professional, and incredibly helpful.He took the time to explain his process and answered all my questions with patience and clarity. It was evident he had a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field.The inspection report was detailed and easy to understand.Overall, I couldn't be more satisfied with the service I received. The professionalism, expertise, and customer care demonstrated exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend their services to anyone in need of a thorough and reliable home inspection.
    read more
  • Dalton Bechard
    5/15/2025
    John was immensely helpful, educational, and thorough. Giving us answers for every question we had, plus he went through all the basic functions of the house he was inspecting so we would know how to properly use the appliances and things like the water heater and furnace. On top of that he was punctual and thorough pointing out the most minute issues and helping us be aware of why they’re a problem. We will likely never use a different inspecting company as this was such an outstanding job.
    read more
  • Dalton Bechard
    5/15/2025
    John was immensely helpful, educational, and thorough. Giving us answers for every question we had, plus he went through all the basic functions of the house he was inspecting so we would know how to properly use the appliances and things like the water heater and furnace. On top of that he was punctual and thorough pointing out the most minute issues and helping us be aware of why they’re a problem. We will likely never use a different inspecting company as this was such an outstanding job.
    read more
  • Conor
    4/30/2025
    I cannot recommend Mike McCarty high enough! Thorough professional who explained everything in great detail and phenomenal customer service. If you want to make sure you are getting the best, Mike and First Choice are the ones you want!
    read more
  • Conor
    4/30/2025
    I cannot recommend Mike McCarty high enough! Thorough professional who explained everything in great detail and phenomenal customer service. If you want to make sure you are getting the best, Mike and First Choice are the ones you want!
    read more
  • Erin Moylan
    4/09/2025
    Mike is very thorough and honest. When moving to another state, you really rely on word of mouth as to who you can trust. Our Realtor highly recommended Mike and she was spot-on. The first house he inspected for us fell through, so we called him for the second one! My fiancé really liked working with him during the inspections. Thank you MIKE!
    read more
  • Erin Moylan
    4/09/2025
    Mike is very thorough and honest. When moving to another state, you really rely on word of mouth as to who you can trust. Our Realtor highly recommended Mike and she was spot-on. The first house he inspected for us fell through, so we called him for the second one! My fiancé really liked working with him during the inspections. Thank you MIKE!
    read more
  • Lauren Priolo
    4/07/2025
    Highly recommend First Choice Home inspection! Mike was wonderful to work with, explained everything and was very thorough. He cleaned off snow from the roof and climbed up to evaluate the roof. In my experience, a lot of other home inspectors are not willing to go up on roofs. He found an issue with my well that would have been a costly repair for me post my home purchase. So I am very grateful that was found prior to closing.
    read more
  • Lauren Priolo
    4/07/2025
    Highly recommend First Choice Home inspection! Mike was wonderful to work with, explained everything and was very thorough. He cleaned off snow from the roof and climbed up to evaluate the roof. In my experience, a lot of other home inspectors are not willing to go up on roofs. He found an issue with my well that would have been a costly repair for me post my home purchase. So I am very grateful that was found prior to closing.
    read more
  • Grace Santoleri
    3/28/2025
    I could not be more happy with the service and level of detail these guys provided! They were so kind, answered all of my questions and did a very thorough job. 10/10 recommend!! These guys know what they are doing and I couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you Mike and John!!!
    read more