Home & Garden

Basement Toilet Mystery

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 19th, 2019 1:55 pm
Deal Addict
May 9, 2003
2188 posts
1681 upvotes

Basement Toilet Mystery

We have a basement toilet. Every so often, usually after periods inactive use (2-3 weeks), what looks to be SAND appears from inbetween the flooring and the base of the toilet. Its almost as though a critter is living near the wax ring, and is "excavating" sand every so often. Any ideas on what this may be?

Other than the spider and odd centipede, we are fortunate not to have any other critters (that we know of) in our basement.
4 replies
Deal Fanatic
Jan 5, 2003
5068 posts
5009 upvotes
Toronto
I wonder if perhaps there is a small flooding issue and ground water around the waste drain is seeping up through the hole in the concrete floor for the drain. If the base of the toilet isn't caulked, then the ground water would pool around the base of the toilet. If it's temporary because of excessive rain, melting snow, etc. then the water will eventually drain back into the ground, but the sand/dirt/grit/etc in the groundwater will be left behind.

The wax ring should have kept the groundwater out, but maybe the installers used something else to seal the drain to the toilet,

Write with markers onto small strips of regular paper and place around the base and tuck into the base. If there's water at some point, it'll make the marker ink run and bleed, so you would notice it, even if the paper has since dried.
Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2007
2321 posts
1676 upvotes
SW Ontario
Ants, especially since there is a source of water nearby
I'd rather be outdoors camping, kayaking, and mountain biking ...
Deal Addict
May 9, 2003
2188 posts
1681 upvotes
TomLafinsky wrote: Ants?
I haven't seen one ant in the bathroom (or basement for that matter). However I will keep an eye out.
Deal Addict
May 9, 2003
2188 posts
1681 upvotes
jm1 wrote: I wonder if perhaps there is a small flooding issue and ground water around the waste drain is seeping up through the hole in the concrete floor for the drain. If the base of the toilet isn't caulked, then the ground water would pool around the base of the toilet. If it's temporary because of excessive rain, melting snow, etc. then the water will eventually drain back into the ground, but the sand/dirt/grit/etc in the groundwater will be left behind.

The wax ring should have kept the groundwater out, but maybe the installers used something else to seal the drain to the toilet,

Write with markers onto small strips of regular paper and place around the base and tuck into the base. If there's water at some point, it'll make the marker ink run and bleed, so you would notice it, even if the paper has since dried.
Thank you for the suggestion. I will try it.

My basement is very damp so perhaps ground water is an issue.

I had my main lateral sewer pipe replaced last year so I do not think it is wastewater backup related.

Top