The new house has a couple of toilets that leak from the 'stand' at the floor line when they're flushed but not at other times, and not from the tank.

Is there a quick fix for this, or do they need lifting and remortaring?

Had the same problem in our new house with one toilet only, out of seven. Lifted the toilet bowl up and found the pvc pipe was too short. Easily fixed.

Duncan wrote:Had the same problem in our new house with one toilet only, out of seven. Lifted the toilet bowl up and found the pvc pipe was too short. Easily fixed.

Cheers - what did you re-mortar with?

I haven't looked at the toilet seals here, but in the states its usually the "wax ring" or rubber seal. You lift the toilet and look at the bottom and there is a rubber or wax ring around the outflow. When setting the toilet its sometimes gets gashed or creased. easy replacement.

On a note. The "P" traps that are used in America on house/sink drains are garbage compared to the European ones used here. The American traps usually have to be taken apart to clean them when clogged. The European ones you just unscrew the bottom, and the American ones always seem to leak.

The Canadian plumber to the rescue . It is probably your wax seal underneath the toilet.
The wax ring seals the toilet and in time they lose their seal and get worn out.
In cambodia, they may use something different to make the seal, perhaps rubber or foam.
At the base of the toilet on both sides, there should be bolts holding down the toilet.
Simply loosen the bolts and pull the toilet off the base. Clean the wax off the toilet and flange and
Put a new wax seal on the flange and set the toilet back on the floor, making sure the bolts are positioned to come through the holes at the base of the toilet.
Sit on the toilet to compress the wax ring, and tighten the bolts down.
Be careful not to over tighten the bolts as porcelen cracks quite easily. Snug is fine.
And of course make sure the water is turned off before attempting this manouver.
Really not that difficult.
Any questions, send me a pm.

Thanks Mooser, good information.

remove the nuts...quite easy.
Yeah, unless they've been on it for 20 or more years, even brass corrodes. Hacksaw blade might come in handy. Often these holders of the bowl fail and heavy or energetic ppl can get it to rocking about breaking the wax seal. Most of the toilets I've noticed over there have no such bolts and seem to be cemented/plastered in place. I've often wondered if they HAVE wax rings there. I prefer to caulk the base to the tile, leaving a bit around the back for water to seep out IF the ring seal goes. Good solid attachment, no rocking/movement. The old toilets had 4 bolts, now it's 2. as IF 2 small diameter brass bolts will hold. Especially considering that many times the ring on the floor they are seated in is made from plastic. Even cast iron can crack at this point if someone were to kinda fall onto the throne I spose.
let us know if you find a wax ring there, it's really sticky soft stuff. Fits onto a kinda trumpet horn (reverse) on the bottom of the base.

Yes, only god knows what you may find in a plumbing installation in cambodia.
If you do caulk the base of the toilet, DO NOT caulk all the way around it, if it leaks, you will never find it and our floor will rot, leaving you with a bigger problem

Thanks, all good info.

Side note, shower ran dry on me today. Mrs Stroppy went out to find the meter was spraying so the neighbors disconnected it from the supplier side but didn't have the sense to ring the bell and tell us - too busy squatting in a circle having a group support meeting about it.

I prefer to caulk the base to the tile, leaving a bit around the back for water to seep out IF the ring seal goes.
Mooser, that's what I meant yeah. So's ya can see seepage.

I have yet to see a Cambodian crapper on a wood floor tho so I don't think rot will be much of a problem