Originally Posted by
Jon Randolph
I know that the IRC calls for it, but I recommend that a small section remain uncaulked at the rear. If the ring is compromised and starts to leak, I would like to know about it as soon as possible. Leaving a samll section at the rear uncaulked will hopefully allow some leakage to be visible at that point. If the leak goes un-noticed, what hapens to the floor under the toilet after a year or so?
The problem is that, with water being used to clean the floor (from mopping, from splashing out of the tub next to it, etc.), more water will get in under the base of the toilet for a much longer period than from the wax seal.
The wax seal is intended to keep the waste and accompanying liquid inside the DWV system.
Sealing around the perimeter of the base of the toilet is intended to keep unwanted water out.
If the wax seal is doing its job, and if the sealant around the base is doing its job, the space between the two will remain dry.
Why *intentionally* drain water *into* that space?
The sealant around the outside is not related to keeping the waste back if the wax seal leaks, you will see that soon enough anyway, so why compromise the installation by creating a channel for the water it is intended to keep out?
The code says "watertight", leaving a gap makes it "not watertight" regardless of what is used. Might as well not use anything at all - just set the wax ring, set the bowl, and be done with it. If you "would like to know about it as soon as possible" ... then that is the way to do it - use nothing at all.