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Has Your Pot Gone to Pot?

By TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.

Home Inspector with Complete Home Inspections, Inc. TN Lic#050

July 19, 2011 10:25 PM

Has Your Pot Gone to Pot?

Water stains and loose bowl are a sign of potential issues      Having been in the home inspecting business for over a decade, nothing really surprises me anymore. Seen it. Probed it. Wrote it. There are, however, some things that would seem to me that the average home owner would take note of. <sigh> But they don't.
     One of the more common issues I find in properties is with the china --- facility that is. Most folks sit, use, flush and get on with life. Loose toilets and leaking wax flange seals can literally eat you out of house and home. The nutrients in Black Water and the constant water source feed bacteria and fungi that will destroy wood. The only thing that was keeping this toilet from hitting ground zero was the chase and it was giving way. Extensive water damage to subfloor and framing caused by leaking toilet.
   The easiest tests to see if your pot is gone to pot are as follows: Look to see if there are obvious signs of darkening of the flooring around the base. If there is, you may have a leak. Grab each side of the bowl and see if you can rip it out of the floor. If you can pick it up, wobble it too and fro or if it is easy to move from side to side, typically means that you have a problem, Huston. Best call for a licensed contractor in the appropriate trade to make necessary repairs. Also, if you have a crawlspace, have them check to see if there may be some structural damage. Early detection can save you 25 pounds of grief...

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Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Weebles wobble, but your toilet shouldn't.

Jul 20, 2011 02:37 AM

Sussie Sutton

David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX

David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

What a head ache... I don't even want to think about loose toilets, and all the work that means coming up.

Jul 20, 2011 02:47 AM

Richie Alan Naggar

people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA

agent & author

I am getting educated here....thank you. So often we just sit and let things go to pot.....lol Michael

Jul 20, 2011 02:59 AM

Fred Carver Real Estate Consulant

Retired BC Realtor - Victoria, BC

Accredited Real Estate Consultant

Hey Michael ....I've been on Ones that Rock too and fro....haa

Congratulations on your Feature!

Jul 20, 2011 03:08 AM

Hannah Williams

HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA

Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

who would think talking about pot going to pot would be a feature post..Oh I could think of worst ways to put it

Hannah

Jul 20, 2011 03:24 AM

Brenda Mullen

RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX

Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

This is terrific advice Michael! I haven't really even thought about checking my toilet....I guess I will have to do that now :)!

Jul 20, 2011 03:26 AM

Robert Slick

Beach and River Homes - Georgetown, SC

NRBA, RDCPro, Trident/CCAR MLS

Hepatitis vaccines recommended for all Realtors.

Jul 20, 2011 04:02 AM

Kristi DeFazio

RE/MAX Advantage - Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs Rea lEstate 719-459-5468

I guess people don't want to think of toilet maintainence!

Jul 20, 2011 04:05 AM

Marian Goetzinger

Pine Knoll Shores Realty 252-422-9000 - Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Crystal Coast Real Estate NC

Well, I guess next time I'm sitting there, I'll look down. Hmmm

Jul 20, 2011 04:42 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Michael- glad I wasn't eating my breakfast while reading this. Weebling... wobbling.. too & fro.... I'm getting motion sickness.

Jul 20, 2011 04:44 AM

Ken Tracy

Coldwell Banker Residential - Naperville, IL

Helping clients buy and sell since 2005

Hi Michael. That is a messy looking area underneath the toilet...

I must say that this post's title brought me in...:)

Thanks for writing,

Ken

Jul 20, 2011 06:17 AM

Joni Bailey

101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX

Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

Yowzers! Thanks for bringing to our attention the things that need bringing, whether we like it or not. (Kind of like the preacher -- IF he is doing his job! LOL)

Jul 20, 2011 07:16 AM

Kent Simpson

Realty One Group Mountain Desert - Tucson, AZ

Real Estate Is About People

Pot rot - a concept understood (and giggled at) by everyone old enough to climb monkey bars at the playground, but not something we really stop to consider much. Thanks for bringing a little light to the subject!

Jul 20, 2011 08:25 AM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Michael

Lift it? That would be a dead give-a-way, wouldn't it? I've seen a few scary ones...and one or two I would not choose to sit on for any reason.

Jeff

Jul 20, 2011 09:56 AM

Joe Pryor

The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK

REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

I thought you found pot in a pot.

Jul 20, 2011 10:42 AM

Lou Ludwig

Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL

Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Michael

It looks like the pot has gone somewhere, where not pot has gone before.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jul 20, 2011 11:12 AM

Carl Winters

Canyon Lake, TX

I can think of a five-letter-word...NASTY. I feel confident in saying these folks did not keep a good home maintenance program.

Jul 20, 2011 11:23 AM

Tammie White, Broker

Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN

Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Michael, the life of a home inspector. Who else could write about faulty pots?

Jul 20, 2011 02:42 PM

Allen 2222

Austin, TX

If you sit, and it rocks, you've got a problem! If you can shimmy and shake and have it shimmy along with you, you've got a problem! That is one ICKY photo!!

Jul 20, 2011 05:28 PM

Chris Smith

Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage - New Tecumseth, ON

South Simcoe, Caledon, King, Orangeville Real Esta

Michael, great post, and something people need to be aware of... leaking wax seals can be replaced and repaired quickly and easily... and can save a lot of future hearthache

Jul 21, 2011 02:31 AM