Can a toilet blockage cause a ceiling leak???

Question

Can a toilet blockage cause a ceiling leak???

Answer 1

Not likely unless the pipes are leaky or the bowl overflows. Happened to me a couple months ago and they payed for it out of pocket.

Answer 2

It happened to my cousin. He clogged up his toilet and it leaked down to the next floor below. It was a serious leak. And what's sort of funny and gross about it, is htat below him was a children's day care center!!!  They had to evacuate and redo the entire pipes. Talk about a big p**p!

Answer 3

Actually, the more common problem is that when people use a plunger to clear the clog, they force air DOWN against the clog, which can blow out the wax ring that seals the toilet stool to the drain flange in the floor.  Then the water from the toilet seeps past the wax ring and into the ceiling below.  If so, you need to dis-mount the toilet, replace the wax ring, and re-set the toilet.  And in future, press down gently on the plunger, and then pull briskly UP, to suction the clog back up, rather than forcing it more tightly into place.