I’ve had four plumbers to my house this month, two of them have been here twice. I’m out about $150 each time they come. My toilet is still leaking into my basement. Each time they say “Ok it’s fixed!” And each time, a few days later, I’m cleaning raw sewage out of my basement. The only thing that’s helped at all is bypassing the water softener, since the leaks seem to have happened after the unit recharged. Now the leak isn’t as bad, but it’s still happening. So what do I do: Have one of the plumbers back again, try a whole new plumber, never use that toilet again (note: the leak would sometimes happen when we weren’t even home, so not sure this will work anyway). I’m going on 10 times of hauling garbage bags of sewage soaked paper towels out of my basement, so I’m thrilled with any suggestions you might have.

I think there is no right or wrong answers.

If you are using the same plumber, and paying more money, then for me I have to be convinced that the reason for the second, third visits involved a new discoveries, I would want to understand what the new discovery is/was. If it's the same "cause" then I have a problem with paying for multiple attempts, that speaks to perhaps a lack of skill or experience of the plumber.

Sometimes there are multiple issues that causes a "compound" problem, it is not unreasonable to fix one issue, only to expose a second problem later. I have no problem paying more to solve the second problem that wasn't apparent the first time.

I think the most important thing is to get an explanation from the plumber what the problem is and make your decisions base on that. If a plumber is not experienced, and was guessing at the issue by throwing darts on the wall, and each time he throws one you are being charged, then I think it's time for a new plumber.

quote: note: the leak would sometimes happen when we weren’t even home.

sounds like you have a leak in the water piping. Galvanized pipe is the only pipe I know of that can heal itself by rusting over. Do you know what type of water piping you have in your home?

Sometimes (well a lot of times) there's more than one leak in a system. So if the plumber claims to have fixed a leak he may have but not detected or fixed all of them. If you do indeed have raw sewage this is drain problem and likely right at the flange to toilet connection.

After the water filter system is serviced likely you have increased water pressure in your home causing the leak to get worse.

If this was my home I would do some of my own detective work to locate the leak. If you don't feel comfortable doing this you can hire a leak detection company to locate and then hire a new plumber to fix. Do some research online and read reviews.



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For that my suggestion is that if anyone faced that type of issue just do one thing, just connect with handyman service who will solve this problem easily.



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You suggesting someone having issues in Illinois to call a handyman in Dubai? LOL.

i wonder if he charges travel time both ways ?

naaah

he will get a work visa and NEVER return home

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

You can try out asking your plumber to change the wax ring. That might help. I don't know how much this might help but one of my friend had a leak below the toilet and this worked for him.