Wet around toilet-where to begin?

[maxandgeorgia]

Back from our trip to Montana, we are dreading our first repair job. A few days out on our trip, we began to notice dampness around the toilet base. I've gotten down and felt around the lines leading to the toilet, but found no wet there. When I reach around the back base of the stool on the floor, I find wet. The carpet is now damp, not standing in water, about 8-10 inches out from the toilet into the open space of our center bath. We've read just about everything related to bath-stool leaks in this forum, but we are hesitant to begin, fearing to tear into something that doesn't need a fix. Would someone walk us through the steps to determine our problem? Are these fix-it-yourself jobs for non-handy people (old, stiff, clumsy!) or is it a hireable job? After reading, I suspect something in the flushing levers, but will appreciate some advice and assurance as we begin this. . .job. Thanks

[Gunnyusmc]

First thing is too pull back the carpet and remove the pad. Put a fan were it will blow on the carpet too dry it out. If you don't you will need to replace the carpet!!
The leak is most likely easy to fix.
I would pull the toilet and then locate the leak, could be the wax seal which is an easy fix. If it is the flush mech. the fix will be relative to the availiblity of parts.
The toilet is not complicated. Getting it off is easy. There is a shut off valve in the line not far from the toilet, then disconect the water line and then two bolts, one on each side of the toilet.

Don

[Chuck]

First thing I would check is the ball valve, and associated connections. Don't know the layout on your trailer, but its really hard to get at in mine. I had to use a mirror and flashlight, and contort myself into all sorts of funny shapes to see what was going on back there. when I determined that the valve was leaking, I had to remove the toilet to replace it. BIGtime pita.

replacing the ball valve was actually the easy part....removal/re-installation of the toilet was the bad part.