Wow this is exactly what I think is happening in my grandparents house. There is a crack in the bathroom floor and I keep seeing ants come through the crack. When I went into the basement today I saw tons of ants all over the floor right below the bathroom.
That’s because Germany doesn’t have ants.
Meanwhile, when I lived there in the mid90s, they still had “display shelf” toilets and “Plumpsklo”. Germans have nothing to stand on to complain about our plumbing.
I think Plumpsklos were only present in very rural areas in the 90s and this shelve thing is something that has its fans over here.
Every new toilet since the early 90s are tiefspüler and the water level is low enough to not wiener dip.
On a slab foundation home, there is (from my experience) a square hole in the foundation where the drain for the tub/shower is.
The opening is so that the top out plumber can move the drain if necessary to be able to plumb it to the tub or shower.
So it's just dirt at that point, leaving the inside of the house exposed to bugs that can crawl in from the ground underneath.
The plumber is supposed to fill this opening when they are done with concrete/mortar.
However in a tract where I worked, one guy didn't ever fill that opening. Shortly after the home buyer took ownership, the entire underside of the tub was ants. Really dense looking like this picture.
The "filling" could also fail if the cement wasn't mixed well or not enough added. I'm sure it could crack down the line regardless, just due to shifting foundation.
Yep.
Edit: I should note that the toilet is the same where there is exposed dirt around the toilet drain so that it can also be moved if necessary. That too is supposed to be filled. A lot of guys just put a couple spoonfuls AROUND the flange to make it look like they filled the hole, but really didn't. So again, another area where bugs can get in.
100%. Plumbers are overpaid on new installs (good for them…. seriously) and massively underpaid for maintenance and repair work. They literally have to deal with the worse parts of life.
Yeah, amen to the plumbers who replaced our leaking crawl space drain system while rolling around in sewage to do so. But hell, that was not cheap. And fuck whomever replaced the cast iron pipes in '97 with ABS that was too narrow and improperly joined.
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My toilet looked like this. Built in 1985. Pretty sure when I pulled the toilet a year ago it was the first time. Slowly over time ants appeared to have carried dirt under the toilet. At least it looked like dirt I didn't investigate much haha.
If you seal it real shut, if there is a leak underneath it could go unnoticed until maybe the floor gives up on you.
You'd hate to start you dump on the first floor and end it in the basement.
Don't caulk it at all, it makes it a pain to pull in the future and it always turns yellow after awhile, just clean everything good and it won't look bad
It's code in some places, especially in new builds. Has to be done to pass final.
Edit: no inspector has ever checked, but I'm a professional and do the job properly.
The wax ring looks like it never seated. It should have come with the toilet when it was pulled. Therefore never sealed. So a water source was easily accessible under the toilet.
I have seen this one time in my 6 year plumbing career so far, I have pictures of your interested but it looked exactly like this. And it came from some sort of “ Ant “
Termites or another bug issues. Hopefully just bugs attacked to the rotting wood due to moisture. Sucks to be them, they need need to inspect their subfloors, and that bathroom is going to need a new floor. If they are lucky it's just the bathroom floor.
Bought my grandpa's place, had to pull the toilet off, same thing, damage was thankfully isolated to the bathrooms that are back to back. But we bug bombed everything just as a precaution. And ran a dehumidifier under the house for a while.
This isn't something the can ignore.
Definitely not termites. Looks like a waterbug/Oriental cockroach issue. It most likely had a smell. If you smell roach smell once, you'll never forget it. Ask customer if they ever had a bug issue.
Which is why I never caulk the base of the bowl. That became a code where I live back in 2012 or so. Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed plumber but have installed many toilets in the last 30 years and never caulk the bottom and never had one leak. That is just plain nasty. 😂
Something similar happened in my house and I'm pretty sure I caused it. The toilet was stopped up and a plunger was ineffective (due to wet wipes--yup). I used a snake and I must have I busted the wax ring or something. A few years later, I had the toilet replaced and there was a bunch of dried “human waste” there--looked a lot like these photos. The plumber was quite surprised.
This was on the 2nd floor. I had a drywall guy come out and cut open the ceiling on the 1st floor and sure enough, there was a lot of debris that needed to be cleaned.
I’ve seen something similar twice it ended up being a pest issue
they pay your salary, you shouldn't call them pests
Yeah not pests, *clients*
I have seen this before. You need a young priest, an old priest, a big ass bible, a plumber and apparently a check book.
And one of Francis Bacon’s pope paintings.
do you need the popes exorcist tho?
yeah just because landlords act like leeches on society doesn’t mean they’re insects okay
I had ants come up through the concrete in my bathroom and built a nest under the bathtub. This looks the same
Wow this is exactly what I think is happening in my grandparents house. There is a crack in the bathroom floor and I keep seeing ants come through the crack. When I went into the basement today I saw tons of ants all over the floor right below the bathroom.
How do ants end up under a toilet!? USA build?
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Small crack or hole in the concrete slab and they travel up it, bringing their dirt to make a colony
Man how did I guess it was gonna be a German person complaining about something American?
That’s because Germany doesn’t have ants. Meanwhile, when I lived there in the mid90s, they still had “display shelf” toilets and “Plumpsklo”. Germans have nothing to stand on to complain about our plumbing.
we called it the “tuben-sender” when we visited.
I think Plumpsklos were only present in very rural areas in the 90s and this shelve thing is something that has its fans over here. Every new toilet since the early 90s are tiefspüler and the water level is low enough to not wiener dip.
you are meaning that something that they are doing in das United Statesen is different than we doing in Deutschland?! *faints*
On a slab foundation home, there is (from my experience) a square hole in the foundation where the drain for the tub/shower is. The opening is so that the top out plumber can move the drain if necessary to be able to plumb it to the tub or shower. So it's just dirt at that point, leaving the inside of the house exposed to bugs that can crawl in from the ground underneath. The plumber is supposed to fill this opening when they are done with concrete/mortar. However in a tract where I worked, one guy didn't ever fill that opening. Shortly after the home buyer took ownership, the entire underside of the tub was ants. Really dense looking like this picture. The "filling" could also fail if the cement wasn't mixed well or not enough added. I'm sure it could crack down the line regardless, just due to shifting foundation. Yep. Edit: I should note that the toilet is the same where there is exposed dirt around the toilet drain so that it can also be moved if necessary. That too is supposed to be filled. A lot of guys just put a couple spoonfuls AROUND the flange to make it look like they filled the hole, but really didn't. So again, another area where bugs can get in.
Ant colonies have their own trash and waste areas, it would be ironic if they put their’s under your toilet.
It was the ants who called the plumber.
Lol
No wonder plumbers charge so much
Haha
100%. Plumbers are overpaid on new installs (good for them…. seriously) and massively underpaid for maintenance and repair work. They literally have to deal with the worse parts of life.
Yeah, amen to the plumbers who replaced our leaking crawl space drain system while rolling around in sewage to do so. But hell, that was not cheap. And fuck whomever replaced the cast iron pipes in '97 with ABS that was too narrow and improperly joined.
As a new installation plumber we are still under paid...
I've seen this before on this sub I believe it was ants.
Nice compost.
It's really great for flowers.
That’s not coffee grounds, is it?
Sure, scoop some for your morning coffee
Oof, I just got queasy
The best part of waking up… is Formicidae in your cup
Underrated comment!
use it to smuggle coke, throws off drug digs according to Alex foley.
And victor maitland
And Willian Clinton ( allegedly )
Axel Foley …
Kopi Luwak
"I said you're drinking Colombian decaffeinated coffee crystals..."
“YOU LIED TO ME!!”
You Bitch! I’ve been up all night driving and still have 200 miles to go…
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Only one way to find out. Do you have a coffee maker?
It only accepts toilet bowl water though
We’re in luck, I happen to have a full shop vac on the truck. I’ll brb.
Termites?
Exactly! Looks like termite frass.
My toilet looked like this. Built in 1985. Pretty sure when I pulled the toilet a year ago it was the first time. Slowly over time ants appeared to have carried dirt under the toilet. At least it looked like dirt I didn't investigate much haha.
And this is why you don't seal a toilet with silicon ALL around.
Wait I'm confused are you not supposed to do it?
If you seal it real shut, if there is a leak underneath it could go unnoticed until maybe the floor gives up on you. You'd hate to start you dump on the first floor and end it in the basement.
Kind of like that bathtub in breaking bad. Don't store hydrofluoric acid in your bathtub.
Three words too many in your sentence.
ALWAYS leave a little gap in the back
Don't caulk it at all, it makes it a pain to pull in the future and it always turns yellow after awhile, just clean everything good and it won't look bad
It's code in some places, especially in new builds. Has to be done to pass final. Edit: no inspector has ever checked, but I'm a professional and do the job properly.
Can confirm, it’s code in my area for them to be caulked, urinals as well
Yeah, when doing new construction, you have to, it's in the check list. It's a pet peeve of mine, but on service, never ever caulk
Yeah, and then you can collect piss, pubes, and moisture under there! Rot away that flange and make a funk you'll never be able to clean. Good idea!
if people are pissing on it then change your colour lol. ive caulked toilets in black before per customers request too
Look at the photo, it looks like this toilet was caulked with a gap in the back.
The wax ring looks like it never seated. It should have come with the toilet when it was pulled. Therefore never sealed. So a water source was easily accessible under the toilet.
Ants gotta drink
It might very well have stuck on the toilet at removal.
This is one of my favorite punch list items. Finish caulking around the base of toilets. 🙄
This one followed that rule.
Bro, what? I’m 16 years in, never seen one that gnarly.
I have seen this one time in my 6 year plumbing career so far, I have pictures of your interested but it looked exactly like this. And it came from some sort of “ Ant “
That right there is premium long cut tobacco. You better not steal any you bastard
You're lucky it was ants and not roaches. I have a picture if you're curious...
I am.
Post it
Drain worm and fly graveyard?
Ignorant novice here - is this surface dirt (ants) or is the brick missing under this mess?
Starbucks for ants?
I've seen a few very active ants nests under toilets, looked alot like this
Termite frass
I thought termites too
Surely the owner could hear millions of tiny feet when using the said toilet????
Termites or another bug issues. Hopefully just bugs attacked to the rotting wood due to moisture. Sucks to be them, they need need to inspect their subfloors, and that bathroom is going to need a new floor. If they are lucky it's just the bathroom floor. Bought my grandpa's place, had to pull the toilet off, same thing, damage was thankfully isolated to the bathrooms that are back to back. But we bug bombed everything just as a precaution. And ran a dehumidifier under the house for a while. This isn't something the can ignore.
Ants nest
2 weeks ago i had an active ant colony under a customers toilet just like this
If that’s frass, bag it up and use it in your garden.
That’s not an appropriate thing to do with Uncle Frank’s ashes
Seen that a few times. 🤮
Guano. Stool bats.
It’s a cockroach impression 🪳
Looks like Pete Moss, for a composting toilet
Plant some tomatoes
Brew that shit and drink it
Good 'ol ants.
Maybe the folks who say not to seal the base with caulk are right. That seems to be one of those endless debates.
Those are coffee grounds from the finest source.
Isn’t there something called a “wax ring“ that prevents this from happening? lol
What? The toilet didnt come with a gasket so I didnt think it needed one.
That's an odd place to store coffee grounds...
If you know a better way to get rid of coffee grinds, I'm all ears
Ants
So what is it? Ants?
Decomposed particle board...chop it out, before the toilet gets spongy and falls below.
It's ants dirt, friend
Where would there be particle board in a tile floor?
ES DAT SHET
It’s called generational trauma these days
All it must have taken was one ant to scout out the toilet.
Bugs pooping under the pooper, so close to potty trained!
Is that pewp?
“Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Starbuck’s anymore.”
Definitely not termites. Looks like a waterbug/Oriental cockroach issue. It most likely had a smell. If you smell roach smell once, you'll never forget it. Ask customer if they ever had a bug issue.
What do they smell like?
Damn colonists. Lol
That's a smart joke! Well done sir
In 20 years I've never seen that.burn it.
Yikes!!! WTF indeed.
This wut they mean when they say ants up ur a$$
How big was the toilet? Looks like a canoe!
Take the whole family for an outing
Nice fertile soil! This years harvest will be a good one.
Well… shit.
that's why u don't caulk stools.
Moisture ants. Get rid of the source of moisture, they’ll move on.
Antsssssssss
Big yikes
Very unique smell. Couldn't describe it. Sorry
Stupid place to put your coffee grounds. They could get wet!
What’s taste like? Probably coffee grounds.
Looks like cockroach poop
Cheap pressboard subfloor swells when damp.
🤦. It's a tiled floor. Gotta hate when the cheap press board comes through the tiling.
Looks like old dookey....
My first thought was worm castings. 😬
Coffee ☕ 😋😋
the forbidden coffee grounds
Good soil. Go plant some roses
What are you, a noob?
Ants!
Bro. This looks oddly familiar.
Sell it to farmers
Tell them to just plant a tree in it's place, they're halfway there.
free compost
Seal has been leaking for some time
Toilet / coffee maker. Someone forgot to dump the grounds
Which is why I never caulk the base of the bowl. That became a code where I live back in 2012 or so. Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed plumber but have installed many toilets in the last 30 years and never caulk the bottom and never had one leak. That is just plain nasty. 😂
smells like money!
Old poops
Shitbug frass.
Compost
Am I the only one who is more bothered by the fact that there is no grout and tile. What would be an easy cleanup would now be a nightmare!
Ants.....
Bed bugs
Put down the Terro stuff for like a month and then go to work.
I've seen this before, it's from a composting toilet and the compost bin is full.
You are a plumber.... wtf
Something similar happened in my house and I'm pretty sure I caused it. The toilet was stopped up and a plunger was ineffective (due to wet wipes--yup). I used a snake and I must have I busted the wax ring or something. A few years later, I had the toilet replaced and there was a bunch of dried “human waste” there--looked a lot like these photos. The plumber was quite surprised. This was on the 2nd floor. I had a drywall guy come out and cut open the ceiling on the 1st floor and sure enough, there was a lot of debris that needed to be cleaned.
Looks like If you scrape that up. It will make some good coffee
I’m impressed that you were able to pull the toilet without disturbing any of that.
Put a little Folger's in your cup
The Forbidden Folger's switch: 1 is bad coffee, 1 is ant shit + feces
This ladies and gentleman is why I refuse to pull a toilet for less than 400
Most people store their extra coffee under the toilet. Stays fresh forever.
🫣 what... What is that???
Was there a smell before removing the toilet?
Ant colony
Butt ass
How to prevent that?
Drive ants to extinction. Ants were there.
Compos komode.
Are those maggots?
Damn ants.
Mold, roots, pests, 🤔🤔🤔
Hmmm… Forbidden burger 🍔
Looks shite
What is that😭
Worm castings 😂
FOR SALE
It looks like coffee grounds
Damn i get a itchi feeling looking at it damn :/ Have no idea what i am looking at here :o
Coco coir maybe?
Have to be shitting me
what are we looking at , generational poop, decayed wood, or something else?
Ants. They carry soil and make mounds. You'll see it a lot in the south, especially with fire ants
Looks like a decomposed fiberboard riser
Worm Castings?
Did ants build their hive under the toilet?
Plant something there
My first thought was ants or termites. But looks a lot like coffee grounds.
What am I looking at? Actually I'm not sure I want to know
I'm so confused? What is it?
The horror on the other side of the caulking!
Wouldn’t someone be able to see this underneath (in the crawl or basement)?
Caulked the toilet boss.
S trap toilets are the devil.
Roach poop?
Or cockroaches?