Wax rings can go bad for a number of reasons, although age is not usually one of them. Actually, in ideal conditions, a wax ring should never go bad. There are, however some things that may cause them to no longer function properly. One very common cause of wax ring problems is loose toilets.
Water around the Toilet Base
The first sign of a bad toilet ring is water forming around the base of the toilet. To test that a bad seal is the problem, grab a couple of towels and wipe up the water. Go on with your day, checking periodically to see if the water has returned.
An improperly installed wax ring may leak. Perhaps the installer used a ring that wasn't thick enough, or perhaps the flange is high enough to lift the toilet off the floor and make it rock. Once water begins seeping through a compromised wax ring, it won't stop.
It requires no maintenance and can last 30 or more years, often as long as the toilet itself. But sometimes wax rings can dry out, crumble, and fail prematurely. When that happens, they need to be replaced.
One very common cause of wax ring problems is loose toilets. If the toilet is not firmly mounted, or gets loose to the point where it rocks a bit, it can cause the wax ring to lose its seal. When installed, a wax ring is compressed to fit the flange and the toilet, creating the seal.
First and foremost, a loose toilet will often cause a wax ring to lose its seal and leak. Next, in the event that you have to replace your toilet, your wax ring will lose its seal, so you'll need to install a new one along with your new toilet.
The only-when-flushed toilet leak could be caused by loose mounting bolts or a worn-out wax gasket while the all-the-time leak could be caused by a loose water supply line connection, a problematic water shutoff valve, or a faulty seal between the toilet tank and its base.
It is fairly easy to tell if you have a properly sealed wax ring; your toilet will not wobble, will be stable, and will have no water leaks. A few specific things to check include the height of your toilet flange, the stability of the toilet, and whether the floor around the base of the toilet remains dry.
The resulting damage caused by the Category 3 water damage resulting from a wax seal leak is covered under most homeowners' insurance policies.
For instances where the flange is too low, you can raise it with a repair flange or Set-Rite Kit. It is not recommended to stack wax rings because they will not seal together and would leave a leak path between the two.
🚽 Caulking Prevents Water Contamination
It could be water splashing out of a bathtub, mop water, water from a shower and even misguided potty training from your young boys who seem to miss the toilet bowl every single time! Without caulk around the toilet base, water can get under there and sit for a long time.
Here's what to know. Every toilet in your home has a wax ring connecting it to your plumbing, which creates a waterproof seal to keep what goes down to the sewer from seeping out the sides. This piece of equipment usually lasts as long as the toilet, about 30 years.
However, consulting my copy of Creative Homeowner Plumbing book I see they recommend "Install the new wax gasket on the toilet flange. Press the bolts into the wax to hold them upright." Next step, "using the closet bolts as guide, set the bowl onto the flange gasket..."
Wax-free toilet seals are made out of a heavy duty rubber, so they're flexible enough to shimmy into the flange without smearing a wax ring. Wax-free seals can also be reused. As long as they're still attached to the bowl in good condition, you can reinstall the toilet without replacing the seal.
No waiting necessary. The wax deforms and makes a water/waste proof connection instantly. Also turning the water on won't exposed the ring to the full flush until you flush your toilet.
The optimum flange height to aim for is 1/4 inch above the finished floor. This typically allows for almost any type of wax ring to be used and still ensure a good seal. If you recently tiled or changed the bathroom flooring, the flange height is likely less than optimal.
Whenever you remove a toilet for any reason, replace the wax ring seal between the toilet and the toilet anchor flange (sometimes called a closet flange) attached to the floor. Anytime a wax seal is replaced you should replace the T-bolts that attach the toilet to the toilet flange.
Temperature Matters
You won't necessarily be able to see the cracks until the ring leaks, so it's best to keep the ring in a warm room around 70 degrees or more until installation. The ring shouldn't be too warm either, so try to keep it below 80 degrees to avoid messy handling.
Plunging down too hard
A hard thrust downward can break the wax seal between the toilet and the floor, causing a leak.
In theory, the wax ring “should” last the lifetime of the toilet, or certainly 20 to 30 years. We come across situations all the time, however, where wax rings are in need of replacing well short of this scenario.