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.
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.
Replacing a toilet flange costs $145 to $165 on average.
Another common sign is a bad odour in your bathroom. A damaged wax ring not only creates a leak every time you flush your toilet, but it can allow gases from the sewer system to leak into your home. This isn't just a sign of a damaged wax ring but also a sign of a serious health risk.
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.
Determine if the Wax ring is possibly bad by inspecting the floor for water or a foul odor of sewer gas. Use food coloring. If are unsure of where water is coming from you can add food coloring to the toilet tank. If the floor's water is the same color, then you likely will need to install a new wax ring.
So, what's the cause? Leaky loos are usually caused by a faulty flush-valve or fill-valve inside your tank – predominantly on dual-flush WCs. It can happen with any WC brand and type, but most leaky loos are the result of a failure in valve seals. These failures can happen on old and new WCs.
You should always consider replacing the toilet supply when replacing the wax seal. If toilet is caulked to the finished floor of the bathroom, score the caulking all the way around the toilet base with a razor knife.
When it works properly, the wax ring creates a watertight seal between the toilet base and the drain pipe. Unfortunately, wax can fail over time, leading to water leaking onto the floor. The good news is that popping on a replacement wax ring will fix the problem.
Replacing the wax ring is as easy as sliding the new piece onto the bolts in the floor, then sliding the toilet down to make a tight seal.
🚽 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.
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.
$90-$120 is a good ballpark.
If you are having other plumbing work done, they might do it cheaper, and if they have a large travel fee, you may pay closer to $150. Unless there is a problem, it should take them under a half hour, whereas, it might take a novice 1.5-2 hours.
As a result, having a local plumber replace your toilet's wax ring can be anywhere from $75-250 depending on the cost of the trip charge and whether anything else is discovered in the process that needs fixing.
In an effort to dislodge whatever is clogging the toilet, many homeowners get overzealous and thrust too hard downward into the toilet with their plunger. A hard thrust downward can break the wax seal between the toilet and the floor, causing a leak. And a really hard thrust could even crack the bowl.
Place the Wax Ring and Toilet
Do not be tempted to stack up two wax rings because this setup tends to leak. Installing a flange extender or using an extra-thick wax ring will work much better in the long run.
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.
The main signs of a leaking toilet may include a damp area on the floor around the bottom of the toilet, a spongy feeling in the floor at the bottom of the toilet seat, signs of dampness on the ceiling in the room underneath your toilet, or the occasional smell of sewer gas and the flooring coming up in the area around ...
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..."
Can you put a new toilet flange over an old one? A standard toilet flange should fit snugly into the outflow pipe and sit level with the subfloor. Installing a new one without first removing the old one will make it impossible to form a seal and keep the toilet bowl bolted securely in place.
Flanges last for about 5-20 years. Worn-out flanges will no longer create a tight seal between the toilet and outflow pipe. As a result, when you flush, the toilet will leak at the base. By replacing the closet flange you will be able to stop the base from leaking.