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.
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 doesn't take standing water long to rot a subfloor.
This piece of equipment usually lasts as long as the toilet, about 30 years. However, if it dries out and starts to crumble, you could be at risk for a messy leak. At that point, it's time to install a new one.
A: The most likely cause is that the wax ring around the closet flange is leaking, allowing a small amount of water to seep from under the toilet with each flush. The wax rings are probably misaligned. The fix is to reseat the toilet using a flange extension and one wax ring.
The first sign of a failing wax ring is water that seems to be seeping out of the base of your toilet. Other signs to look for include: Water stains on the ceiling from the floor below. A lingering, unpleasant bathroom odor from escaped sewer gasses.
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.
Behind every good toilet—or, rather, beneath—is a good wax ring. But with time, even good toilet wax rings can go bad.
The seal is created instantly once you seat the toilet on top of the ring. From this moment forward, everything should be stable, and there should be no water leaks or other signs of a bad toilet seal.
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.
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.
🚽 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.
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.
$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.
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.
The choice between wax toilet seals and wax-free toilet seals ultimately comes down to your personal preference. Many professionals stick with wax because they know it's reliable, and they're paid to deal with the mess. If you're more comfortable with the tried-and-true approach, go with a wax seal.
A regular wax ring is all you need if the flange is set on top of the finished floor. Oatey® Heavy Duty Wax Bowl Ring can be used to set any floor type closet bowl. A thicker wax ring is used when the flange has already been set on the subfloor and is flush with the tile instead of sitting on top of it.
The most common toilet leak is caused by a deteriorated flush valve (flapper) at the bottom of the toilet tank. If the flapper does not seat properly, water will leak into the toilet bowl. Often this leak will occur without being heard.
International building codes require that a fixture shall be made watertight where it comes in contact with the wall or floor. One way of making sure this code is adhered to is by caulking around the toilet.
Firmly press your sealing stamp in the wax for a couple of seconds and leave it to harden for about a minute. Gently remove the sealing stamp. If you feel some resistance, leave it to cool for a little longer.
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.
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..."
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.