Will a toilet leak if the wax ring is bad?

Author: Emie Huel  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Your toilet's wax ring creates an airtight seal to prevent water and sewer gas from escaping. When the thick wax ring goes bad, you need to replace it right away to prevent leaks.

Can a bad wax ring cause a toilet to leak?

If a wax ring breaks or wears down, then it loses its watertight seal. When this happens, the seal allows water to leak out when you flush. Often, when this happens, you'll see some water on the floor around the base of your toilet.

How do I know if a toilet wax ring is bad?

Water Leaking: If you notice water pooling around the base of the toilet, it could indicate a failing wax ring. This is often the most obvious sign. Unpleasant Odors: A wax ring that has deteriorated can allow sewage gases to escape, leading to foul odors near the toilet.

How long should a toilet wax ring last?

Once installed, a wax seal should last the life of the toilet, 20 or 30 years, without needing to be changed. There are times, though, when the wax ring needs to be replaced, such as when your toilet begins to leak around the base or starts rocking.

What causes a toilet to leak through the ceiling?

It's usually because of a break or a defect in the seal of the wax ring that affixes the toilet to the floor. When this seal gets broken, every flush then causes water to break through the bathroom floor. It then pools above a downstairs ceiling before ultimately leaking through it.

Leaking wax ring

Why would a toilet leak from underneath?

When a toilet leaks at the base, with water pooling on your bathroom floor, it's typically due to the failure of the wax gasket that seals the toilet to the floor. This seal should make a watertight connection between the toilet and floor. A leak often means that the wax seal may need to be replaced.

What to do when bathroom leaks through ceiling?

How to fix a leak in the ceiling
  1. Find the source of the leak. ...
  2. Turn off your mains supply of water. ...
  3. Contain the leaking water. ...
  4. Speak to your home insurance provider (if you have one) ...
  5. Contact a local expert. ...
  6. Organise repair work for the water damage on the ceiling.

What happens if you don't replace wax ring on toilet?

Bad Odors Coming from the Toilet

It's likely that what you're smelling is sewer gas that's made it past the wax ring. Don't mess around with this type of situation. Sewer gases are harmful. Not only do they make people sick, but if there is an open flame, the gases could cause an explosion.

How to tell if a toilet is leaking under tile?

If you see pooling water around your toilet's base, clean up the water and thoroughly scrub the tiles until they are clean and dry. Wait a few minutes before reevaluating the space for leakage. If the pooling water returns after you clean the area, you probably have an under-tile toilet leak.

Should you caulk around a toilet?

Reasons to Caulk Around a Toilet

Moisture Prevention: Without caulk around the toilet base, external water can seep under the toilet, leading to floor and subfloor damage over time. This is especially important in bathrooms with wooden floors, as prolonged exposure to moisture can lead to rot and structural issues.

How much does it cost to replace a wax ring on a toilet?

It's essential to have a good seal so that waste and water would not leak from the base of your toilet. If your toilet is leaking, the wax ring likely needs to be replaced. On average, it costs between $200 and $250 to replace a toilet wax ring.

How do you check for a leaking toilet?

Put 10-15 drops of food coloring or a dye tablet in the toilet tank. Wait 30 minutes without flushing. After 30 minutes, if the water in the bowl turns color, your toilet tank is leaking. Replace the parts inside your toilet tank.

Can plunging a toilet damage the wax ring?

Plunging down too hard

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.

How do I know if my toilet wax ring needs replacing?

But sometimes wax rings can dry out, crumble, and fail prematurely. When that happens, they need to be replaced. Sign Up for the Royal Flush newsletter today! The telltale sign of wax ring failure is water leaking out from around the base of the toilet.

Can a toilet leak under the floor?

Seeing water leaking from the base of your toilet is usually a sign that some plumbing connections aren't fully tightened. There's no need to panic, as this can be easily fixed with some simple DIY know-how.

Why is the caulk around my toilet turning brown?

If you notice the caulk around the base of your toilet start to turn brown, it means your toilet has a wax ring which is leaking. As a result, human waste especially urine is decolorizing the normally white caulk. The solution to this is to remove the toilet and put a new wax ring.

What happens when a toilet wax ring fails?

If your toilet wax ring is not sealed properly at the base of your toilet, it can cause health risks to you and your family or structural damage to the subfloor of your bathroom, requiring expensive repairs. Homeowners dread problems with leaky toilets.

What is the main cause of toilet leaks?

The two most common causes of a toilet leak are the flapper or fill valve. To check for these leaks, lift the tank lid and look at the back wall of the toilet tank. You will see a water line that marks the level at which water fills the tank.

Is there something better than a wax ring?

Wax-free Toilet Seals: The New Kid on the Block

For plumbers interested in a mess-free option, wax-free toilet seals check this box. These seals affix to the toilet using a strong adhesive. There's no wrangling the ring in into place. It's a straightforward method of keeping your toilet base leak free.

Why is my toilet still leaking after replacing wax ring?

The wax rings are probably misaligned. The fix is to reseat the toilet using a flange extension and one wax ring. The slight unevenness of the slab might be a contributing factor, but you can fix that by shimming the bottom of the toilet so that it sits level. Toilet hydraulics are pretty simple.

How to tell if a toilet flange is leaking?

Here are the five most common toilet flange and wax ring leak symptoms:
  1. Your toilet is wobbly. ...
  2. Odors. ...
  3. Water puddling where your toilet meets the floor. ...
  4. The floor around the toilet feels springy or spongy. ...
  5. The flooring around your toilet is coming up.

What to do if your toilet is leaking through the ceiling?

Upstairs Toilet Leaking Through Your Ceiling

The best way to deal with a toilet leak is to replace the wax seal. You can also try tightening the bolts that hold the toilet in place, but this may only be a temporary fix.

Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?

Source of damage

If the source of the damage comes from inside your home, such as a water leak from plumbing , a broken pipe or overflowing appliance, you'll likely be covered by your homeowners insurance.

How do you fix a leaking false ceiling?

Locate the Source: Identify the source of the leak and mark the area. Clean the Area: Clear any debris or dirt around the leak. Apply Sealant: Use a suitable sealant to seal the crack or gap causing the leak. Use Waterproof Paint: Apply waterproof paint to the repaired area for added protection.

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