

It is, however, not every time you notice a sewage smell in your bathroom that your wax ring is bad. A small opening between the wax ring and the toilet is enough to let out a bad smell in your bathroom. If there is a small opening between the wax ring and the bottom of the toilet, sewer gases will leak from the drainpipe to the bathroom through that opening.ĭo you see the water at the bottom of the toilet bowl? It acts as a barrier for the sewer gases, and that is why you should always make sure the bowl has sufficient water. Have you ever entered your bathroom only to be met by a horrific sewer odor? Apart from being water-tight, the wax ring should also create an airtight seal. A dump ceiling and walls also make the house cold and uninhabitable. When you notice water leaking from your basement ceiling, you would be well advised to quickly replace the wax ring, lest you will have to replace the entire ceiling. This happens especially when you have caulked around your toilet. Sometimes, when the wax ring leaks, instead of the water pooling around the toilet base, it penetrates through the floor, causing the basement ceiling to start leaking or being dumped. This can result in more expensive repairs. The problem with having stagnant water on your bathroom floor for too long is that it might cause it or the subfloor to start rotting, especially if it’s wooden. If it is a leaking wax ring, you must replace it as soon as possible. It, therefore, helps to do a little investigation to find the source of the water. Sometimes you might have a leaking toilet tank, water supply line, or shut-off valve. You should, however, be careful since it is not always when water pools around your toilet that you have a leaking wax ring. This happens because every time someone flushes the toilet, some water does not flow down the drainpipe but rather leaks out through the wax ring. If you ever notice water collecting around the base of your toilet, it is one of the clearest indications that your wax ring is leaking. These are the telltale signs that your toilet wax ring is bad and a replacement is required. Due to varied reasons, however, sometimes it will not work as anticipated and will therefore need to be replaced. How Do I Know a Toilet Wax Ring is Bad?Ī toilet wax ring can last for many decades or as long as the toilet will last. If the flange is installed below the floor level, you will need the double-thickness wax ring. A wax ring will either have a standard thickness or a double thickness.Īs a rule of thumb, if the toilet flange is installed flush with the floor, you will need a standard-thickness wax ring. Most wax rings are fortunately designed to fit in both 4 and 3-inch drainpipes.Īnother important measurement is the wax thickness. It is also possible that your drainpipe has an old size, so make sure you measure. Most toilet drainpipes have a standard size of 3 or 4 inches.

It is also important to note down the size of the toilet drainpipe. Use that measurement to buy a new wax ring toilet outlet Measure the outside diameter of the toilet outlet, called an elbow neck. To determine the wax ring size to buy, remove your toilet and lay it on its side. Toilet wax rings are universal, but the size has to be correct. While buying a new wax ring, you will need to make sure that you buy one which will fit into your toilet.

The name closet flange dates back to when flush toilets were known as water closets. Toilet bolts on each side of the toilet are used to firmly hold the toilet on the floor and squeeze it hard against the wax ring creating a water-tight seal.Ī toilet flange which is also known as a closet flange is a circular pipe fitting that is used to secure the toilet to the floor and also connect it to the drainpipe. Rubber gasket seals have, in recent times, proved to be an excellent alternative to wax rings.Ī wax ring is mounted on top of the toilet flange, and then the toilet is installed on top of it. Last Updated on Augby toilethaven What is a Toilet Wax Ring?Ī toilet wax ring is a ring of molded wax on a short plastic pipe that is used to create a water-tight seal between the bottom of the toilet and the drainpipe.
