How to Replace a Toilet Wax Ring
While most toilet problems originate in the tank, there’s one that involves the base of the toilet: water seeping out around the base of the toilet bowl, along the floor.
While a little condensation is normal in the summer months, an actual puddle of water at the base of your toilet indicates a real problem. There is a great chance this water is dirty, so to keep the problem from worsening, it’s best to avoid using your toilet until it’s fixed.
Normally this problem is caused because of problems with the wax ring that seals the base of the toilet (the horn) to the drain opening set into the floor.
You’ll have to remove the toilet in order to replace the wax ring. Although this might seem like a major project, it’s actually not all that hard. You can save a lot of money by doing the work yourself rather than calling the plumber.
- 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. If they’re corroded, you’ll need a can of hardware lubricant to loosen them. There are repair kits that include a wax ring and new mounting bolts.
- Does your toilet wobble from side to side? If your toilet rocks enough for one side of the base to lift off the floor — even just a bit — you may have a broken toilet flange. As a precaution, pick up a flange repair kit.
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