Have you noticed water leaking around your toilet base? This issue invariably necessitates replacing wax ring on toilet. A quality wax seal is resistant to bacteria and mold, plus retains its sealing ability despite years of toilet usage.
This ring is made of sticky wax that forms a watertight seal between your sewer pipe and toilet base. When wax rings crumble, dry out, or prematurely fail, they need replacing. Besides noticing leakage around your toilet base, your toilet installation may also feel unusually wobbly as the wax ring comes loose.
Conduct a Thorough Examination
Establishing the exact cause of a leak before you consider replacing the wax ring on the toilet is what qualified plumbers recommend. Feel around your flush tank, its bolts, and the gasket that connects the tank to the toilet bowl using dry hands to detect the source of leakage.
Any sign of wetness is a revealing indicator. Sometimes even the supply tube on your toilet’s rear that connects the main valve to your flush tank can be the cause of the leak. Ruling out leaky issues with the other toilet components indicates that your wax ring needs replacing.
Procedure to Replace the Wax Ring
Trained and experienced plumbing pros recommend the steps below to replace your toilet wax ring:
Disconnect and Drain the Water
Turning off the main supply prevents your flush tank from refilling. Flush the toilet continuously to drain out the water present in the tank. The water left in your toilet bowl can be sucked out using a vacuum, sponge, and bucket.
Using pliers, disconnect the line on the tank’s base that supplies water to your toilet. Keep a bucket at hand to empty the remnant water in the line.
Remove the Toilet
On removing the protective caps that cover the bolts at the toilet base, you can release the washers and bolts with an adjustable wrench. Gently rock the toilet to loosen it slightly and firmly grip the center. Using your knee as support, pull straight up and set the toilet aside.
This is a pretty tricky and complicated process, so you must consider hiring professionals to take care of it for you. Any mistake can result in expensive repairs.
Scrape and Place New Ring
With a putty knife, remove as far as possible the old wax ring from the toilet base and its flange, which refers to the floor pipe fittings. The flange should be completely clean and dry before installing the new wax ring. Should you notice any signs of damage or denting on the toilet flange, seek a plumber’s assessment.
Most wax rings you can affix to the toilet base or the flange top using their self-adhesive provision. Once the ring is centered, you can lower the toilet on the flange. Ensure the bolt holes on the toilet’s baseline, and its flange are in sync.
When your toilet base is flush with the floor, mount the bolts and covers. Reattach the line that supplies water to the tank, and reopen the main valve. After that, carry out some test flushes to rule out any leaks.
Maintaining toilet hygiene, flushing only toilet paper and human waste down its drain, examining for leaks, and avoiding harsh chemical cleaners helps preserve your toilet’s integrity.
Book a trained plumber to undertake pre-emptive toilet maintenance checks at least annually.