There is a good chance that your toilet wax ring is bad when you experience some leaks around it. This happens around the location that contacts the floor. If you happen to notice this in your bathroom, then you should replace it right away to make sure it will not lead to more damage. Here are steps that you can follow to repair or fix this problem.
1. Removing the Toilet
Before you engage in removing the toilet, you have to turn off the water supply from the main valve. If your toilet has a flushing mechanism, try to flush the remaining water out of that installation.
2. Clean the Tank and Bowl
By using a sponge, you should clean up the remaining water from the tank and bowl. Take note that a trap can be built into your toilet, so beware of some remaining water in the toilet even after flushing it all out.
3. Loosen the Bolts
These bolts should keep the toilet well kept on the floor. A deep well socket can be used to remove these bolts, but sometimes corrosion will lead the bolts to be broken or cut off. This can be done by a rotary tool or a vibrating tool. Just cut the bolt near the toilet’s base and not below it.
4. Lifting the Toilet Off the Floor
Lifting the toilet can be easier said than done. So, it is important to keep it level on the floor so that the remaining water shouldn’t come out the trap.
After pulling it off, you need to set it aside on top of old newspapers. This will avoid getting a messy result as there might be remaining wax underneath the toilet.
5. Cleaning the Excess Wax
There should be some ways of scraping the wax that was used for the floor flange. Thus, it must be done by getting it as clean as possible. You can also tilt the toilet bowl in order to clean the underside easily.
6. Getting the Materials Ready
If you haven’t prepared for this procedure yet, you might not have the tools or materials required to finish what you have started. Therefore, you should be able to go to the toilet supply shop and purchase the required materials. The materials needed include Neoprene floor gasket, pair of bolts, and a Teflon tape. Take note that wax rings can be so frustrating if not installed properly. If you fail to put the gasket in place, you will have to do the procedure again.
7. Putting the Bolts into Slots in the Floor Flange
The rubber gaskets should be put on top of the bolts. This will keep the bolts in an upright position so that the toilet will be mounted. To keep the toilet leveled on the floor, a pair of 12-inch 2×4 scraps on each side of the flange.
The bolts should be tightened using your fingers. If you are certain that the bolts are in place, a wrench can be used, but you shouldn’t over tighten them.
8. Reattaching the Supply Line
The Teflon tape can then be used for the water supply when reattaching the supply line. After setting it up, you can turn on the water and try to check for leaks. If no leaks are observed, then the task is accomplished.
