Guide to replacing your toilet's wax ring.

1. Replacing Your Toilet's Wax Ring
There are some minor repairs that homeowners can perform on their own and one such DIY project is
replacing the wax ring that seals your toilet. When would you want to do this? If you notice water
seeping from under the toilet, chances are you need to replace the wax ring. Another problem that is
indicative of a wax ring that needs to be replaced is the presence of persistent sewage odors. This is not
one of the most pleasant DIY jobs but it is something that you can do without paying for a professional
plumber to come to your home.
Not sure just what a wax ring is? Well, you are probably not alone. Many homeowners have never
actually seen one in person. The wax ring is used to create an airtight seal between your toilet and the
toilet flange. And, yes, it really is made of wax. Be prepared for a little bit of a mess if you touch one of
these.
These may become defective over time as the toilet is hit and moved through the normal course of use.
This motion will cause the ring to develop small cracks that will allow water and sewer gasses to escape
into your bathroom.
The process of replacing the existing wax ring is actually rather simple and can be done by a homeowner
that is handy with tools and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. No plumbers are required. By the time
you finish with this article, you should be able to replace your wax ring within an hour or so.
The first step in the replacement project is to turn off the water to the toilet and flush any water that
may be in the tank. If you forget this step, you will have a giant mess to clean up! You should now
disconnect that water line.
At this point, you are ready to unscrew the bolts that are holding your toilet in place. With this
completed, you can pull the toilet up and lay it on the floor on its side so that you can remove the
existing wax ring. Some of this may need to be scraped off. You should also remove any of the existing
ring that may still be on the floor.
The dirty part is over and you are now ready to apply the new one. Simply place the new one onto the
toilet where you removed the old one and put the toilet back over the flange where the bolts are ready
to be secured once again. After you have secured the toilet, you are ready to attach the water supply
line and fill the toilet up for a test run.
You should test the toilet with a few flushes to ensure that there are no leaks. If the tests are successful,
you are ready to clean up. These are the simple steps to replacing your toilet's wax ring without the
assistance of a plumber. While the process is a bit messy, it is a repair that any homeowner can
complete successfully.
We are the Boca Raton plumbing specialists for all your residential and commercial plumbing needs.
Whether you need something as simple as unstopping a clogged drain or you need a trusted partner for
your new construction project, we can handle any size job. Boca Raton water heater repair and
installation is a specialty of ours and our prices cannot be beat!