I don't know if I spelled flange right, but here is the question.

About a year ago I had the toilet seal replaced since it was leaking.

I noticed leaking recently and the same plumber stopped the
leak. I asked why my toilet must be fixed so often as my other
toilet has been here 14 years with no fix.

He said that last time it was the seal.....This time the FLANGE
or at least it sounds like flange.

What can you tell me that will allow me to understand this?

Thank you so much for any help. I love this site.

 

The flange is the metal ring that surrounds the outlet pipe below the toilet. It has two jobs. It has bolts or screws that hold the ring and the pipes securely to the floor, and it has bolts that hold the toilet tightly against the flange (with the help of a wax ring). If the flange was loose or damaged the toilet can wiggle. When it wiggles the wax ring looses its seal and you get a leak. Flanges can also break or rust or the screws that hold it into the floor can loose their purchase. It is likely that your guy replaced the flange or simply refastened it to the floor.

 

This is what a flange will look like.

 

More questions since I am single, pay money to these guys and
want to be sure they are not using my good nature....which
could change. Also, I want to feel good about the vendors I
use often.

Now, would a plumber that saw the water leakage the first time
a little over a year ago
not look at the new thing "the flange" and just
fix the seal? I can certainly understand that if you tell me
that is the way it is done.

Again, thank you for the most prompt answer. I am seeing more
and more that the nicer you are, the worse they become.

 

It may be that the flange developed the problem between the 2 calls, or it may be the guy just missed the problem. (Don't know -- I wasn't there.) Probably the former, not the latter.

 

Is there any unevenness to the floor that would allow the toilet to rock?
That will cause a wax seal to leak after a time.

 

No uneveness to the floor. The first seal lasted 13 years.
The second one a little more than a year.
The newest seal is only a few days old.
Maybe this one will make it for a few years.

Final silly question, but I'll ask. There is a fellow that visits
that particular bathroom a lot and he weighs over 400lbs.
Could that squish the seal?

Thank you all again.

 

Well I think it's safe to say the heavier user probably can add stress to areas that would cause a premature failure. That might explain the flange. Also make sure that the water is coming from the flange. It is very common to blame the flange when the water is leaking from the tank-to-bowl bolts. Especially on toilets that have 3 tank-to-bowl bolts. Some people tend to lean back and that can cause a water leak from the tank. If you replace the tank-to-bowl bolts with the type that have a jam nut underneath the tank, you can eliminate that possibility.