Wax seal problem, what did I miss? :-)


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Old 03-28-06, 11:06 PM
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Wax seal problem, what did I miss? :-)

Hello all. I used to work at a hardware store some years ago, and have what I'd call "book knowledge" about plumbing, hardware, etc.. I have minimal hands on experience, though.

Anyway, we've started having trouble with leaks the last year or two. A slow leak started in our bathroom and I determined it to be the toilet seal as I saw a bead of water forming around the base and it seemed that was the source. I attempted a replacement for the first time, but still seem to have the exact same problem now that the job is done--another slow leak around the base! Luckily, I installed a shutoff valve while I was at it, which may be useful in minimizing any further damage due to the leak. But I was wondering what a rookie might have missed or done wrong with something like this? Looks like I'll be doing it all over again and I really want to get it right.



One thing that might mean something: there were 2 extra wood screws right in front of the toilet bolts, which actually blocked their removal. These screws were in the floor, not the flange. In order to slide the toilet bolts out from the flange slots, we had to remove these large floor screws. Everything else seemed to be in order, including the screws that went through the flange itself. Might this be part of the problem for any reason?

Thanks for any advice. :-) Sure hope to solve these problems. (Anyone want any computer know-how, I'll gladly return the favor...)


IsaacJ
 
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Old 03-29-06, 04:12 AM
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IsaacJ, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
The screws in front of the closet bolts tell me that someone had a problem with the bolts coming out when trying to tighten the toilet down. Is the top of the flange even with the floor or above or below it? Is the flange secured to the floor?
I usually install the closet bolts in the flange and pinch a little of the wax seal around them to hold them straight up.(some bolt kits have plastic retainers to do this) Then set the toilet down over them. Then put weight on the toilet to set the wax seal. Put the washers on the closet bolts and tighten them down evenly. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
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Old 03-29-06, 03:05 PM
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Great suggestion, I'll try it

Great suggestion about using the wax to hold the bolts in place. I was unsure why this was done with the wood screws obstructing the toilet bolts, but that makes sense. It was on my list of suspect causes (the toilet bolts coming up) as I never got the toilet quite as stable as I felt it should be.

I will give this a try. Thanks a million.


IsaacJ
 
 

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