Q&A for How to Know when a Wax Ring Is Bad

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Can I replace a wax ring with a neoprene gasket?

Community Answer

A gasket might work, but the wax ring is the preferred method.

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Question

What causes my tank to fill periodically?

Community Answer

Most likely the flap that lifts when you flush the toilet is slowly leaking causing the valve to drop below the fill level. Sometimes cleaning the flap and the area where it sits will solve the problem, but you may have to replace the flap with a new one.

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Question

What if a leaking wax ring damages cabinetry nearby?

Community Answer

You may need it to be replaced if you can't see any visible issues, such as cracks, causing the leakage. If not, it could be due to the leveling of the floor under the toilet.

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Why do I get a sewer smell after I run my dryer that is vented to under a raised house?

Community Answer

You may have rats underneath the crawl space that are pooping. The dryer vent is creating a positive pressure in the crawl space that is forcing some of the malodorous crawl space air to migrate into the habitable living space above.

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Question

Does the toilet wobble because of the wax ring?

Community Answer

The toilet wobbles because it is resting on the floor instead of the wax ring. This is very common and means your toilet flange, which is what the toilet is bolted to, is below your floor level and should be raised to slightly above the floor height. This often happens when resurfacing a floor that was linoleum with tile. Just replacing the wax ring will only postpone the problem for a while.

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Question

We occasionally smell sewer gas. Is this likely a bad wax ring, or something else?

Community Answer

Could be. If you have a room with a sink that you haven't used in a while - like a guest bathroom that doesn't get much use, it could also be the P-trap has no water. Try running water into the sink and the shower. The P-trap water is created to prevent odor from coming back out.

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