# toilet leak after replace new wax ring



## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

A toilet flange is supposed to set flush on top of the finished floor level on top of the tile, with only the thickness of the flange itself above finished floor level. It should be securely bolted to the tile. I use Tapcons.
A toilet should be leveled (with a level across the bowl) with beveled plastic shims made for the purpose. The toilet base bolts should be snugged down enough to prevent any movement at all, but not too tight, as that might crack the porcelain toilet base.
If the flange is below your new tile floor level, you can either replumb the flange, get a flange extension, or double the wax rings. I double the wax rings using a plain wax ring on the bottom and a wax ring with a plastic horn on the top. Been doing the latter in our upstairs bath for more than 10 years in my own home after we added tile and have never had a problem.
Good Luck!
Mike


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## druffino (Jul 17, 2008)

My flange is about a 1/4 inch above the tile floor in the front of the toilet. The back of the flange does not have any tile under it. The flange appears to be tilting upward in the back half of the flange. Do I need to find something to fill in the gap around the whole flange so it fits flat against the tile floor? If the flange sits flat against the tile do I need to still bolt it down? You thoughts are greatly appreciated.


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

if i'm picturing this correctly, it sounds like you have a plastic flange and someone screwed the screws down in the back too far due to not having an even surface to screw to. Usually, however they go on the subfloor so this shouldn't be an issue. If the face of your flange is actually warped, then this may be causing the leak, but if you haven't had this issue until you swapped the toilet, maybe you don't have enough wax or you're moving the toilet too much after the wax has been set? :huh: It certainly wouldn't hurt to have a flange that is completely flat though, IF you can even get something under it.


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## druffino (Jul 17, 2008)

The house was built in 1967 and the pipe looks like its a cast iron pipe with a metal flange. Picture the tile surrounding the front of the flange but the flange is up a 1/4 inch in the air and tile is half way around and then in the back there isn't any tile. The tile man didnt make tile come up to the flange and around the whole thing. There is space in the back. Should I try leveling the flange with a piece of wood or do I need to call the tile guy back out to put tile around it and make the flange sit on the tile instead of being a 1/4 off the tile. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated


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