Wax Rings: Signs They Need Plumbing Repair To Be Replaced | Denton, TX

11/21/2020

Photo By Drifting Light at Shutterstock

Most homeowners are not aware of how their plumbing appliances are installed. The wax ring is a watertight and airtight seal that prevents fluids and gases from leaking out. It connects the toilet to the sewer. In general, the wax rings are designed to last almost as long as the toilets. Homeowners should not have any problem with the wax rings for at least 30 years.

However, as more homes get older and older, more and more plumbers are starting to see issues with the wax rings. More and more homeowners require plumbing repairs for this area. Usually, this type of repair is not too costly. It’s just a lot of hard work and it’s a little bit gross.

3 Signs That There Is Something Wrong with the Wax Ring

As wax rings have a relatively long life, most homeowners will never encounter an issue that requires plumbing repair in this area. Due to this reason, many people don’t realize that their wax rings need repair work. Let’s take a look at the three most common signs that there’s something wrong with the wax ring.

#1. Odors

First things first, the wax ring is supposed to be an airtight seal that connects the toilet to the sewer. This means that no air from the sewer line should be able to enter your home. If the wax ring is degrading, one of the first things you’ll notice is that there’s a terrible smell coming from your toilet. This is because sewer gas contains a lot of hydrogen sulfide. The hydrogen sulphide is not only horrible smelling, but it is also a health hazard.

You’ll notice that the horrible odors do not go away at all. Some homeowners may attempt to correct the issue by washing the toilet or using some type of disinfectant. If the wax ring is causing the odors, disinfecting the toilet will not solve the problem at all.

You will need to get plumbing repair services to reseal the wax. This involves removing the existing wax and using new wax to create an airtight seal.

#2. A Wobbly Toilet

Another sign that the wax ring is broken is if your toilet wobbles. This might mean that it is sitting on a broken flange. This is a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. The reason for this is that constant movement will only end up cracking the wax ring more and more. Once the seal is broken, more problems will start to arise.

Many homeowners will take this opportunity to also upgrade the existing toilet. They may choose more energy efficient models or newer designs and styles that better fit in with their washroom.

#3. Leaks

If the wax ring is cracked, then water from the toilet may start to puddle around the base. This is because the water leaving the toilet doesn’t enter the sewer line immediately.

With that said, just because there’s a puddle on your floor, it doesn’t automatically mean that the seal is broken. A puddle on the floor can be caused by many other things, like condensation on the tank or a leaky joint. Before our plumbers dive into any type of plumbing repair, we will check to make sure that there’s nothing else wrong with your toilet.

It’s important to fix a cracked wax ring immediately if there are leaks because the puddle will end up damaging your floorboards. If you let the problem persist, the water may end up sleeping into some structural components of the home.

New Toilets and Wax Rings

You may not necessarily need to run into the problems above before you replace the wax rings. If you’re upgrading to a new toilet or if you are changing the plumbing layout of your home and moving the toilet to another location, you will need to replace the existing wax rings with a new one. Even if you’re simply pulling the toilet out for any reason, you should still replace the ring. Any movement with the toilet can break the seal.

This is why it can sometimes be very time consuming to deal with plumbing repairs concerning the toilet. If the wax ring is ever disturbed, it will need to be replaced with a new one.

Replacing the seal can also be rather time-consuming, it can take up a lot of time during the plumbing repair. This is because the plumbers will need to make sure that they remove all of the old rain. This isn’t as easy as it looks. Removing the old rain will take a lot of manpower and time. The ring will usually peel off in chunks with a putty knife. If the plumbers fail to remove all of the wax rings, then the new ring will sit unevenly on the flange. This could potentially cause a lot of problems down the road.

Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas for Plumbing Repairs

Is there something wrong with your toilet? Do you suspect that your wax ring has cracked? Or, are you looking to upgrade your washroom?

Regardless of what plumbing repairs you may need, you’ll find a reliable expert by your side if you give bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas a call. They are able to offer many different types of plumbing repair services for those who live in Denton, TX. On top of fixing the wax ring, these plumbers can also offer drain cleaning services, water heater replacement services, repiping services and more.

They also offer emergency services in Denton, TX, so you can easily find a plumber no matter the time. If you run into a plumbing emergency at 2 AM, give bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas a call and they will send out a professional to your home within the hour. They are able to take the mess and the stress out of plumbing issues, so you can spend less time worrying and more time relaxing.