Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - can plunging toilet cause leakage at wax seal?

Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.



PDA
rjanscha
01-16-08, 10:56 AM
We have a toilet that requres plunging on a regular basis. It is installed using a standard thickness wax seal with a polyethelene flange on a closet flange set at floor height (bottom of flange coplaner with finished floor). 4" drain on vertical drop to streeter elbow to 3" pipe - all PVC

I may replace this toilet with a pressurized model. I suspect the bowl shifted when I initially set it and the wax ring flange is partially blocking the drain path. I installed it 2 years ago. I would like to push this project back if and only if I am not risking blowing out the wax ring by plunging - don't want subfloor damage. I should mention it is on a wood floor and a wax ring failure will damage more than the finished floor.

Does anyone have personal experience with this type of wax ring failure?

thezster
01-16-08, 11:09 AM
Can plunging cause wax failure? - Well, sure it can.. If you have blockage below the wax and pressurize above the wax - it can blow out quit easily (relatively speaking).

If you think your current wax ring is blocking your drain - why not take the hour and $3.00 in parts that it requires to remove the existing ring and installing another... Then you'll know for sure!!
Terd Herder
01-16-08, 01:42 PM
Sure it can. Why all the problems with the toilet?