Tried the flange extender route once, but honestly, it felt like overkill for my situation. Here’s where I’m coming from:
- Wax rings are cheap and easy to swap out. If I get a couple years out of one, that’s a win in my book.
- Flange extenders cost more, and if you mess up the install, you’re looking at a bigger headache (and possibly a pro call).
- Not every leak is a flange height issue. Sometimes it’s just an old ring or uneven floor. I had a slow drip once that turned out to be a hairline crack in the toilet base—no amount of flange work would’ve fixed that.
I get wanting a long-term fix, but sometimes the “root issue” isn’t as clear-cut. Plus, if you’re in an older house like mine, you start pulling up the toilet and suddenly you’re staring at subfloor rot or weird plumbing from the 60s. That’s a can of worms I’d rather not open unless I have to.
I’ve had decent luck with the thicker wax rings (the ones with the plastic funnel built in). They seem to give a better seal if your flange is just a little low. Not perfect, but for $5 and 20 minutes, I’ll take it.
Guess it depends on how much hassle you’re willing to put up with vs. how much you want to spend. For me, I’ll keep rolling the dice with wax until something really forces my hand...
Yeah, I’m with you on the wax rings. I’ve swapped out a few over the years and never felt like messing with flange extenders unless something was seriously off. Had one toilet where the floor was just a bit uneven—thicker wax ring did the trick, no drama. Honestly, half the time it’s just old gunk or a loose bolt anyway. Unless water’s pouring out, I’m not tearing up my bathroom if I don’t have to.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a job where someone thought they needed to rip up half the bathroom, when it was just a bad wax ring or a bolt that worked itself loose over time. I get why folks want to avoid flange extenders—unless the flange is way below floor level, you’re usually fine with a thicker wax ring or even stacking two if you’re in a pinch.
One thing I’d watch for, though: if you’re seeing water around the base and it’s not just condensation, sometimes it’s a hairline crack in the toilet itself. Had one last winter—guy replaced three wax rings before calling me. Turned out the tank had a tiny split near the bolt hole. Not saying that’s common, but worth checking if things keep leaking after you’ve swapped rings and tightened everything down.
Ever run into those old cast iron flanges that are half rotted? That’s when things get interesting... but yeah, no sense tearing up tile unless you really have to.
Those old cast iron flanges are the bane of my existence. Had one crumble on me mid-repair a couple years back—nothing like fishing out rusty chunks at 2am while your tenant’s texting about “water everywhere.” I’ve also seen folks panic and start demo’ing tile when it’s just a loose johnny bolt. I’m with you on the wax rings, though. Sometimes I’ll double up if the floor’s a bit off, but I get nervous about stacking too many. Ever tried those rubber seals? Mixed results for me, but at least they’re less messy.
Mixed results for me, but at least they’re less messy.
Had a similar moment last fall—my first time dealing with a leaky toilet and I was convinced the flange was toast. Turned out it was just a warped wax ring and some loose bolts, but I definitely overthought it. Tried one of those rubber seals after reading reviews... honestly, didn’t love it. It felt like it never really seated right, maybe my floor’s too uneven. Still keep a couple wax rings on hand just in case.
