I get what you’re saying about wax—messy, but reliable. I’ve had foam rings let me down on a couple of jobs where the floor wasn’t perfectly level.
That’s been my experience too, though honestly I hate scraping that old wax off when it’s cold and stuck down. Have you tried those reinforced wax rings with the plastic flange? I’ve found they’re a bit less finicky on uneven surfaces, but I’m curious if you’ve run into any issues with them on your rentals.“Wax just seems to handle imperfections better, even if it’s a pain to clean up.”
I’ve used those reinforced wax rings with the plastic flange on a few older rentals where the floor’s not exactly level, and they’ve held up better than standard wax. Only thing I’ve noticed—sometimes the flange can make the toilet sit a bit higher, so you’ve gotta watch for rocking. Otherwise, less mess than pure wax, but still not perfect.
I hear you on the flange making things a bit wobbly—had a toilet that rocked like a seesaw after I swapped in one of those, and I swear I nearly invented a new dance move every time I sat down. Honestly, I’m still on the fence about wax in general. Ever tried those wax-free seals? They’re supposed to be more eco-friendly (less petroleum, less mess), but I wonder if they hold up as well, especially in those old houses where nothing’s level. Anyone had luck with those, or am I just chasing another green pipe dream?
I get where you’re coming from with the wax-free seals, but I’ve gotta admit, I’m still a bit old-school on this one. Tried a couple of those rubber gaskets in a 1920s bungalow last year—floor was about as level as a rollercoaster—and it just didn’t want to seal right. Ended up with a slow leak that took me way too long to track down. Maybe they’re better on newer builds where everything’s square, but in those “character” homes, wax still seems to forgive the little imperfections.
That said, I do like how much cleaner the install is with the wax-free ones. No sticky mess, no worrying about the ring shifting if you have to reset the toilet. But for me, if the floor’s even a hair off, I just trust the wax more. Maybe I’m stubborn, but after mopping up one too many mystery puddles, I’ll take the tried-and-true over green tech—at least until they come up with something that handles those old wavy floors better.
Had a similar midnight adventure last winter—old house, uneven floor, and a toilet that decided to leak right after I thought I’d fixed it. I tried one of those wax-free rings because the box promised “no mess,” but it just didn’t want to sit right on my sloped floor. Ended up pulling it off, going back to wax, and finally got a good seal after a couple shims and some choice words. I get the appeal of the new stuff, but in these old places, sometimes the classics just work better... at least until someone invents a gasket that can handle a funhouse floor.