Same boat here. Learned the hard way that silicone rings aren't always the magic fix they're advertised to be, especially in older homes.
A couple years ago, I replaced my toilet and thought I'd "upgrade" to a silicone ring—figured it'd be cleaner and easier to handle than wax. Installation seemed straightforward enough, but within a few weeks, I noticed a faint musty smell in the bathroom. Couldn't pinpoint it at first... checked everywhere except under the toilet (of course). Eventually, I noticed some discoloration around the base and decided to pull it up again. Sure enough, water had been slowly seeping out because the silicone ring just couldn't adapt to my uneven tile floor.
Wax rings might be messy and annoying to deal with, but they really do mold themselves into every little imperfection. Silicone just doesn't have that flexibility, no matter what the packaging claims. Plus, wax rings are dirt cheap—I can buy two or three for the price of one silicone ring.
"Wax might be messy, but at least it molds to imperfections and stays sealed."
Exactly this. After my little fiasco, I keep a spare wax ring in my garage at all times now. Lesson learned: sometimes old-school solutions stick around for a reason.
Been there myself—old houses have their quirks for sure. After a similar silicone ring adventure, I switched back to wax and haven't looked back. Messy fingers beat water damage repairs any day... hang in there, you're not alone!
Had my own run-in with silicone rings last year—thought they'd be easier, but nope. Ended up with a slow leak that drove me nuts for weeks. Wax rings might be messy, but at least you know when they're sealed right. Still, old plumbing always finds new ways to surprise you... good luck getting it sorted, hope it's not too much of a headache.
Had a similar experience with silicone rings too—thought they'd be the perfect upgrade until I spent days second-guessing if I'd tightened everything enough. Wax might be messy, but at least you can trust your eyes (and nose) to tell you when it's sealed right... plumbing surprises never end, huh?
I've had decent luck with silicone rings myself, but I get your point—wax does give you that visual confirmation. Ever tried doubling up the wax rings on uneven floors? Saved me from a few midnight plumbing nightmares... Curious if anyone else has tried this trick.
