Moist wax under toilet, should I be worried?

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Charlesthetoto

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I have a Toto 766 toilet, installed by plumber, used no-plastic-horn wax ring. My flange has left side bolt holder part broken, but inside the flange is fine. The plumber used a flange repair ring (1/4 size of the flange) hanging on left side my of flange to hold the mounting bolt- no drill down of the repair ring.

I noticed slight discoloring on grout of my floor near the left bolt area, so I slide a piece of brown paper under toilet near that area, when I got the paper out, I saw a very thin wax layer on the paper. And when I touch it, the wax feels a bit moist like ointment, but definitely not soaking wet though. Should I be concerned? Is this a sign of wax leak?

I don’t want to deal with repairing the flange… would using a ring with plastic horn solve the issue?

Thank you!
 
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Reach4

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I suspect yes. I am not a pro.

How high/low is the top of the flange with respect to floor level?

When using wax, it is important that the toilet cannot rock. So you trial place the toilet first, with no wax, place the shims, lift the toilet without losing track of where the shims go, drop the wax. Lower the toilet onto the shims.
 

Charlesthetoto

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I suspect yes. I am not a pro.

How high/low is the top of the flange with respect to floor level?

When using wax, it is important that the toilet cannot rock. So you trial place the toilet first, with no wax, place the shims, lift the toilet without losing track of where the shims go, drop the wax. Lower the toilet onto the shims.
Flange above floor, no rocking
 

Reach4

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If the paper only picks up wax, and not moisture, then no worry. So it seems to me that moist paper will conduct when you use an ohmmeter on high range, and paper with wax will not.
 

Charlesthetoto

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So I left the brown paper strip under the edge of toilet for two days. I don’t see any water travel or being soaked outside the edge. But the brown paper did turn darker with a thin layer of wax sticking on the paper on the part under edge. Any more advice?
 

Reach4

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Sounds like some brown wax got squished toward the edge, so sounds like no leak.

Normally you caulk the toilet base edge, except for the back. You have been waiting to check for a leak before caulking, so I think things are good.
 
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