Toilet flange 1/2 inch below floor -- can i use two wax rings?

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RobMel

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Our 0ld house has an upstairs toilet that started leaking when flushed (we can see underneathe floor from 1st floor closet-like area below). I removed the toilet and the pipe and flange are old iron. The new(er) tile floor is 1/2 inches above the sub.

Assuming the issue was the wax ring became compromised --

To make up the 1/2 inch and get a good seal -- should i try:

1. two wax rings (one with a horn on top)
2. a regular wax ring underneath and a jumbo with horn on top,
3. jumbo wax ring with horn?
 
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Jadnashua

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Option 1 is probably the most reliable in this instance. FWIW, unless you either:
- plunge aggressively or
- the toilet rocks
the wax ring shouldn't fail. If the toilet was installed with only a single, normal wax ring, it may never have actually sealed, but probably the more normal situation is that the toilet needs some shims to keep it from rocking when installed. The wax doesn't rebound...so, rocking one way, compresses it, then when it rocks back, it leaves a gap. Other than gases, that may not cause a water/waste leak, but will have an opening for sewer gasses. It might not leak liquids until there is a full or partial clog that backed up.
 

RobMel

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thanks for the reply. it looked like the toilet had two wax rings under it previously (one on bottom with horn)

the guy at Lowe's suggested putting a regular without horn on top of a jumbo one with a horn but that was before i measured and thought the existing flange is 3/4 inch below the new floor. is it actually better though to put the regular wax ring under the one with a horn so the horn prevents any wax from getting in the pipe?

one other question -- our house is pretty cold (65 degrees) so i worry the wax not be pliable enough to seal and considered a Saniseal (no-wax) option -- but those seem to only work for up to 3/8 inch below the floor; i also thought about the Saniseal option because the existing plumbing is so old and the saniseal apparently forgives uneveness or rocking -- but do you think the 1/2 inch would be too much to make a seal?

i know it isnt a long-term win, but i am hoping my fix works before i have to call a plumber and pay big bucks to replace the flange and or the whole old pipe which might also entail floor work... i am hoping my having bumped the toilet is what caused this and that a self-fix seal is doable...
 

Jadnashua

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Read Terry's how to install a toilet. IN summary, when two wax rings are called for, he puts the plain wax ring down on the floor first, then stacks one with a horn in it on top of it. Note, most plumbers put the rings on the floor, then lower the toilet onto them.

If you cannot feel the wax compressing when setting the toilet down, you've got a problem and probably won't get a good seal. While it will be a bit harder to compress the wax at 65, you still should be able to. Now, if it was an unheated area nearer freezing...might be a different result.
 
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