Toilet rotated/rocked during leveling - need new wax ring?

[TommyH83]

Hi All,

I just installed an American Standard Optum VorMax last night. I followed the directions which didn't mention anything about putting the toilet down without the wax ring in place first to test for wobbling/rocking - so I put the wax on, and hand tightened the plastic nuts.

When I sat on the toilet to check it's stability, it was wobbling front to back and left to right. It felt like the toilet may have been tipping forward 1/4 to 3/8" an inch - about the same for left to right. I got to shimming which included several rounds of loosening the nuts on both sides, slightly rotating the toilet, adjusting the shims, putting new shims, re-tightening, etc.

The toilet is secure now and not rocking but I'm concerned the amount of tilting and movement which occurred after the wax was already on and tightened may have compromised it's seal.

Should I take the toilet off and apply a new wax ring, or do you think I'll be okay with leaving it as is?

Thanks,
Tommy

 

[Reach4]

Should I take the toilet off and apply a new wax ring, or do you think I'll be okay with leaving it as is?

New wax, or a waxless seal.

With wax, position the shims first so that you don't need to de-compress the wax to add shims.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[TommyH83]

New wax, or a waxless seal.

With wax, position the shims first so that you don't need to de-compress the wax to add shims.

I was afraid that would be the suggestion :-(

If the seal was compromised due to the movement - would the water leak only under the toilet into the bathroom? Or is it possible a bad wax seal will leak to the ceiling below?

Nothing has leaked onto the bathroom floor itself as of now.

 

[Reach4]

The main purpose of the wax is to keep sewer gases/smells out of the bathroom. Usually, even if the wax was totally missing, there would not be a water leak. If the sewer line clogged, that would be different.

 

[Terry]

We make sure the wax seal is good. It's a bad place for a water leak. That's one reason that we don't caulk the back in case the seal goes bad. We see the water out the back onto the floor before it causes major damage.
Wax is cheap, floors aren't.

 

[Reach4]

Is a new wax seal is the cure for an odor complaint more often than for a water leak complaint?

 

[hj]

NO!!!!