My father-in-law (a fairly skilled, but sometimes lazy :confused: , handyman) installed a toilet in a house we are rehabbing. It has always leaked at the front of the base since being installed. It only seems to leak after someone has sat on it and then flushed - I haven't noticed it leak when just being flushed without anyone sitting on it.

We have replaced the wax ring several times and even used a double wax ring (lower ring with funnel gasket thing). He has moved so I pulled the toilet last night and found a lot of wax (some of it black - looked like mold) and a cracked plastic closet flange. The flange is not flush on the floor nor is it flush with the floor as a new floor was put down with vinyl over luan on top of the original plywood. The flange even seems slightly askew.

I am guessing by all this that it needs to be replaced - if not, how do I fix? If it does need replacing, I have a couple questions:

1) Should top of flange be flush with floor or bottom of flange flush on the floor?
2) Should I use an all PVC flange or a PVC flange with metal hold-down ring or something else (drains are PVC.)

Thanks,
Carvel

To: bausman , you will need to replace the flange anything else would only be a temporary fix and the flange should be no higher than the thickness of the flange above the finished floor if its below the ceramic or whatever thick floor would be installed above it that should be the only time you need two wax rings p.s. the flange should be level hope this helps you

I would recommend an all PVC flange

You can buy at any home depot a closet flange with a rubber gasket type attachment. Then, by tightening three screws, the rubber gasket will expand to make a tight seal with the existing PVC or cast iron pipe that is currently connected to the closet flange. Should make your jo quite easy.

Good luck :)