If you’re reading this, chances are your toilet has a leaky or shifting wax ring.
Don’t stick a plunger on it, it’s not that kind of leak!
A tank lid leak hurts your budget, your apartment’s resale value, but, worst of all, it’s a great way to get screwed when your toilet routinely clogs.
Here’s what to do…
When you put a plunger on a tank lid leak you’re simply moving water around.
You’re not dealing with the problem.
You need to fix the problem, and here’s how…
As a bit of background, when you sit down on a toilet it exerts pressure on the water in the tank, which in turn puts pressure on the seal between the top of the toilet and the bowl (sometimes referred to as the seal between the toilet and the wax ring).
Like everything in life, this seal has a breaking point and when it breaks, the water starts shooting out of the tank and you have a leak.
The trick, then, is to simply replace the wax ring!
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Fluidmaster 7513 Extra Thick Wax Toilet Bowl Gasket | Best Overall |  |
| Fernco Inc. FTS-3 3-Inch Wax Free Toilet Seal | Budget Pick |  |
| LASCO 04-3314-MASTER Toilet Bowl Extra Thick Wax Ring #35B | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Fluidmaster 7513 Extra Thick Wax Toilet Bowl Gasket
Pros:
- Great for older homes because of thickness
- Excellent quality
- Easy to install
Cons:
- Slightly expensive
- The extra thickness means it might not fit if you have a newer toilet
The Fluidmaster 7513 Extra Thick Wax Toilet Bowl Gasket with Flange, for 3-Inch and 4-Inch Waste Lines is one of the best toilet wax rings available. It is made of extra-thick wax which is essential for avoiding leaks on older toilets or toilets with worn out rubber rings.
Those of you who have tried to fix a leaky toilet may have experience the frustration that comes with a regular wax toilet ring. I must have tried and failed at least a dozen times. It seems that the main problem with regular wax rings is that over time they thin out and become soft. Then setting the toilet back on the bowl adds more pressure and causes the ring to compress even further. This often leads to a leaky toilet that just won’t hold water anymore. If that’s not frustrating enough, you can forget the idea of gluing the ring back together because that doesn’t work either.
2. LASCO 04-3314-MASTER Toilet Bowl Extra Thick Wax Ring #35B
Pros:
- Durable and easy to clean
- Economical choice
- High quality product
- Well-made and sturdy
- Stable with a good amount of pressure applied to the lids
- Easy to install
- Highly effective
- 100% solvent-free and no harmful materials added
- Engineered sanitation compliance
- Saves you time and money on installation
Cons:
- Some users reported the lid to be too soft
- Can retain mold or mildew if not cared for properly
- Can tear if not used properly
- Difficult to replace
- Made from soft material
3. NEXT BY DANCO Perfect Seal Toilet Wax Ring
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Installs without messy wax
- Can be used on either side of toilet
- Will last a lifetime
- Costs less than a standard wax ring
- Compatible with all types of toilets
- Hassle free shipping with Amazon Prime
Cons:
- Not as well known as standard wax rings
- Doesn’t include helpful toilet instructions
I purchased this product for my broken toilet several months ago. I installed it myself and experienced no issues at all. It is a quality product and worth every penny. It is simple to install and the instructions are straight forward. I don’t have a professional opinion on the similar wax ring products, but I can speak to the quality and performance of Danco Perfect Seal toilet installation ring.
I’ve never experienced any leak issues with this product, keeping my floor perfectly dry for the past few months. No more toilet toilet smell on floor any more. This product has proven to be a quality and reliable solution for my toilet problems. Compared to the wax rings I’ve used in the past, the Danco Perfect Seal Toilet Wax-Free Deodorizer is a superior product. I highly recommend this product to others who are looking for a long lasting, reliable toilet installation ring.
4. Fluidmaster 7530P8 Universal Better Than Wax Toilet Seal
Pros:
- Safe for all toilets
- Easy to install and less messy
- Quick shipping
- Rich 8-ounce packaging
Cons:
- * Needs time to be effective
Round, 8 Ounce.
If you’re looking for a quality toilet seal that is not messy to install, then look no further than the 7530P8 Universal better than wax toilet seal from Fluidmaster. This seal is self-adhesive and ready to install upon delivery and works with all kinds of toilet bowls removing the need for messy wax rings.
It’s safe to use and is made of high-quality material that will provide you with a leak-free seal. It comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and customers are also protected by the Fluidmaster Perfect Seal Lifetime Warranty.
5. Fernco Inc. FTS-3 3-Inch Wax Free Toilet Seal
Pros:
- Leak-free seal
- Consistent seal no matter the temperature or humidity
- Affordable price point
- Fits a variety of toilet sizes
- Installation is easy
- Full 360-degree contact surface
- American inventor and patented product
- Easy to use
- One-time use only
Cons:
- Wax ring can’t be used with all toilet models
- Wax ring can’t take pounding
The Fernco FTS-3 is a proven performer over the years, with more than 70 million seal installations mainly because it has stood the test of time.
Made in the USA, Fernco FTS-3 is a quarter of an inch thick as compared to traditional wax rings, which are usually around half an inch when they’re laid flat. The thickness of the FTS-3 adds to its performance as it helps withstand the pressure that builds on the toilet tank as the water gets hot and puts the seal under pressure. The result? No more leaks and no more clogs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are wax free toilet seals any good?
If your water continually is unexpectedly draining into your toilet bowl after you flush, you have probably experienced the annoyance of having to fix a toilet seal issue. Despite what you may think, replacing the wax seal in the bottom of the toilet is not an outrageously expensive or difficult project. The seal should be able to be removed and replaced in about 15 minutes, although it does require a little physical stamina in order to pull the seal out.
Does the perfect seal wax ring work?
First, let’s understand why toilets leak. As you flush the toilet, anything that was in the bowl moves into the main sewer pipe. In order to prevent this from happening and creating a messy overflow in your bathroom, the toilet has an additional seal to the pipe. This is the wax seal … that little yellow plastic piece you see under the toilet.
The purpose of this seal is to create a perfect water-tight seal against the inside of the pipe and the toilet. That way, when the toilet is flushed, it will push the water down the pipe and nothing will come back up. Unfortunately that perfect seal is exactly what causes problems.
After a time the seal starts to break down and can no longer create a perfect seal. This causes a leak to occur. And it’s very often the wax seal that causes that leak.
Is there something better than a wax ring?
Not really. Wax rings work, but they aren’t perfect. Well, we should clarify. Wax rings are not a perfect solution for leaky toilets. But there aren’t many perfect solutions either.
No one ever realizes how flimsy wax rings can be until they adhesives fail. We’ve experienced several failures of wax rings and have had to replace several toilet tanks over the years. So while we don’t love wax rings, we also don’t know of a better solution to sanitary and reliable flushing.
How know if toilet wax ring leaking?
Over time, the wax in your toilet can dry out and crack. Once this happens, your toilet will leak water from the tank onto the floor and leave a bad odor. If you notice that you're getting wet, or if you have smells coming from under the toilet seat, then you may need to replace the old wax with a new one.
Since changing out the wax ring is such a pain, the best wax rings have a quick release mechanism that allows you to replace them in just a few minutes. Also, look for models with a simple pour spout to avoid accidentally spilling water and damaging your floor.
Conclusion
We hope that after reading this guide you have a better understanding of what to look for when choosing a good toilet wax ring. We understand that there is a lot of information on the Internet, but we hope that this guide helps you simplify what can seem like a difficult process. So use our suggestions to give you an idea of which toilet wax ring to buy.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Fluidmaster 7513 Extra Thick Wax Toilet Bowl Gasket | Best Overall | |
| Fernco Inc. FTS-3 3-Inch Wax Free Toilet Seal | Budget Pick | |
| LASCO 04-3314-MASTER Toilet Bowl Extra Thick Wax Ring #35B | Upgrade Pick | |