wax-free toilet seals

[Bob M.]

Has anyone used the Fernco wax-free toilet seals? Are they really better than the usual wax ring?

[ransley]

I used one with a rubber collar it went bad in a week and stunk up the bathroom, the 10 other toilets in the apts we used wax rings and are fine, Regular Wax rings put in right last and last so why experiment.

[Harry K]

I used one on my last replacement. I'll never go back to wax again.

Ransley's comment is the first one I have ever heard of that bad- mouths them.

I suspect it won't be all that long before the wax ones will be used only on non-standard drain pipes.

Harry K

[Boden]

Yes. I won't use a wax ring again.

[terry]

Couple of years ago (at least) we had the toilet up for bathroom renovations and used a foam rubber ring device instead of wax seal; also recall we had to take it up once to adjust something and then put toilet back using the same foam rubber ring. Worked fine ever since. Used to keep a spare wax seal in the bathroom cupboard but not sure if I have one there now. Certainly seems to be the way to go.

[Jim Elbrecht]

I used one during a bathroom remodel where I had to take the toilet out about a dozen times. Worked great.

Made the removal/install a 5 minute job instead of a 1/2 hour to cleanup wax.

[I don't think mine was Fernco, though it was black rubber.]

I've only had trouble with wax once in my life so I was not inclined to spend $10 to replace a $1 item- but the ease of removal & replacement made me try it. I'll probably use it on my other toilet when/if the time comes.

Jim

[George]

I don't understand the problem with wax. They have been proven in use for a really long time. I have never had or seen a failure. And it takes

30 seconds to scrape off the old one if you need to pull the toilet for some reason (just did it last week in an apartment I own to install new floor covering).

[Harry K]

Technology moves on. That there was nothign wrong....etc does not mean that something better can't come along.

One advantage to the waxless... You can pull and replace a toilet without dicking around with the very messy wax seal. They are reusable.

Harry K

[DerbyDad03]

re: Ransley's comment is the first one I have ever heard of that bad- mouths them.

Please refrain from using the word "mouth" in response to a toilet related question. I just ate lunch.

[George]

Agree, but I still don't see the point. I am not a Luddite and have stuff like in floor radiant heating plumbed with hepex in the house.

I don't understand the "very messy" part. Every time I have ever pulled one it was trivial to remove any residue with a putty knife. It is only wax after all.

[DerbyDad03]

re: I don't understand the "very messy" part.

Well, "very messy" is all relative. I'm not taking sides, just hoping to help you "understand".

With a wax ring, you have to dispose of the wax and clean your putty knife. Somewhere along the way you got wax on your hands or some other surface, which now has to be cleaned. You might have to use a bag or something to keep the wax and whatever you used to clean the putty knife from messing up the garbage can. You probably had to find some newspapers or something to put the toilet on to keep any wax from getting on the floor. etc. etc.

Measured against not having to deal with any of that, one might consider that "very messy".

[Harry K]

Wax with shit on it and the mess of cleaning off the tool afterward.

If 'it works good, why change?" was the criteria, we would still be driving Model Ts.

Harry K