A Bad Toilet Wax Ring will Cause Leaks

The last thing you want to see involving your bathroom plumbing is questionable water leaking out under your toilet after you flush it. If you find yourself riding it like a rocking horse you also have a problem. Both situations are caused by a bad wax ring.

Replacing a toilet wax ring is an easy DIY task in most cases but it can be a bit odoriferous. The easiest way to go about this job is to take the toilet apart; these things are bulky and awkward.

Some folks prefer to use a handyman to make this repair; they're cheaper than plumbers and this is usually not a job that requires a permit. To find one, I always recommend Angie’s List - Ratings, reviews and sometimes revenge. See what local homeowners say about the service companies they hire. Join now.


It's also helpful to have a helper to line up the floor flange bolts when you go to set the bowl back on the floor with the new wax ring.

This is also a good opportunity to replace the bolts that hold the tank to the bowl and the gasket that's between them. Go for a complete commode overhaul. It's the right thing to do.

If you're having any other toilet problems, you can generally take care of them with the installation of a new float cup fill valve. I'm a big fan of the Fluidmaster brand. For less than $10 at Home Depot, you can't go wrong.

Don't Let Credit Debt Control You

Debt. It's not a fun thing. The simple fact of the matter is that it's easier than ever to get stuck behind a mountain of bills. And like a snow covered mountain, at some point the avalanche is going to come tumbling down on your head - unless you do something proactive about it.

What can you do? Other than stopping eating, you can make a budget and get some credit counseling. It's fair to say that this is a happier strategy than the way it was taken care of in the old days: debtor's prison.

Been There, Done That

I found myself in this situation a few years back. After getting laid off from the IT industry, I decided to go into the handyman business. After all, I had the background and many of the needed tools.

I registered my DBA, let the state know I was going to be sending them money in the form of sales tax, bought some tools on credit, and started advertising. I owed Home Depot money for tools and material, and owed the local paper money for a weekly ad in the business card section.

Things slid downhill financially from there on. I hadn't taken into consideration that business in the handyman world didn't work like other businesses. It's unregulated, staffed by folks that don't collect or pay taxes.

Bottom line? I ended up living on a tight budget, not using any more credit, and finding other sources of income. But the upside is that I learned a lot about managing my finances.

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