Is this toilet really leaking?

I have a small 4 x 8 bathroom. Three years ago I had a new vinyl floor installed along with my kitchen. The plumber took the toilet out when they did the job. I told him that I occasionally had water on the floor around the toilet. He said it really wasn't leaking, it was sweating. He put a new wax ring on and that was that. I still had water on the floor around this toilet on occasion. He did not seal it around the bottom. I have an open basement under this bathroom and have never seen any water on the wood from the basement. We removed the toilet today as it was loose and we decided to see what was going on. It was dirty underneath and looked as if there had been water there, but no damage. Now I am wondering if the flange is damaged and how can you tell. The flange that is there is flat on the front and back and sort of raised on the sides where the bolts go in. There is also a lot of wax stuffed in between the flange and the floor. All of the flanges I am seeing seems to be flat all the way around. Also, is it possible that this toilet is sweating? I have been in this house 24 years and have always had this problem. Also, there is a heating duct right next to the toilet if that makes any difference. This house was built in 1962.

Cold water in the tank and heat from a nearby heating duct will definitely cause the toilet tank to "sweat" (condensation on the outside of the tank).
There are insulation kits that go inside the tank to help alleviate the problem.
If the flange is damaged so that you can't snug the toilet base down to it securely without it moving, you may need to replace the flange. It should sit flush on top of the finished floor, and be securely bolted to the floor.
Good Luck!
Mike

Thanks Mike, but the tank is not sweating. If it is sweating, it is sweating underneath the bowl. The outside of the tank or bowl are not wet. Can it sweat underneath the bowl and then leak out onto the floor? Also the tolet was loose but the bolts were bent when I removed them.

I've never seen the bottom of a bowl leak and doubt that it could. I never say never though....anything is possible. I think the more likely cause is the flange itself. You said that the flange was raised where the bolts attach. I think I'd start with that as it is obvious that there is an issue at that point.

Good luck!

leak

The toilet has to have very damp air that contacts the cold surface of the toilet to sweat. That cannot happen underneath the toilet. It sounds like you have a plastic flange and the bolt holes have deformed from the constant upward tension from the toilet. With a wax ring, if the toilet is loose or can move it will leak. You need a new flange, or a retrofit repair, before replacing the toilet.