How to prevent double flush overflows?
I came home today t and noticed the bathroom floor upstairs was covered with soaking wet towels and bathmats. Apparently the toilet overflowed, likely due to the “double flush” syndrome. One of the teen daughers is the culprit. Unfortunately, there’s a route to the downstairs from the upstairs through the hole that the hydronic heater feeder and outlet go through, and it soaked the downstairs utility room, carpet in the hall, adjacent bedroom, and adjacent bathroom. I spent about 3 hrs with wet/dry vac and carpet cleaner getting most of the water out and now there’s fans blowing all over to finish the job.
I got to thinking: I suppose replacing this old 3 gallon flush toilet with a good low flow toilet would go a long way toward preventing this from happening again. I’ll plug the holes in the floor, which will keep most of the water upstairs — a mixed blessing at best.
Any other ideas or recommendations?
Replies
How can a "double flush" cause an overflowing toilet.
Sounds more like a draining problem.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
First shut off the water at the angle stop. The problem is drainage(like Bill Hartman says). Unplug the toilet with a rubber plunger or a snake. But the real problem is inside the tank. The overflow pipe is too short and the water keeps going in. The rubber stop at the bottom of the tank must be loose to let water in all the time. Therefore, it overflows and goes to the floor. In order for the water to stop automatically, the level of water has to be below the overflow pipe.
A double flush is a problem when the first flush doesn't go down because of too much paper or "other substances" in the bowl, and the water fills to the rim. Rather than reach for a plunger, or just leave well enough alone, the user tries to fix the issue by flushing again.
sounds like you've been there...
period flushes during the course of business to lighten the load...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
All this talk in the laundry thread about the Floodsaver - how's come the worryworts don't get concerned about this threat?
Can you imagine - little "double flush" basins about terlets?
Rabblerouser LOL! Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Best tip I ever got about this subject was "dishsoap".If you got a glogged toilet - squirt some dishsoap into the bowl - maybe let it sit for a minute or so - and then flush - works every time!Lubes up the "stuff".JT
After you have corrected any issues the toilet has, then put the double flusher in charge of doing the 3hr clean up next time.
A teenager is old enough to learn the ressponsible operation of a toilet.
Amen, brother
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
>> A teenager is old enough to learn the ressponsible operation of a toilet.
After interviewing suspect teen, she denies it was her. "I just came in and saw water all over the floor, so I turned off the water, put towels down and told Mom."Mom heard her but never investigated. I actually suspect Mom was the flusher. Perhaps the float valve stuck and never shut off... it could happen...There are times you really wish you had a video record, but I suspect recording people's toilet flushing habits might get you in big trouble.I don't think I'll ever get to the bottom of it. Time for a new toilet.<sigh>
make it a Toto...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Toto?What model? Good night nurse, they have a zillion.There's five different kinds of flushing systems alone:cyclone
g-max
gravity
power gravity
washout"Toto, I don't think we are in Home Depot any more."
just about any one to fit the budget and decore....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Buy a Toto Drake or Ultramax.
I used to have the same problems in my house with relatives who "saved up" for their visit to my house.
I've NEVER had that problem since I installed the American Standard Champion. It's like there is a little black hole down there sucking stuff away.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
If your hair looks funny, it's because God likes to scratch his nuts. You nut, you.
If a toilet is completely clogged a single flush is usually sufficient to make it overflow.
Your main problem is the clogging. Due to one of three things:
1) Putting stuff in the toilet that doesn't belong there (including too much TP).
2) Something (toy truck, comb, etc) lodged in the gooseneck.
3) Crappy toilet.
#3 is really fairly rare, so consider 1 & 2 first.
You also need to teach folks in the house how to handle an overflow. It would help if you changed out the stop valve for a smooth-acting quarter-turn model. Then teach them to either turn off the stop or lift the cover and wiggle the flapper into place. And, of course, if the toilet overflows they should DO SOMETHING vs walking away from the disaster.
"If a toilet is completely clogged a single flush is usually sufficient to make it overflow."Not at all. Every toilet manufactured in the past 70 years has a bowl capacity above normal water level that's a little greater than that of the tank. It'll fill up to the lower edge of the rim but not over. It's that second flush while the bowl is still above normal water level that floods. I guess maybe a faulty ballcock that allowed the tank to keep running water down the overflow pipe could do it too, but clogs are rarely complete enough to prevent water getting by gradually.BruceT
or the jacket is mineral laden and the jet won't allow sufficient water flow to do the job...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Yeah, that can happen in hard water areas. To be suspected if the bucket test passes but regular flushes often don't clear the bowl.
What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. --Bertrand Russell
Something to try is to fill a pail with about 2 gallons of water and pour it as rapidly as possible into the toilet. The water level should rise only slightly before beginning to drop (while you're still pouring). The toilet should empty with a rapid swirl and an earnest "glug".
If the water level rises significantly and you don't get a good solid swirling action then probably something's stuck in the gooseneck.
Here is my take on the situation. I am very sensetive to toilet issues and user operation/inoperation.
If I have 'er 'used the facilities' and am concerned about a possible clog here is my m.o.
I hit the flush lever while watching the bowl. (And an important aside here if you think there might be trouble, get yourself together first, tuck in shirt, fasten pants etc. You don't want to get stuck fighting a clog with your pants down so to speak.)
If it becomes evident that there is a problem, I go immediatly to the angle stop, Stop the incoming water. Now some may say "but this doesn't make sense, you have already flushed.' However this is in mid flush action If you watch for it you can tell if there will be an overflow danger, going to the stop valve prvents the tank from filling and contributing water to the flush. I know this works because we have a cranky toilet and it often has a stoppage. As I crank down on the stop valve I can watch the level of water come to a stop as soon as I can shut the valve. The flapper depends on the weight of the water to hold it sealed. Until the tank fills with sufficient water to accomplish this some exess water inters the flush valve as the tank is filling. And the last thing you need when fighting a clog is excess water.
I have noticed that bowls are often big enough to hold what is in it and one flush. Oh, it may be close, real close but with luck... Usually you can get the valve shut just before the water reaches the top of the rim. I then wait until the water level settles down. At this point you can often here a small sound of drainage often indicating a mild stoppage. As the water level slowly drops I carefully use a plunger to free the clog.
If I am at a 'foreign' toilet and not the commercial mega power flushers, I do this.
I look upon entering the restroom for #1 toilet paper, #2 angle stop on the toilet. If I do my thing and there is a clog, shut off water. If there is a plunger see above. If no plunger, often if given a few minutes, a clog will breakdown on its own, often indicating a flush before the toilet paper has been totally saturated. When the tp. breaks down clog is resolved.
Often if I am at a toilet I am familiar with and know that it needs a little extra oomph, I will flush and hold the lever down for a couple seconds gives more water to evacuate solids, however the danger is in a back up. Then you really need to be quick on the stop.
I get the job done and haven't had an overlflow in many years.
Webby
Edited 4/22/2008 5:54 pm ET by webby
Will you come to my house and hold a seminar? I'm familiar with your techniques but nobody listens to me around here.perhaps you could do a you-tube video on "proper use of the common toilet"
I don't know... I don't usually make house calls, lol.
May be I could do a you tube thing, round up some actors and lighting and just the right bathroom....yeah....Webby