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Toilet Problem

mattk | Posted in General Discussion on March 2, 2006 11:07am

Hello all. First time here, but avid DIYer.  I have a 30 yr old home with two toilets.  We purchased it 5 yrs ago. The first floor toilet looks original, big tank and harvest gold.  It works like a dream.  The upstairs toilet looks newer but never flushes well.  In fact we keep a large plastic drink cup to pour extra water into the vortex as we flush solids. Otherwise it can take three or four flushes.  Is this one of those problem early low-flow toilets?  Does anyone have advice on brand and style to replace the toilet?  It would be nice to flush it and forget it.

PS It would take one more annoying thing off the mother-in-law’s “you didn’t do that yet” list.

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  1. RalphWicklund | Mar 02, 2006 11:29pm | #1

    I'd put an "out of order" sign on the first floor toilet just to aggravate the MIL for a while.<G>

    Does the toilet have the 1.6 embossed on the tank? You could have a bummer.

    How about the water level? Not high enough to provide the volume needed before the flapper comes down?

    Does the flapper have a cylindrical float attached? There could be enough water in the tank but the flapper falls or is sucked down prematurely.

    Most people like a quiet flush but I'm thinking one of those pressure assisted bladder tanks that go inside the original tank would be a show stopper for the MIL.

  2. joshua | Mar 02, 2006 11:37pm | #2

    Brother in law had same problem. Finaly traced to the wax seal covering a large portion of the outlet was impeeding the flow. replaced with new seal and all ok now.

    Roger

     

  3. ottago | Mar 03, 2006 12:46am | #3

    could it be that the "flush jet" in the bowl is plugged from minerals in the water? if so you can clear it with a small screwdriver.

  4. WayneL5 | Mar 03, 2006 04:15am | #4

    The first few years' low gpf toilets did not work well.  Manufacturers rushed to market before the legal deadline by just lowering the flush volumes on current models.  It took several more years, but the entire toilet was reengineered and most new models work quite well.

    Before spending the money, remove the toilet and check for clogs in the trap and in the drain line.  A clog is not unlikely, especially if there had been children in the house.  It could also be the vent line plugged anywhere between the toilet and the roof.

    1. Rickie | Mar 03, 2006 04:22am | #5

      That's sound advice. I replaced a first generation low flow toilet with a toto last year and the performance difference was like night and day. A little loud, but that's the sound of it working well.

  5. plumbbill | Mar 03, 2006 04:34am | #6

    Toto seems to be the new thing I'm not familiar with them----- we don't use them in commercial.

    Pressure assist works great they are noisy as heck though.

    If your toilet flapper has a float on the chain replace it with a fluidmaster¯ flapper that will let almost all the water out of the tank when flushing.

  6. woodway | Mar 03, 2006 06:39am | #7

    I agree with one of the other posts...TOTO (not from the Wizard of OZZ) but Japan. Toto toilets are the way to go...a bit pricy compared to others but their trapway is a good 1/2 to one inch bigger in diameter than other low flow johns. Google TOTO and you can even view a little movie at their web site on how they engineered away all the problems. Great toilet...they stole our technology and improved it much the same as they did to the auto industry. The US auto manufacturers sat on their duffs without innovating until they were left in the dust of history, same goes for toilet design. Check out their toilet site!

  7. mattk | Mar 03, 2006 07:32am | #8

    Thank you to everyone.  The toilet is an American Standard with the 1.6gpf stamped on it.  I will try clearing the "flush jet", then the wax ring, then the stack vent.  I honestly hadn't considered those.  If that doesn't work, I may try TOTO.

    Now, does anyone know of a device that can shoot the water staright out of the toilet for mil?

    1. RalphWicklund | Mar 03, 2006 07:59am | #9

      Yep.

      It's called a bidet.

    2. User avater
      zak | Mar 03, 2006 08:47am | #10

      I'll add my voice to the chorus- Toto is the way to go. They flush great without the noise of a pressure assist. Short of that, if you have hard water buildups, Muriatic acid can do wonders- Turn off the water, empty the tank reasonably well, and put duct tape over the little holes under the rim of the bowl, and then pour a gallon of acid in the tank and flush it. The duct tape holds the acid in to let it do its job, and acid in the bowl removes the calcium from the trap. Good ventilation and heavy rubber gloves are a must. Be careful if you try it.zak

  8. Hackinatit | Mar 03, 2006 12:38pm | #11

    I'd do wax ring first. It establishes the vacuum that "pulls" the waste through the toilet trap.

    I had the same issue a few years ago. The toilet rocked a bit and broke the wax seal. New wax and some plastic shims to hold the unit level and motionless fixed it right up.

    Troy Sprout

    Square, Level & Plumb Renovations

  9. Barnacle Bill | Mar 03, 2006 02:19pm | #12

    If the toilet gooseneck is clear, check for adequate venting and ensure drain piping is clear.  Air supply is needed to let the water get away quickly.

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