Toliet Problems?

Question

We have a 3 gallon flush toilet in our house that is about 14 years old. Recently it started flushing very poorly, it would clog with the slightest amount of paper or other stuff in it. I have plunged it, snaked it, but I am hesitant to remove it yet, because if I pull it up I might as well replace it. Would changing the flush valves on the inside of the tank make any difference?

Answer 1

The average lifespan of a toilet is about 100 years. There really isn't all that much to go wrong with a toilet if you think about it, especially no need to replace the entire thing. Think about it. It's made out of porcelain...basically the same thing as stone. You don't really need to replace the entire thing unless it cracks somewhere. Normally if anything goes wrong its because the guts of it are giving out (the water inlet valve or flap is going bad), the stool is leaking around the base (it wasn't installed properly or the stool has cracked), or the pipes below it are clogged. If any of the guts are bad, the most you should have to pay to fix it yourself is about $20.

Here's what I'd do. Take the lid off the tank. Make sure the tank is filling all the way up first. If not, the valve may need adjusting or you may need a new inlet valve. The flap could be leaking, but if it is you will hear a drip noise and you'll hear the toilet try filling up when you haven't even flushed it for a while. Most likely the flap will not leak fast enough so that it doesn't fill all the way up.

If the tank is filling all the way up then we move to the next area of concern. When you flush the toilet, is water moving into the toilet bowl like it should? If not, the flap may not be getting lifted high enough to keep it all the way open and the chain to the flap needs adjusted or the flap may need to be replaced if it is cracked. The other reason it may not is because the holes that feed the toilet bowl with water are clogged up with lime due to hard water. You can use a coat hanger to unclog them or pour a little lime-away or something like that in the tank. Be careful with the lime-away though, too much and you could ruin the toilet, remember lime and stone are pretty similar.

If water is flowing into the toilet bowl like it should then we move to the next area. Down stream of the toilet bowl, the pipes. If water is moving into the bowl like it should but not going down like it should then there is something in the pipes keeping your water from going down. It could be a clog or it might not be. If you live in the city and are connected to the city sewer, my guess would be a clog, probably a clog far enough down in the pipes that your snake won't reach it.

If you live in the country and have a septic system, then it probably could be a number of things. First, after 14 years your septic tank could be full and needs to be emptied. Second, if you have any trees near or around where your septic finger system is, the roots of the tree could be clogging your septic finger system. Finally, if you live in a wet area or area that has a high water table and you've gotten a descent amount of rain the water from the toilet just may have nowhere to go because the ground is already saturated with water and your septic system may need to be upgraded.

It's very rare that a person truly needs a whole new toilet. Many untruthful or unknowledgable repairmen will say the entire toilet needs replaced when it doesn't. Part of the reason is because they get paid by the hour and of course it's going to take longer to replace an entire toilet than just a cheap valve that costs about $5-10 or so.

Answer 2

if you mean the fill valve, that doesn't affect flushing, just refills the tank AFTER the flush. if you mean the flapper, that only needs to be changed if it is leaking. i don't think either one is the problem. it might be hard water clogging the outlets on the underside of the rim of the bowl. you can unclog those with a coat hanger or other wire to open them a little. if it is working fine, why not pull it, check for clogs in the line/toilet, etc. and then get a new wax ring and reinstall. I don't understand the statement "if I pull it up I might as well replace it" Why? don't blame the toilet if the plumbing BELOW the toilet is causing the problem. a wax ring is $1.00 at any hardware store. that would be the first step, pull the toilet and see if there anything clogging the line. it might be a toothbrush, kids toy, razor, or any number of other bathroom items that would have gotten stopped at the first bend.
good luck

Answer 3

A toilet that old has seen lots of use. It may be limed up and the trap is restricted some. Here is how to solve that problem. Make sure the toilet is full in the tank. Plunge out all the water in the bowl. If the flapper is good and holding, you shouldn't get any water in the bowl. Get a gallon of myriatic acid and pour it into the bowl of the toilet up to the normal water line. Pour the remaining acid down the overflow tube in the tank. Be careful, muriatic acid will eat away rubber seals and is corrosive. Keep a fan going in the bathroom while the acid is working to keep the smell down and keep the fumes from eating the chrome off of the faucets and such. The acid will come out under the rim and down into the bowl. Let the acid dow its stuff for several hours. After it is done, just flush it down the drain. Good luck!!!!

Answer 4

Chances are something is restricting the flow (you would be surprised at the things I have found in toilets)
I would not replace the toilet however (if had any other choice) The newer "low flow" toilets will not be an improvement over your present toilet. Instead I would pull the commode and push the obstruction back through the top, then replace the wax ring and flange bolts and you will have good flushing for years to come.

Good luck!!

Answer 5

Couple of belongings you would possibly want to opt to do right here. next time it occurs, turn off the water inlet for your lavatory so as that it does't overflow. If the water is slowly draining, plunge gently yet make particular you get the plunger head completely submerged. Do a cushty first plunge to work out if it clears ( the water might want to shoot down the lavatory once you're valuable). If no longer, do countless extra lively plunges and that would want to eliminate the clog. turn decrease back on the water and allow the lavatory to fill. Flush and desire that the blockage truly did sparkling. as quickly because this is sparkling, get some liquid plumber or something like that at your next grocery procuring holiday. also, see in case you'll locate the position your sewer is going out into the line. once you've tree roots alongside that course, you want to get some tree root killer that is going down the lavatory. it truly works wonders!!

Answer 6

Your problem is in the drain pipe. You have an obstruction. If the tank fills with water, there is nothing wrong with the toilet itself. I would pull the toilet up to get a better view of the drain pipe. You might have to run your snake out all the way to the street.

Answer 7

Probably not. The toilet is probably got lime and hard water deposits built up on the inside restricting the flow of water. With a toliet that old, you would probably be better off to replace it.

Answer 8

Maybe, but then again it may not. I'm not really a toilet person, but when you flush pick up that hude thing on top, you may see something different.

Answer 9

You might as well try it before pulling the whole thing out.
Or go to a hardware store and ask an expert in that field. :)