which maintenance man is right? toilet problems?

Question

when I moved to this apartment, it took five flushes to flush toilet completely. Plus it was so slow to fill tank with water, it took 1/2 hour when done to get out of the bathroom naerly. Very frustrating. First they tried to say it was a water saving toilet and that is why. Then maintanance guy Mike said the pipes were clogged (when I moved here entire bottom was brown--worse I ever saw but they were too cheap to replace it. Took 7 hours of hand scrubbing with a pumice stone to clean it..raised up a lot of sediment and maybe this clogged pippes more????

He said solution was to flush toilet with muriatic acid and did and got it working to 2 flushes and speeded up water flow. He said it needed flushed again but was out of muriatic aci]d and needed to reorder it..though I asked 4 times, he always said it was not in yet.

They just replaced toilets in all units and it still is taking 2 flushes. I asked that they reflush it with muriatic acid. New maintanence guy Gary said

said Mike was full of it and crazy (mike quit) and new guy says flushing it with muriatic acid will damage the pipes and burn through them. He, too, used water saving toilet excuse.

So is Mike (needed reflused) right or Gary (it will burn through pipes and is bad).

Please answer. Thanks.

they definitely don't know what they are doing. They usually only have one maintanence guy for 250 units and don't pay enough. All repairs are mostly jury rigged. The plumbing is odd. A few times the garbage disposal got clogged sink and all the crud came up in my bathroom sink. Hard to unstop without pluggin up all drains and drain holes. I don't think ayone else's toilet is doing this as I mentioned it to several neighbors and noone said they had a similar problem but one told me today that her bathtub and sinks drains real slow as does mine.

wow so much information and great answers..I have no idea who is best..

tidy bowl--wow perfect name for the problem (lol)..I think you are right I think it is rust in the lines..good answer..I bet this is what is going on.

that's Mr K--I guess when it took 5 flushes he thought something was clogged and it did seem to help as it went from five to 2 flushes.

and thanks for explianing about water saving toilets..that makes sense

wiccan..it seems the consensus is with what you said.camera thing is interesting but I can't afford it as I live below poverty level. He did run a snake thorough it and the bathtub..maybe that will help. he also said if I hold the handle down when flushing it will only require one flush..tried once and so far it worked.

dragon..thanks so much..I appreciate what you said about gruntlick and the details..wow, your problem seems a lot worse than mine..that sounds like a nightmare..you poor thing..whoa..yeah this plumbing (and electricity is screwy)

gene thanks for all the info..I'll keep that in mind..maybe since he snaked it it will improve.

spock..that also makes sense. i think that's why they did it..but it's not running slow filling up tank..Mike did fix that. (the rental office was like oh well who cares if it takes 5 flushes and a 1/2 hour to get out after done..had to complain repeatedly. Bird nests..well I am on the first floor of 2 story and I wouldn't doubt it..bird's nest (several of them) in dryer vent pipe in old townhouse here I was in forced me to buy 7 dryers in 18 years and one of them caught on fire. They were always hot as an oven and took 2 or 3 dryer runs till I finally found out bird's nest caused it..and they knew as I was told later by seeal neighbors they had the same problem and screens were on some townhouses and not others. My neighbor's 12 inches from mine has a grate but they were too cheap to cover mine and it sure cost me.

oh--well I know several of them complained about the pay being lower than usual and they often had to do all the 250 units themselves as they can't retain help due to pay and crappy managers that treat them rudely. so you ar right.

Answer 1

It sounds like your pipes are almost rusted shut.Instead of a half inch pipe its probably more like a pencil opening.Lets less waterthrough.Pipes need replacing. Acid will disolve the rust but your pipe walls will be to thin and burst.

Answer 2

In the first place, the amount of water coming into the tank has nothing to do with the way the toilet flushes. The tank has however much water it has to flush the toilet properly.

Water saver toilets use less water to do the same thing as the old originals were supposed to do. Most of the time, they work quite well. And they do save a whole lot of water in the process.

Muriatic acid is highly toxic and yes it will eventually literally burn up the pipes. I'm having a hard time understanding why they are wanting to use so much muriatic acid to start with. If the pipes are cleared to start with, there should be no need to add any kind of cleaner except for rare occasions when there are clogs in the drains.

It really sounds like those people don't know what in the world they're doing.

I wish I could be more help but I am very confused about what they have told you.

Answer 3

The new guy is right, it will damage the pipes. A "water saving" toilet shouldn't do that! You said they replaced all the toilets, is anyone else's doing this? One of mine chugs & groans, & the other overflows. After buying my condo, I found out ALL the plumbing lines are nearly deterioriated so sinks overflow, too. It would cost the HOA $1,500. per unit & there are 52, & no one wants their dues raised! So we have Roter Rooter over here many times a day. Why don't you ask the other tenants? You may also be "linked" up to someone else's lines, as I am to EIGHT units, & when they abuse garbage disposals, or put stuff in their toilets that they shouldn't, I get FLOODED. Do try to find out what's going on with your neighbors, & if the plumbing is just BAD.

Edit: Good name for gruntlick. Why even answer? I appreciate details because it helps me to better understand!

Answer 4

It sounds like the water passages in the rim of the bowl are Rather plugged or severely restricted. Try turning off the water to the toilet and flushing it. Then lift the flapper in the tank and dump one or two bottles of C.L.R into the hole until you see it coming out of the holes under the rim. Leave the solution in the toilet for as long as you can. Turn on the water and fill the tank. Flush the toilet and see if it helps. Also check the line from the stop valve to the fill valve and see if it may be bent or crimped restricting the water flow. Good luck

Answer 5

If the muriatic acid is diluted with the toilet water, it should not hurt any thing. Try it again and if you get it to flush right, flush it a couple times to rinse the pipes. Muriatic acid can be bought in store. I think the farm stores have it.

Answer 6

Main line drain blockage (partial block)--that"s why they used muriatic acid in a attemp to eat out the blockage. Your slow water coming in could be the water fill valve inside the water tank being plugged up/worn out. Sounds like a older apt. complex. Check for a "bird nest" in the roof vent pipe also---.

Answer 7

mike is wrong, acid will eat through the pipes and weeken them, you can tell this by looking at the pipe and i t will look like they have orange colored rust on them, this is the acid slowly going through. as for your toilets some building are just slow in water disposle , it is the was they are plummed. the best thing to do is call a pro-plummer and have them run a camera down your pipes and see if there is a clog.

Answer 8

they are both right it sounds like mike just got feed up with the line of sh-t he was going through,maintainance men do not get paid enough and are not allowed to do a good and complete job of repairing things without express permission from there higher ups.as far as your toilet it is either partially blocked in the pipes or your septic system is overloaded.

Answer 9

that's fantastic. lavatory water is the comparable as sink water whilst it continues to be interior the tank. it comes from the comparable place, as quickly as this is interior the bowl this is a different tale!! no concerns!! p.s. bleach kills each thing!! :) :)

Answer 10

sorry i lost interest in your pointless story. make it shorter next time