Possible toilet issues?

Question

I'm dealing with some -old-. toilets (1970's-ish) and older plumbing (60's). The toilets don't back up too horribly much,but to my knowledge,this plumbing has never been snaked or any such other thing. They do seem to go down fairly slowly. I'm wanting to give the house a slight make over and just... you know,make it 'fresh' (we bought it in July-1 owner before us). Does anyone have any suggestions for these toilets? Should they be replaced? Should I get the lines snaked? Are there more things you can do in this situation to help out the plumbing that I'm unaware of? =) Any advice would be -great-! Thanks!

Ah,I should've said this before. We're not on septic-we're on city sewer system. =)

Answer 1

Replacing the toilets will not solve problems in the pipes.
If you want a new style go for it.
For the pipes, look in your hardware store for the dry powders that are used to keep septic's working. They also work on the pipes. What they actually are is bacteria designed to liqify sludge build up. They wont harm your pipes, and over a period of time will clean them good.
Start by using it daily for about two weeks, then use it once a month after that. Do it in each toilet, and each sink.

Answer 2

If you change the toilets don't brake them, many people like the vintage look and you could make some money off of selling the toilets. That really goes along with the rest of the house. Just because it is old doesn't mean it is crap. Actually most older items are better because they are made from stronger material. The advantage to larger water capacity is that they are also harder to clog up. The more water that goes down the pipes the more pressure it creates if unblocking items because of the weight of the water behind it. That's why power assisted flushing toilets shoot a jet of water, to make up for quantity they rely on speed. Pipe wise I would consult a plumber before you do anything. The pipes may have damage you cannot identify yourself. In trying to fix the problem you may create a more horrible situation. A broken water pipe isn't bad compared to a broken sewer pipe. Since it is an old house you also want the plumber to check you fresh water pipes as well. The pipes could be made of lead and have asbestos insulation. The building codes where different back then as compared to now. There are alot of things that where considered safe then and are dangerous now.
Also since it is an old house it would not be bad to have your electrical checked either. Electrical cords degrade over a period of time from the current that runs through them. It is always better safe then sorry in the long run. Good luck with your home, old houses are great and have so much character.

Answer 3

A house built in that era will have cast iron drain pipes, which rust over time. We actually had a pipe rust through in our house, and had to cut a hole in the concrete slab to replace the broken section. Outside the house, after the cast iron pipe transitioned to clay pipe for the run to the sewer in the street, there were roots that had grown into the pipe.

I say this because you may need a professional to run a camera down the drain pipe to see what and where the problems are. But first I would try to clear the blockage using a liquid drain cleaner. Follow the directions, and it may take several applications to see any results. You could probably put the drain cleaner in the lavatory (sink) instead of the toilet.

Your toilets are probably not the reason for the slow flow. Replace them if you want a newer water-conserving toilet, but don't expect for that to solve your problem.

Answer 4

The slow draining is not from the toilet, do your sinks or anything else drain slow? To really know if it is the main drain you need to stress the system drain the bathtub, run the sinks, and flush the toilet at the same time. Is it slow or topped. If so having the main drain roto rootered is necessary. I wouldn't DIY, to make a real difference you need a 3" cutter head and a power rooter, and is not worth you buying it's is really a specialty tool. a professional rooter service is $100 to $150.
Your old toilets are wasting a tremendous amount of water. They use 3-5gal per flush the current standard is 1.5gal. Many area's offer rebates on new water conserving 1.5gal toilets if replacing old water guzzlers. Contact your water supplier to see if they are giving rebates. I got $75.00 per toilet when I replaced mine. Your 1970's toilet is not worth anything and it is against building code to install them. If some one wants a vintage looking toilet is is not from the 1970's and they make water conserving replicas.

Answer 5

A few thoughts: First I wouldn't snake them. There is a biochemical pipe cleaner that you can buy that used engineered enzymes to eat away at any sludge that may be coating the inside of your pipes. This stuff sound frightening but it is actually very safe and very effective. I used it for years in a 120-year-old house I used to own in PA.

Also, do you have an onsite septic system? If you do it may be time to have it cleaned out and that will make you waste water drain more quickly.

Answer 6

Toilets never need snaking, unless they are plugged. Check the air stack on the roof for blockage. That would cause slow action. Then again, it may be the normal action of these units....as every company seem to have a different action. If you don't like the toilets, replace them. There is no need for it if they are still working OK.

Answer 7

We had the same problem, but our toilets were from the 50's. Still worked, just slow, and sometimes clogged. We replaced them with more effecient models. The old ones used a lot more water, the new ones use less, and get the job done better, never clog. It was money well spent.

Answer 8

Get a plumber in to look at it.

If they really are that old and I'd bought the house they would be one of the first things to be replaced, along with the rest of the bathroom.

Answer 9

The toilets themselves, are not the problem. You probably have roots growing in your drainage pipes, causing the slow run. Either DIY or have a plumber snake your pipes.

Answer 10

Your toilets are old and waisting water. They use about 3 gals. per flush, new ones only use
1.6 gals per flush. I would replace them and over time they will pay for themselfs with money saved on your water bill.