Plumbing, Specifically Toilets, Advice Needed

[Disciple]

Mrs. D III will probably become the next ex if I don't stop buying houses, but the one I just bought has a rather indelicate problem. Two bathrooms, both with the same style construction-grade low flow toilets. The house is connected to a municipal water/sewer system. Both toilets have a problem flushing away, uh, contents. Normal contents. Not ate a box of White Castles yesterday contents.

It takes two flushes for anything, including liquid. Usually the first time the water just swirls but doesn't really go anywhere..then the second time it actually flushes. I've heard everything from have them snaked to go to Canada and buy some real toilets.

Also, whoever put them in did not know what they were doing. Both leaked at one time and the patchwork repairs are horrific. I am leaning toward replacing both, but I want to ensure I do not have a drainage or other problem unrelated to the toilets first.

Anyone got any experience with that type of problem?

-The Bowl Swirling Disciple of INDYCAR

[comfortably numb]

New house? Old house? Proper air vents?

[Disciple]

Eight years young and strictly adheres to mostly current codes.

-The Stickler For The Law Disciple of INDYCAR

[comfortably numb]

When I remodeled I asked my ancient plumber for advice on toilets. He said all low flows are not created equal.
So I went with his recommendation and have had no problems. The previous units was balky but I didn't alter any of the drains or vents.

Find a plumber with grey in his hair. Sometimes you can even find them working at the big boxes now.

[akh_v2.0]

When we bought our current house a couple years ago, we bit the bullet and replaced all four toilets with Toto's. They are very good at flushing "stuff". Not as cheap as going to the big orange (or blue) box store, but worth the investment IMO. We went with ADA height bowls and as a tallish guy with a bad back, I love them.

http://www.totousa.com/

[Doyouloveit?]

I have a toto toilet....love it.

[rrrr]

Sometimes things just need to be adjusted to get the maximum amount of water for the flush cycle. You'll need to have the entire 1.6 gallons available to make those big chuffers go down the drain.

Make sure the tank water level is set right below the top of the overflow tube. The water level is adjusted by a limit screw on the float arm.

Also check to see If the flapper valve stays open until the tank is fully drained. If it doesn't the chain attached to the flush handle can be adjusted. You might need to replace the flapper valve with the type that has a small foam float on the chain, which holds the flapper open longer.

If this doesn't help replacement may be in order. American Standard and Kohler products have the benefit of much R&D. Cheapo "builder quality" fixtures don't. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a toilet that works well, the brands I mentioned are about $30-$40 more than the junk brands.

[RS2]

This past winter we remodeled three bathrooms with Villeroy & Boch toilets and sinks. Worth every €uro. I see that in the USA you can only buy Villeroy & Boch through TOTO.

[rrrr]

It takes two flushes for anything, including liquid.

This is what makes me suspect the tank level. There must be a big enough initial shot of water to initiate the siphon action which makes toilets work.

Checking the float setting is easy and free. New flapper valves with the helper floats are six bucks or so.

Check the easy things first...then it might be time to pull the toilet and see if the wax bowl ring was improperly installed. I recommend the $1.50 plain old ring...don't buy the kind with black plastic extensions on the bottom.

[Cant_hit_apex]

When we bought our current house a couple years ago, we bit the bullet and replaced all four toilets with Toto's. They are very good at flushing "stuff". Not as cheap as going to the big orange (or blue) box store, but worth the investment IMO. We went with ADA height bowls and as a tallish guy with a bad back, I love them.

http://www.totousa.com/

Excellent advice, this.

[Neshaminy]

When we bought our current house a couple years ago, we bit the bullet and replaced all four toilets with Toto's. They are very good at flushing "stuff". Not as cheap as going to the big orange (or blue) box store, but worth the investment IMO. We went with ADA height bowls and as a tallish guy with a bad back, I love them.

http://www.totousa.com/

So true.....when you need lumber, go to a lumber yard, when you need electrical or plumbing go to a supply house......there's a reason they have no problem staying in business against the big boxes and they have no problem giving advice and have accounts with all the local, quality registered folks.......perhaps you could go with the old fashioned water closet, gravity would be your friend.

[window]

I have a good friend who swears by the ToTo (she swears a lot; really) but her husband says Kohler (buy local) makes just as good a flusher.
How much trouble would it be to have the pipes/drainage evaluated. We used to have tree roots growing into our sewer drains that we'd have
to get cleared now n then (we weren't owners and could not go Paul Bunyan on the trees).

[ZUL8TR]

Installed a Kohler in the masterbath. Single flush is fine. I think you could flush a boa constrictor and it'd go down in one flush. Geeze, that gives a terrible visual.

[Sea Fury]

King of the Hill did a whole episode about this....

[Mindervillain]

When we remodeled the master bath we had to go to a low flush to get a color match (although it was suggested that we get the in-laws in Canada to help us smuggle a real toilet across). We got a Toto and it works okay, although it does need a second flush for anything serious. The old one in the guest bathroom works much better (you'll want to know that if you're going to drop by).

I would have gotten one of those high pressure types but they work on the line pressure. I'm on a well and, in a power outage, once tank pressure goes down, the toilets have to be operated by manually filling the tank. I've got a barrel of water just for that purpose (we go to bottled water for other uses). If your pressure it dependable, I'd recommend the pressured one. But I have no actually experience, and I notice that no one else has recommended it. So don't rush out until someone has confirmed my advice.

[Indy-hp]

Many first-generation low volume toilets did not flush well. We bought an early American Standard and it flushed well most of the time. Next time I will buy Kohler.

I'd check the tank level and make sure the flapper stays open until the tank is empty first. If that didn't work, I'd buy a couple of Kohlers and two wax ring and bolt sets and switch out the existing ones. They are probably early models that just don't work well.

[KevMcNJ]

Buy a good shovel and

Poop in the woods

[Sleepcheap]

Easy answer, quit taking those monster dumps.

Before you go replacing all kinds of stuff, try holding the flush handle down until the tank empties. Press and hold.

[comfortably numb]

Change your diet.

[Disciple]

Great plumbing suggestions in here and thanks. I am seeking the advice of a seasoned plumber and am likely to replace both simply because I want quality and a high, elongated throne on which to plop.

With regard to diet, my wife is a strict vegetarian. In the words of Samuel L, that pretty much makes me a vegetarian...except when I am on the road without her and can enjoy a tasty burger and other such culinary delights now and then. Then the waste is someone else's problem in plumbing other than my own. What we flush at home is akin to what a rabbit would. Which is why the problem is perplexing. But I am going to solve it soon.

-The Plan To Order A Loaded Pizza Tonight Disciple of INDYCAR

[ZUL8TR]

Great plumbing suggestions in here and thanks. I am seeking the advice of a seasoned plumber and am likely to replace both simply because I want quality and a high, elongated throne on which to plop.

With regard to diet, my wife is a strict vegetarian. In the words of Samuel L, that pretty much makes me a vegetarian...except when I am on the road without her and can enjoy a tasty burger and other such culinary delights now and then. Then the waste is someone else's problem in plumbing other than my own. What we flush at home is akin to what a rabbit would. Which is why the problem is perplexing. But I am going to solve it soon.

-The Plan To Order A Loaded Pizza Tonight Disciple of INDYCAR

There is a big difference in what a small, cute little ol' bunny might poop and say a 125-200 pound "bunny" might poop. I also doubt yours comes out in pellets, but I could be wrong. No pics needed, I'll just take your word.

[Disciple]

Actually, yes. Pellets. Mine are bigger than hers, but eating a vegetarian diet and a lot of raw foods makes that possible I guess.

-The Would Prefer Eating The Rabbit Disciple of INDYCAR

[paper]

changed to 2 aquasource 1&1/2 galllons, the first one I had doubts about,, 99 bucks,, it was replacing a 5 gallon old toilet,, it was slow that if you needed it in 30 minutes it was still working on its duty
the first flush was unbelievable,, this thing could flush a dallara, i then noticed the water was coming in from the front of the esxape,, not counting on gravity from the top of the enclosure under the seat,, I got another and they work perfectly

if replacing anything from 2002 or before the county pays for it up to 100 bucks.. I guess Im saving the earth while installing new earthy material,,
not sure how anyone could install any toilet incorrectly, unless they are one of those doesnt know a phillips from a slotted types,

[ZUL8TR]

Actually, yes. Pellets. Mine are bigger than hers, but eating a vegetarian diet and a lot of raw foods makes that possible I guess.

-The Would Prefer Eating The Rabbit Disciple of INDYCAR

I bet you nibble everything with your front teeth while twitching your nose too?

[Disciple]

But not when I'm eating food.

-The D Spot Disciple of INDYCAR