OT .. new toilet has very weak flush power

scrapdaddy · Mar 17, 2007

Hi everyone, I hate to bring this topic to you all but we are mostly DIY types so here goes. I purchased a newly constructed house 2 months ago and both of the toilets have poor flush power with one being worse than the other (both the exact same tiolet). It is always needing to be plunged but I am not using an extraordinary amount of toilet paper, it just has no power. Is there anything I can do to cure this problem aside from replacement of entire toilet?

PS: I live in AZ and am on septic

Thank you in advance for your help

rivett608 · Mar 17, 2007

It is probably a "contractor Grade" toilet.... in other words one of those $ 89.00 ones you see at the ends of the isles at HD and the like. In toilets you get what you pay for..... put in a Krohler or a Toto at about $ 300. +........ I did and the problems went away. Ask the sales folks and they'll explain the differences...... but keep in mine most of these 1.6 liter ones will just never flush like our old 3 gallons tanks would.

Steel Roller · Mar 17, 2007

Thanks to Al Gore and the green tree hugers we save 1.5 gallons with every non flush.

mrainey · Mar 17, 2007

Consumer Reports tested water-saver toilets a year or two back, and they varied from worthless to real good. Do a little research and you can actually get a toilet that saves water (i.e. works with one flush).

morsetaper2 · Mar 17, 2007

I had a friend a number of years ago w/ the same problem. Turns out after multiple attempts to get the builder to fix the problem the builder discovered the some of the house's "constructors" had determined that the best place to put contruction debris during its build was down the pipes before the plumbing was complete.

Not to infer thats your issue. But I guess anything could be possible.

JL Sargent · Mar 17, 2007

SD, you probably moved out of a house with the older type toilets that use about 4 gallons with every flush but has the power to flush down a small pet.

Your new toilet is a 1.6 gallon and now you too are an expert on the differences. Maybe theres a two step solution. You might want to consider a business flush followed by a paper trail flush. You know, the ole one two punch deal.

Spud · Mar 17, 2007

I think you just replace the tank with a power flush system.

Jim McIntyre · Mar 17, 2007

Get a Toto. Even their gravity (non-power) toilets flush really well.

http://www.totousa.com/admin/upload/pdfspc/%20s-cst715-0503.pdf

adammil1 · Mar 17, 2007

Well since we are talking about water saving toilets I guess I can't resist.

See Two Flush These guys sell a retrofit kit, as some jobs don't require the full flush if you know what I mean, while others need 3gallons or more! :eek:

Seriously thou, I have seen them in action. Perhaps not this brand, yet the dual flushes works quite well. It allows you to save water and money, with out reducing capacity when needed most.

Adam

Guest · Mar 17, 2007

Thanks to Al Gore and the green tree hugers we save 1.5 gallons with every non flush.

Can somebody explain how a 1.6 gallon toilet saves
water over a 3 gallon toilet when it must be flushed
twice, instead of once?

cruzinonline · Mar 17, 2007

Simple

W=((FM*12)+(M1*6)+(M1*1.5)+ (M2 *18) + (M3))(G)

Where:
W=Water
FM=# of females in the house
M1 = # males in the house
M2 = # teenage males
M3 = # of male kids
G = Gallons per flush

Where the females use the bathroom at least 12 times per day and always 1 flush

M1 use the bathroom with a variety of 1 or 2 flushers

M2 are always in the bathroom and flush just to make it seem like they needed to be in there although they always seem to go in with a magazine (folded). Hence a double flush is not needed or even if it is needed not performed.

M3 almost NEVER flush but occasionaly F or M1-M2 will flush once for them.

As you can see with the variety of single and double flushers the 1.6 gallon will save water over the course of time.

bbluealpine · Mar 17, 2007

Septic system should have nothing to do with the problem in a new house. As far as the Al Gore crapper is concerned, our new house has hundred dollar Mansfields. Work better than than the 4 gallon "good ones" in the old house. Very strong flush. Try to detemine if the model toilet you have is a good one, if it is, the problem is in the plumbing.

BTW, don't forget to check the vent system. A clogged vent can really screw things up.

Bill

14tony · Mar 17, 2007

I am living in a new house that was completed in June 2006. The toilets are all 1.6 and work great. Have never had to double flush to get even the biggest job down.

Too_Many_Tools · Mar 17, 2007

"Thanks to Al Gore and the green tree hugers we save 1.5 gallons with every non flush. "

The voice of ignorance....

You must not live where water is at a premium.

In many areas of the country, we simply do not have enough water for the population attempting to live there.

And if water is plentiful where you live, have you priced what a new waste treatment plant costs lately? Or are you one of the rare citizens who likes to pay more taxes?

The real problem is that manufacturers placed a underperforming product on the market....and our pro business government refused to allow adequate testing and regulation to occur prior to production to insure the product would be workable.

Wanna guess what Party blocked the regulations?

It starts with a "R".

For the original poster...you likely have the cheap toilets that the builders use...time to upgrade...the new toilets will quickly pay for themselves in lower water bills and longer septic life.

Happy flushing...

TMT

Thermo1 · Mar 17, 2007

Right now I work as a facilities survey engineer for the Department of Labor Job Corps, which trains disadvantaged youths aged 18 to 24. All of our new toilets are low flush. In about 15 centers I have seen, we only had problems with a low flush toilet in one, that seems to have been due to poor plumbing layout.

I am not saying that they problem is not the toilet, it may be. But, I would check, or have the builder check the condition of the piping. I agree with morsetaper2 that there could be debris in the piping. It also might be that the plumbing is not installed right, so that the discharge of the toilet is obstructed.

BTW, one of the early pushes for low flush toilets came from the City of Boston. Seems the elected officials lost a court case which I think was brought by surrounding towns affected by Boston's sewage. The result was Boston had to build a new sewage treatment plant, but missed the cutoff date for 90% Federal funding. Going to low flush toilets cut the cost of the plant, as there was less sewage to treat. Low flush toilets seem like a good deal if your water bill is paying for the $6 Billion cost of the plant.

Thermo1

signweld · Mar 17, 2007

I agree with spud. 8 years ago when we built our house, I bought 3 tiolets GERBER brand that has a bladder inside tank and sends water from the front of bowl thru a hole about 3/4" dia directly across from discharge opening with a vengence. 8 years and never nee ded a plunger. 6 or 7 flushes over the years needed a double flush.I'm a big guy with a healthy appitite and at about $325 per toilet, its well worth the cost.

chucki · Mar 17, 2007

Stupid question, you have checked the water level in the cistern?, the one I bought was set to a 6L flush and I adjusted it to the max the other way, 12L? and halved the number of flushes. As for the outlet blockage, just spoken to a chap who was left with this problem after getting a plumber to move the toilet pan. Try dumping a gallon of water from a bucket into the pan, the level should rise by say 4", then drop back to normal.
Frank

JL Sargent · Mar 17, 2007

the new toilets will quickly pay for themselves in lower water bills and longer septic life.

What has water volume per flush got to do with septic life? Inquiring minds want to know.

slowtwitch · Mar 17, 2007

The main problem with some toilets is that they have 1 1/2" dia. traps. when looking for a toilet look for 2" or better. I have both a Kohler and a cheap HD toilet, both have 2" traps and I haven't had a clog in 2 years.

Randy in Atlanta · Mar 17, 2007

Hey Have you checked the vent system on the roof??? You the need to have clear.
You don't want to have a vacuum induced.

Randy

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