 IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA ·Comcast XFINITY
|
[Disgusting] Toilet won't flush completelyI recently noticed a problem with the upstairs toilet (most commonly used toilet in the house) and it seemed to have lost its flushing power. I rebuilt the tank a few years ago in 2006 or 2007 (new flush valve and fill valve) with a toilet rebuild kit from Fluidmaster. Now it does not seem to flush completely. It seems to clear out solid and liquid "waste" but it takes two flushes to clear out all the paper. And I do not cut corners on toilet paper as Charmin and Cottonelle are the only two brands of TP I'll buy.
The problem seems to be after the "waste" clears out, the TP gets stuck in the toilet drain and a second flush clears it out.
The toilet was installed in the late '80s when the house was built. I think it's an American Standard. If it does need replacing, I don't mind replacing it provided the landlord reimburses me for the cost of a new toilet. I've done work for her before and she reimburses me the cost (such as the new porch lights).
As for a new toilet, I am thinking of going the dual flush route to save the landlord money on the water bill.
The pipes seem fine, all the other drains work ok. |
|
PrntRhd
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA |
PrntRhd
Premium Member
2013-Apr-30 2:08 pm
Lift it off and replace the wax seal, a slight air leak will cause the bowl to not finish flushing correctly.
While it is off, flip it over and check for objects dropped in there by accident/kids... |
|
 PacratOld and Cranky
MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH |
Pacrat
MVM
2013-Apr-30 8:10 pm
^ +1 |
|
 ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA |
to PrntRhd
said by PrntRhd:Lift it off and replace the wax seal, a slight air leak will cause the bowl to not finish flushing correctly.
While it is off, flip it over and check for objects dropped in there by accident/kids...
Not true according to the all knowing robbin  ... » Re: Toilet trouble |
|
|
 alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC |
to IowaCowboy
Does it flush slowly? Do this » www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Sl ··· w-ToiletSure okay, THAT website isn't reliable at all, but it's a common trick. |
|
| |
Nothing wrong with that article. |
|
 old_tech
Premium Member
join:2013-03-31
Springfield, IL |
to IowaCowboy
Fluidmasters are junk anymore. I ended up going with one of these » www.beingwater.com/dual- ··· rter-kit Better built than the fluid master version, and when you do full flush, the tank empties all the way into the bowl, for a complete flush. |
|
 robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX |
to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:said by PrntRhd:Lift it off and replace the wax seal, a slight air leak will cause the bowl to not finish flushing correctly.
While it is off, flip it over and check for objects dropped in there by accident/kids...
Not true according to the all knowing robbin ... » Re: Toilet trouble Correct -- not true. The siphon action happens in the trap of the toilet and has nothing to do with the wax seal. Now if the wax seal was installed wrong and is blocking the sewer line then that would be a different issue. |
|
 StillLearn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-21
Streamwood, IL |
to IowaCowboy
After the problem toilet sits unused for a long period, check the water level in the tank. My thought is that maybe the water leaks a bit from the flapper. Maybe the float valve is a little sticky, and it does not refill a partially drained tank. The first flush empties the tank, and the tank refills completely. Then the second flush works.
I am not saying this is likely the problem, but it would seem to fit the symptoms. |
|
 EGeezer
Premium Member
join:2002-08-04
Midwest |
to IowaCowboy
For the nerdy physicist; » web.mit.edu/2.972/www/re ··· let.htmlIf the seal leaks air, it will reduce the siphoning effect and the flush will not be as strong. It may also leak water under the floor where you can't see it until you pull the commode, so a preventative look and seal replacement is advisable. |
|
robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX |
If you had bothered to read the "nerdy physicist" article you linked to you would have noticed that NO WHERE in the article is the presence of a wax seal even mentioned and that is because it has nothing to do with the siphon which is totally contained in the trap of the bowl itself.
OP -- perhaps you are not getting enough water into the bowl with the flush to get a complete siphon. Take a look in the tank and see if it is filling properly. You could try raising the water level to give a larger flush or even just holding the handle to let more of the tank water drain into the bowl in case the flapper is closing prematurely. If you don't get enough water into the bowl then the siphon will not be complete and you can get a partial flush. |
|
 Beezel
join:2008-12-15
Las Vegas, NV |
to old_tech
said by old_tech:Fluidmasters are junk anymore. I ended up going with one of these »www.beingwater.com/dual- ··· rter-kit Better built than the fluid master version, and when you do full flush, the tank empties all the way into the bowl, for a complete flush.
The Fluidmaster fill valve doesn't determine how far the tank empties. That relies on the flapper. |
|
| |
to EGeezer
said by EGeezer:For the nerdy physicist;
»web.mit.edu/2.972/www/re ··· let.html
If the seal leaks air, it will reduce the siphoning effect and the flush will not be as strong.
It may also leak water under the floor where you can't see it until you pull the commode, so a preventative look and seal replacement is advisable.
The seal has absolutely nothing to do with it and pulling the toilet to replace something that is not a problem is a waste of time and effort. |
|
old_tech
Premium Member
join:2013-03-31
Springfield, IL |
to Beezel
said by Beezel:The Fluidmaster fill valve doesn't determine how far the tank empties. That relies on the flapper.
And as I stated, the fluidmaster product line has become junk, no matter if it is the flappers and seat/bowl fill tube, or the valve to fill the tank. |
|
| |
to old_tech
said by old_tech:Fluidmasters are junk anymore. I ended up going with one of these »www.beingwater.com/dual- ··· rter-kit Better built than the fluid master version, and when you do full flush, the tank empties all the way into the bowl, for a complete flush.
All that is needed is sufficient water to make the flush. It doesn't necessarily have to empty the tank which wastes water. One can just hold the lever for a few seconds longer and accomplish the "tank emptying". Why use a 2 gal flush when 1 will do the job? |
|
 Anonymous_Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1 |
to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:I recently noticed a problem with the upstairs toilet (most commonly used toilet in the house) and it seemed to have lost its flushing power. I rebuilt the tank a few years ago in 2006 or 2007 (new flush valve and fill valve) with a toilet rebuild kit from Fluidmaster. Now it does not seem to flush completely. It seems to clear out solid and liquid "waste" but it takes two flushes to clear out all the paper. And I do not cut corners on toilet paper as Charmin and Cottonelle are the only two brands of TP I'll buy.
The problem seems to be after the "waste" clears out, the TP gets stuck in the toilet drain and a second flush clears it out.
The toilet was installed in the late '80s when the house was built. I think it's an American Standard. If it does need replacing, I don't mind replacing it provided the landlord reimburses me for the cost of a new toilet. I've done work for her before and she reimburses me the cost (such as the new porch lights).
As for a new toilet, I am thinking of going the dual flush route to save the landlord money on the water bill.
The pipes seem fine, all the other drains work ok.
FIX what you got the new low flows suck as well 3-to 5 flushes on average for waste |
|
 SparkChaser
Premium Member
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA |
to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:Now it does not seem to flush completely. It seems to clear out solid and liquid "waste" but it takes two flushes to clear out all the paper. I had this problem with an AS Champion. There were two areas that had such a mineral build up that it was preventing it from working. The water entering the bowl was being blocked and the on the outlet, the mineral build up was rough and jagged to where the paper was catching on it and not flushing. A lot of CLR soaking and almost chiseling out the deposits fixed it. I do a normal maintenance on it now and it's been fine. |
|
 Kramer
Mod
join:2000-08-03
Richmond, VA
1 edit |
to IowaCowboy
A lot of the flappers sold today shut down after about half the tank is emptied. This causes incomplete flushing. Watch your tank empty after the flush. Does it even come close to emptying? If not, hold the handle down and repeat. Don't release the handle until the tank empties. That's how long you have to hold it if you don't want to replace the flapper valve (about 3 bucks). Replace it with an adjustable one if you want. Instead of saving the landlord money put the $200-300 aside in an indexed mutual fund. Thirty years from now you will have thousands of dollars you wouldn't have had otherwise.
Edit: I missed the fact the landlord will reimburse you. Regardless it is doubtful this toilet needs to be replaced. The only one I have ever had to replace was because my kid dropped a McDonald's toy in the bowl. Being the diligent child she was, she then tried plunging it out, which shoved it so far up the siphon tube it was hopeless. |
|
pandora
Premium Member
join:2001-06-01
Outland |
to IowaCowboy
Could you have installed a 1.6 gallon kit into a 3 to 5 gallon toilet? If so, it may not operate correctly. |
|
 SteveI know your IP address
join:2001-03-10
Tustin, CA
1 recommendation |
to IowaCowboy
This thread is useless without pictures  |
|
ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA |
ropeguru
Premium Member
2013-May-1 4:08 pm
said by Steve:This thread is useless without pictures
That is ONLY required for anonymouse posters.  |
|
| |
said by ropeguru:said by Steve:This thread is useless without pictures
That is ONLY required for anonymouse posters. I think we've all seen a toilet so pictures are not needed. A toilet is One on the most basic and simple things in a home and very easy to repair. |
|
EGeezer
Premium Member
join:2002-08-04
Midwest |
to Jack_in_VA
Pulling the commode and replacing the seal resolved just such a problem for me on two different bathrooms in our home over the years.
Before I pulled the commode, I'd already done the easy stuff like checking water pressure and flow, checking for a leaking or sticking flap, and checked to see if the tank filled and emptied completely and quickly on a flush. However, the suction/siphon part of the flush that emptied the bowl seemed weak and didn't always clear the bowl of material.
Upon inspection, the seal wasn't restricted nor was there any obstruction in the drain, but there was evidence of leaking around part of the seal.
Pulling the commode and replacing the seal was the last thing that I did, and that resolved the problem. Maybe there was some other magic involved, but I'll leave that speculation to others. |
|
| |
vanderveckyn
Anon
2013-May-2 12:05 am
Same issue with a long piece of dental floss that got caught on the seal. Would spin and hang up the paper just past the seal. Lifted bowl removed floss. No more issue. |
|
Beezel
join:2008-12-15
Las Vegas, NV |
to Steve
said by Steve:This thread is useless without pictures
Just don't post pictures of what is in the pot. |
|
 your moderator at work
 hidden : Spam
|
·
