Toilet design has undergone a lot of changes since the introduction of the low flow toilet in 1994. We have gone from using 3.5 gallon per flush in the 1980’s to 1.28 gallons per flush by 2014. Most of the first generation of 1.6 GPF toilets did not perform well. Improvements have been made with better testing, internal jet technology, and in some toilets they have a larger trap way allowing more water to pass through the bowl in less time saving water.
Otherwise, they still function the same: the fill valve mechanism, supply tubing, and emergency shutoff valve, connects the toilet to a water source. All of these parts have a life expectancy. Older toilets use far more water than the newer high efficiency (HE) toilets on the market today.
You can usually determine how old your toilet is by removing the lid and placing it in a safe place to avoid breaking it. There is usually a date stamped on the inside of the tank,or inside the tank lid. It can be hard to read, but in most cases can be made out.
A good plumber can tell a toilet’s manufacture date to within 5-10 years of its manufacture date. An unattended toilet malfunction, and older toilets will waste a lot of water and money. The argument that an older water hog has a better flush, is untrue as of recent. Caroma and Toto are 2 reputable brands that have utilized mandatory water consumption restrictions, and have made great performing toilets to match any of the older water hogs. A running toilet often goes undetected and can put a dent in your wallet, if not resolved.
Another scenario that happens on occasion: a running toilet goes unnoticed, or is pushed off for another date to fix. The running toilet has had little effect on the homeowner and they have not gotten the bill yet. The sewer main clogs – and all the while – the toilet does not stop running and the lowest fixture on the system begins to overflow onto the floor.
Even if you know where the main water valve is, there will likely be some damage to the floor by the time the water shutdown happens. In other instances, the damage is much worse because the homeowner may not be present for the impending flood. The main valve can be frozen, or the homeowner does not know where the main valve is. If your toilet is clogged, refer to: Toilet Blockage or Main Sewer Line Blockage.
Running Toilet:
If a standard Tank and Bowl Toilet is running, it is the result of a bad flapper, or the fill-valve is defective. An easy way to identify a bad flapper is to:
A good way to test a toilet for slow water seepage from the tank into the bowl, is to add food coloring in the tank water after the fill-valve has shut off. If the food coloring shows up in the bowl, you have a defective flapper. If the fill-valve will not go off, and the water is going over the overflow tube, then the fill-valve is defective.
One-Piece Toilets operate similarly to tank and bowl toilets:
If you own a Pressure Assist Toilet:
If own a Flushometer Toilet:
If this does not resolve the problem:
Note: You should check your water pressure if you are unsure what it is. Water Pressure Problems in your domestic water system will cause parts to prematurely fail, resulting in higher maintenance costs and flooding.
Toilets get clogged by putting foreign objects into them, or overloading them with waste,such as:
Clearing a toilet clog can be as simple as using a closet auger to hook and drag back, or push the object(s) into the main sewer line. In other instances, it can be a bigger problem requiring the toilet to be removed so the item can be removed from the water trap within the toilet casting. There are times when a blockage can be past the toilet trap somewhere between the closet-flange and the main house sewer line requiring a main line sewer cable/sewer camera to identify and pinpoint the exact location of the obstruction for removal.
If the toilet is on the ground floor, and there is not a shower or bathtub in the same bathroom, it is possible you have a Main Sewer Line Blockage and the toilet holding water is the symptom.
The best way to verify this is to:
Anytime there is a toilet clog that has been cleared, the toilet should be flushed several times with a load test, to verify it is working and the wax seal has not gone out.