Ugh... Time to for a toilet swap?

**Naaman** · 09-19-2016, 10:56 PM

So....

Been a home owner for two years now... the adventure is never ending.

I have a toilet with a weak flush. Damn thing will flush great right after a "service" with the plunger, but then, when someone finally uses it, it won't push the crap down the hole.

I've bought one of those super "beehive" plungers for the "ingeniously" designed toilets with the square hole.... I ran a 6-foot auger through it as far as it would go... even let it soak in some acid for a couple days. Still a worthless piece of... porcelain, if you ask me.

Anything I haven't tried that I should be considering? Or can I finally blame the toilet itself? Maybe the kids?

**0rion** · 09-20-2016, 05:19 AM

ever tried this stuff?
http://www.menards.com/main/back-to-...28923589454731

we have well water and get some calcium build up from time to time. This stuff will make a toilet flush like it's brand new. It doesn't sound to me like it's your toilet though as much as maybe a partially clogged line or something. Is it a low flow toilet? Those suck balls right from the start. I hate those damn things. I want a shitter that'll pull a boot down if it needs to.

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-20-2016, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

ever tried this stuff?
http://www.menards.com/main/back-to-...28923589454731

we have well water and get some calcium build up from time to time. This stuff will make a toilet flush like it's brand new. It doesn't sound to me like it's your toilet though as much as maybe a partially clogged line or something. Is it a low flow toilet? Those suck balls right from the start. I hate those damn things. I want a shitter that'll pull a boot down if it needs to.

Ditto ^^^

**Naaman** · 09-20-2016, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

ever tried this stuff?
http://www.menards.com/main/back-to-...28923589454731

we have well water and get some calcium build up from time to time. This stuff will make a toilet flush like it's brand new. It doesn't sound to me like it's your toilet though as much as maybe a partially clogged line or something. Is it a low flow toilet? Those suck balls right from the start. I hate those damn things. I want a shitter that'll pull a boot down if it needs to.

No, haven't tried that. I did use muriatic acid, though, which is supposed to do the same thing. The toilet has had draino dumped down it at some point, as well. But for $5, can't hurt to try.

The toilet is an "AuquaSource" (came with the house). I've noticed that those seem for "some reason" to be the least expensive toilets... It's 1.28 gpf. I was tempted to buy a pressure assist toilet, but I kinda think that if I had a normal toilet, I'd be fine.

**5.0THIS** · 09-20-2016, 09:33 PM

Be careful if you get a new toilet nowadays. I think there was a mandate that they all have to be low water usage toilets now, and those things suck (not literally unfortunately). They don't put hardly any water in he bowl to rinse it, so you get shittacles stuck to the side of the bowl, and since there's very little water kept in the bowl at all times, you always end up crapping and pissing on the porcelain so it makes a mess.

**0rion** · 09-21-2016, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by 5.0THIS

Be careful if you get a new toilet nowadays. I think there was a mandate that they all have to be low water usage toilets now, and those things suck (not literally unfortunately). They don't put hardly any water in he bowl to rinse it, so you get shittacles stuck to the side of the bowl, and since there's very little water kept in the bowl at all times, you always end up crapping and pissing on the porcelain so it makes a mess.

the low flow toilet almost has to be another one of those Kalifornia things. Who the hell doesn't want one of their nicest appliances to be their shitter? You skimp on a toaster......you don't skimp on the shitter. "you know.....this shitter is way too efficient at piping my shit out of the house.......we need one that's not nearly as good as this". I'm going to guess it mostly goes back to the Kalifornians eating all those greens and taking shits that are similar to rabbits. Out midwest it's a little different story. We eat those same greens but usually wrapped in bacon and cooked in some type of transfat and we shit like a sasquatch and while I've never personally seen sasquatch shit I can only assume it's very similar to mine.

**Naaman** · 09-21-2016, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by 5.0THIS

Be careful if you get a new toilet nowadays. I think there was a mandate that they all have to be low water usage toilets now, and those things suck (not literally unfortunately). They don't put hardly any water in he bowl to rinse it, so you get shittacles stuck to the side of the bowl, and since there's very little water kept in the bowl at all times, you always end up crapping and pissing on the porcelain so it makes a mess.

Yup. It seems that the current standard is 1.6 gpf. Though the one I want to get rid of is 1.28 gpf. Was looking at a Kholer with the "AquaPiston" that is supposedly the ultimate in gravity-flush systems. Was also thinking about biting the bullet and buying a pressure assist, but not sure I want to shell out $500... there is nothing special about the other toilet in my house, and it flushes just fine.

**5.0THIS** · 09-21-2016, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Naaman

Yup. It seems that the current standard is 1.6 gpf. Though the one I want to get rid of is 1.28 gpf. Was looking at a Kholer with the "AquaPiston" that is supposedly the ultimate in gravity-flush systems. Was also thinking about biting the bullet and buying a pressure assist, but not sure I want to shell out $500... there is nothing special about the other toilet in my house, and it flushes just fine.

Yeah but you have no idea how satisfying it is when you drop a daisy cutter in there and the toilet takes it like a champ. (Hey man I love taco Tuesday as much as the next guy

).

**Zapper2003** · 09-22-2016, 02:57 AM

Could very well be a problem with the plumbing vent that goes through the roof of the home. seen it before.

**0rion** · 09-22-2016, 07:59 AM

I think I have that problem with one of my bathroom sinks. Drains slow and gurgles and I've ran 50 feet of snake through it so I'm pretty sure it's good out to the tank. Pretty sure it's an air problem....just haven't gotten around to tackling it yet.

**Naaman** · 09-22-2016, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Zapper2003

Could very well be a problem with the plumbing vent that goes through the roof of the home. seen it before.

Not really sure what a plumbing vent is.... have to look that one up... All the other drains/toilets work just fine though...

**Zapper2003** · 09-22-2016, 12:25 PM

plumbing vent, plumbing stack, etc. all names of the open pipe that runs outside (usually through the roof) to allow air pressure to vent from the lines every time you run water down the drain

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-23-2016, 06:43 AM

Starting to sound like a shitty situation.....

**KahanaReef** · 09-23-2016, 07:57 AM

Have you tried snaking the clean out? That usually does the job for what you're describing. I've had to do that to my front bath twice.

**Naaman** · 09-23-2016, 09:35 PM

The only cleanout I can find on my house is located right outside the kitchen. If there is one underground, it's buried and I have no idea where to dig it up at. Even the city doesn't know exactly where mine is (already tried to locate it because I've been considering putting new water into my pool).

What makes me think it's likely the toilet is that this is the only plumbing issue my house has. All the drains in that bathroom work fine, as do all the ones throughout the rest of the house, including the other toilet (which is 1.6 gpf rather than the 1.28 gpf of the problem toilet). Though it seems simple enough to flush out the air vent when I have a minute to do that.

**KahanaReef** · 09-25-2016, 05:58 PM

Do you have a closet on the other side of the bathroom wall maybe? That's where ours is in the master bath hidden behind some built in shelves. That was loads of fun trying to find it

**Naaman** · 09-25-2016, 10:28 PM

I don't have a closet sharing a wall with the toilet, but I haven't looked into the location of my vent, yet, either. Been busy at work... Maybe next weekend... hohum.