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Original toilets in house built before 1994?
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Is the tank huge?
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Is the porcelain cracked?
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Is it too short?
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Leaking
Is your toilet original to your home built before 1994?
Older toilets could use between 2 and 5 gallons of water PER FLUSH!
Enacted by congress and signed into law in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 set into law that all toilets installed after 1994 must be 1.6 gallons per flush or less. 30 years ago it might have cost you some spare change each month to flush those monster-tank toilets, but nowadays you could be spending $30 – $50 extra each month just because of the additional water used by these big old…and now obsolete toilets.
Is the porcelain cracked?
Unlike this intentional crack made so that the toilet would fit (truly remarkable feat for whichever handyman accomplished this), most porcelain cracks in toilets are very small and hard to notice, but could be leaking or susceptible to an emergency leak. If you have a crack in your porcelain it is recommended that you replace the toilet to avoid a mess on your hands or leaky toxic sewer gas. Unfortunately with cracks in the porcelain on the toilet, there is not much else you can do except replace it.
Weak Flush?
Some builder-grade or “value-engineered” toilets never flushed very well from the start. Sometimes a weak flush can be resolved by replacing some internal parts of the toilet. Other times a full replacement is the best option. Scale buildup and grime can clog the jets in the toilet, when your toilet has a weak flush, it could be a full septic tank, a clog in the drain line, or it may be time to replace your toilet. A newer toilet will flush better AND save you water each month.
Running or phantom flushing?
If your toilet is running a lot or flushing on its own you may be interested in rebuilding your toilet with a new flapper or even completely rebuilding all of the guts, but if these symptoms return it is probably time to replace it.
If you have any of these issues it may be time to replace. A leak in your toilet can cause serious water damage or simply cost more each month due to excess water usage. Don’t mess around with frequent toilet issues or it can cost a lot more than a new toilet.
