6 Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Toilet

If you’ve got an old toilet that’s been replaced more times than you remember, then you probably understand why we’re writing this. 

If your toilet and you share the same birthday, then this was probably written for you. 

You may be experiencing an emergency issue with your toilet, if so please click here to assess the situation and give us a call at (519) 688-5999. 

In this guide, we’ll share the lowdown you need to know when it comes to assessing your toilet and deciding if it’s time for a replacement. 

All of this so you can prevent future water problems in your home that tend to be much more expensive than a new toilet.  

Let’s get into it.

 

Constant Clogging 

Still using a low flush toilet? 

Low flush toilets were ideal for saving water but now you might be experiencing a regularly clogged toilet.

Modern toilets pack the same level of water efficiency while ending all of the toilet paper buildup, stoppages and random clogging issues. 

Other benefits of a modern toilet include slow closing seats, no-touch flushing, overflow prevention and more reasonable heights. 

No more falling down the rabbit hole to get to the toilet. 

Cracks Galore 

We all love to splash in a puddle but not when that puddle is in our own bathroom. 

Water exposure is caused by cracked or leaky toilets and interferes with your flooring quality. The toilet may still flush and work perfectly fine, but water exposure on your floors can lead to mold and mildew growth as well as flooring damage.  

You know that sound you hear when water is constantly running but you’ve shut off all the taps? That’s a toilet issue that needs to be resolved quickly. If there isn’t a visible crack in the porcelain, we suggest putting a bit of dye in the water tank to see if that dye makes it to your floors. 

Truth time. 

Wobbling 

Have you ever felt like you might fall off the toilet as soon as you’ve sat down? Some call it an earthquake but the realists know that it’s a wobbly toilet. 

This is a simple fix and might just be some loose screws. Call an experienced plumber to tighten the screws first. 

If the screws are not the culprit, then you might have a deeper problem on your hands.  

As we spoke of earlier, flooring damage can cause big problems when they’re not addressed quickly enough. The flooring beneath your toilet could be rotting and the root cause of the toilet wobbles.  

This too can be resolved by a knowledgeable plumber. 

It Won’t Go Down: Inefficient Flushing 

Believe it or not, old toilets would use up 3-5 gallons of water per flush. 

That’s why many people started buying low-flush toilets in the ‘80s because they used half the water and decreased water bills for the whole family. 

You may not think that investing in an energy efficient toilet will keep your bills down, but the investment has proven its worth. 

Today, energy efficient toilets remove 600-1,000 grams of waste in one flush and can last as long as 30 years.  

Toilet Surface Damage 

Bearing all this in mind, there are plenty of cosmetic reasons to replace a toilet. 

Some need not be mentioned. 

However, if your toilet has lots of scratches on the surface which make the fixture hard to clean… that’s enough of a reason to replace the goods. 

There have been so many methods of cleaning over the years including baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, even Dr. Pepper. Not to mention the wear and tear from toilet scrubbers over the years before the automatic dispensers and toilet cakes did the job with every flush. 

Surface damage is enough of a reason for many families to move towards a toilet replacement. 

A Mineral Treasure Trove 

You’ll know that the mineral deposits have collected in the inlet holes of your toilet when you spot build up that needs to be scrubbed or chipped away at.  

This level of buildup causes water to flow ineffectively and may be the root cause of a non-working commode.  

Mineral buildup also occurs in the syphon tube of your toilet and is something to be checked and considered when you’re thinking of replacing. 

Final Thoughts 

If you’ve become the weekend plumber watching YouTube tutorials on flush valves, tank levers, float arms, and overflow tubes – then it might be a sign to make the switch. 

If you have the never-ending flush, it might be a sign to make the switch. 

If you need a secondhand opinion, give us a call at (519) 688-5999 and we will get an experienced plumber out to take a look.