Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,
it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?

Never Enough Money wrote:
Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,
it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?

Hi,
Some models work better than others. Using lot less water doing the same
job, some does not work well. I heard Toto brand is pretty good choice.
(which I installed and city water works gave 75.00 rebate for each I
replaced).

Never Enough Money wrote:
Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,
it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?


Test the line.
Get several large buckets filled with water.
Rapidly dump them into the bowl .
If the water goes right down without signs
of overflow, the line is fine and the toilet
is suspect.


Jim

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 15:59:11 GMT, Speedy Jim wrote:

Never Enough Money wrote:
Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,

For the basement, not IN the basement. Was it already there?

it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

I wonder how hard it is these days to get previous owners to tell the
truth about how well it worked when they were there. Maybe they only
used it for peeing, or maybe it worked well when they were there and
something has changed. I guess if you wait 6 months, so they won't
have to worry about being sued for non-disclosure, they may not fear
to tell you the truth.

As an aside, did you flush the toilet before buying the house. I
didn't flush mine either, but none is in the basement. I don't know
how much difference that makes.

More below:

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?


Test the line.
Get several large buckets filled with water.
Rapidly dump them into the bowl .
If the water goes right down without signs
of overflow, the line is fine and the toilet
is suspect.

Is this a test of the drain or of flushing?

In other tests, other people have recommended only one bucket. If
low-use is 1.6 isn't regular use 3 gallons, and isn't a standard
bucket about 5 gallons? So is it a valid flushing comparison to use
more than one bucket?

Jim

Soory, I worded it porly. Yes it is IN the basement. It's a basement
with a wood sub-floor, not a concrete slab. I treid the bucket
experiment recommended by one of the other replies and sure enough it
barely drained out even after the first bucket.

I thought we tested it when we bought the house. It sat down in the
basement hardly used at all till one of my kids wanted to move down
there....maybe he clogged it somehow....


mm wrote:
On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 15:59:11 GMT, Speedy Jim wrote:

Never Enough Money wrote:
Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,

For the basement, not IN the basement. Was it already there?

it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

I wonder how hard it is these days to get previous owners to tell the
truth about how well it worked when they were there. Maybe they only
used it for peeing, or maybe it worked well when they were there and
something has changed. I guess if you wait 6 months, so they won't
have to worry about being sued for non-disclosure, they may not fear
to tell you the truth.

As an aside, did you flush the toilet before buying the house. I
didn't flush mine either, but none is in the basement. I don't know
how much difference that makes.

More below:

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?


Test the line.
Get several large buckets filled with water.
Rapidly dump them into the bowl .
If the water goes right down without signs
of overflow, the line is fine and the toilet
is suspect.

Is this a test of the drain or of flushing?

In other tests, other people have recommended only one bucket. If
low-use is 1.6 isn't regular use 3 gallons, and isn't a standard
bucket about 5 gallons? So is it a valid flushing comparison to use
more than one bucket?

Jim

Never Enough Money wrote:
Soory, I worded it porly. Yes it is IN the basement. It's a basement
with a wood sub-floor, not a concrete slab. I treid the bucket
experiment recommended by one of the other replies and sure enough it
barely drained out even after the first bucket.

SNIP

That could indicate a clogged sewer, or a clog in the toilet bowl.

Jim

Just an update.

Used a snake and found a large wad of construction tape in the drian.
After removing it, the flush is just fine. This wad probably collected
crap (literally and figuratively) and over time the line became more
and more clogged.


[snip]

On 3 Jul 2006 19:57:15 -0700, "Never Enough Money"
wrote:

Soory, I worded it porly. Yes it is IN the basement. It's a basement
with a wood sub-floor, not a concrete slab. I treid the bucket
experiment recommended by one of the other replies and sure enough it
barely drained out even after the first bucket.

I thought we tested it when we bought the house. It sat down in the

If you think you tested it, you're in good shape. Everyone sometimes
things they;ve done something when they haven't. OTOH, if it were I
and I didn't even think I'd tested it, because I didn't have sense
enough to do so, that would bother me.

So now it is only money, and I see it didn't cost you any money after
all.

basement hardly used at all till one of my kids wanted to move down
there....maybe he clogged it somehow....


mm wrote:
On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 15:59:11 GMT, Speedy Jim wrote:

Never Enough Money wrote:
Bought a house with a water efficient toilet for my basement. However,

For the basement, not IN the basement. Was it already there?

it has a very hard time flushing - anything of substance just won't go
down without multiple flushes.

I wonder how hard it is these days to get previous owners to tell the
truth about how well it worked when they were there. Maybe they only
used it for peeing, or maybe it worked well when they were there and
something has changed. I guess if you wait 6 months, so they won't
have to worry about being sued for non-disclosure, they may not fear
to tell you the truth.

As an aside, did you flush the toilet before buying the house. I
didn't flush mine either, but none is in the basement. I don't know
how much difference that makes.

More below:

Is this because the super efficient toilet sacrifices flush power? Is
it becausse the basement is so low that there's not enough drop out to
the sewage line? Is it because the line is partially clogged? Something
else?

Should I go out and buy a better toilet? Clean the line with a snake?
What?


Test the line.
Get several large buckets filled with water.
Rapidly dump them into the bowl .
If the water goes right down without signs
of overflow, the line is fine and the toilet
is suspect.

Is this a test of the drain or of flushing?

In other tests, other people have recommended only one bucket. If
low-use is 1.6 isn't regular use 3 gallons, and isn't a standard
bucket about 5 gallons? So is it a valid flushing comparison to use
more than one bucket?

Jim