Settle a toilet disagreement for me (Update in post 1)

[alisoncooks]

LOL.  My kids clog our hall toilet daily!   Most of their problem is excessive toilet paper and lack of flushing (TP builds up, then boom).

And STILL...I've been lobbying DH take the plunge on one of those sure-flush, high-capacity toilets.  I am SOOOOO tired of plunging.

[mamakelly]

We bought low flow Jacuzzi brand toilets and they are super flushers. I love them, lol.

[elegantlion]

A new toilet is being spoiled?  :glare: The old toilets were bad about clogging for me. I think they use too little pressure and too much water. Let's just say I got really good at shutting off the water before it overflowed and have mastered the art of plunging. 

 

The newer toilets we have rarely clog, and they do shut off automatically before the water hits the rim. 

 

Constant overflows can damage the floor and the subfloor. If it's on a second story, there goes the ceiling below it. I'm quite sure that bill would be more than the cost of new toilets. 

Edited June 7, 2016 by elegantlion

[OneStepAtATime]

I agree, call a plumber.  Get this checked out instead of just replacing the toilets.  During inspection were the toilets flushed?  Surely they were.  If there wasn't an issue then, I would wonder if in the interim between inspection and you moving in months later something else had happened.   This is absolutely NOT normal for the situation you describe.  

 

Have we had toilets back up?  Yes.  Twice it was overzealous kiddos using lots of toilet paper.   The rest of the time (and there were only a handful over the course of 20 years) it was something wrong with the pipes or something wrong with the toilet.

 

You need to find out what is happening.  If it is just crappy toilets, fine, replace them.  If it is something else, you need to address it before you find yourself with much more costly repairs.  Surely your DH doesn't want to have to pay for water removal/flood damage/mold eradication?

[Ananda]

Our toilet frequently clogs.  However a clogged toilet doesn't overflow on one flush.  We flush once.  It doesn't work.  We plunge it.  In our case the problem is hard water deposits reducing the effectiveness of the flush.  They can be cleaned out & then the toilet flushes fine.  Both my husband & I would be game for replacing the toilet.  For us, it is a matter of "getting around to it", and lack of expertise/skill in handyman tasks.  Also I have some concerns that the same hard water problem would affect any toilet.  

 

I would say clogged toilets are a fact of life.  Every house I have lived it has had toilets that clogged with varying frequency.  I have also clogged many toilets as a guest and had to ask for a plunger.  Overflowing toilets is in my experience a rare occurrence. I am sorry your toilet doesn't give you a "grace flush".

 

I vote replace your toilets if you are reasonably certain it will fix your problem.  My clog problem is annoying.  An overflow problem would really tip the scales into making it high priority for me.  You seem really unhappy, just replace them.

\

[medawyn]

I am replacing all the toilets in my house for just this reason. Potty training, guests, heck me – no one wants to deal with annoying toilets. Their only job is to flush and flush well, so I am buying toilets they can do their job.

[Angie in VA]

Katy, when we built our home, we were told that 2 piece toilets were easier (and therefore possibly cheaper?) to work on than the one piece toilets. We haven't had any problems w/ our toilets, but we did get the 2 piece toilets just in case. 

 

If you do buy new toilets, you might want to ask around to verify this advice before deciding on a model. 

Edited June 7, 2016 by Angie in VA

[goldberry]

As a side note, the repeating dream I have when stressed is about toilets overflowing and me struggling to clean up.   :glare:

 

So clearly, I would NOT live with an actual overflowing toilet on a regular basis! 

[nd293]

I'm on my 3rd country, lived in a dozen houses as an adult and probably the same as a child, and can say with certainty that this isn't how it 'normally' is! My only experience close to this was on holiday, once in a house in the Philippines on an island where many of the houses didn't have running water, let alone toilets, and in Greece in the old area under the Acropolis where you are advised not to put paper into the toilet at all.

[happi duck]

We had the same scenario:

Moved in to a new place

Overflowing toilet

Incorrectly caulked

 

We took waaaayyy too long to realize we didn't need to live this way. Don't be like happi duck.

 

We researched toilets online to the point of watching flush videos! We ended up with the one that can flush golf balls and water wigglers. Dh installed it and caulked correctly.

 

It's great not flushing in fear!

[Seasider]

Ask dh how he plans to handle house guests. Plunger lessons? Tp rationing?

Seriously! Does every visitor get the toileting tutorial?

 

I vote replace. Seems obvious to me. He could at least compromise and replace the one used by the women of the house.

[Carol in Cal.]

Your DH is being an ass.  Sorry.  But he is.

 

Also, PSA, the current low flow toilets are FAR better designed than the first generation ones.  No comparison.  They work great.

 

I wouldn't be consulting anyone about this, even though I am a relentlessly insistent consulter.  I'd be announcing my intention to take care of it, and not discussing it either.  This is intolerable and the stuff of nightmares.  And also profoundly unsanitary and disgusting.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[JennyD]

We had/have this issue, particularly with our downstairs toilet.  It was overflowing nearly every day.   Finally, after one overflow that required sanitizing the entire bathroom and part of the living room, DH went out and bought some expensive toilet that uses air pressure or something like that to flush.  He installed it himself.   Now you push the handle and WHOOSH!   All gone, every.single.time.  I love that toilet.  Love love love.  

 

Replace the toilets.  I can tell you, nothing improves your quality of life more quickly than reliable plumbing. 

Edited June 7, 2016 by JennyD

[Seasider]

The more I think about this, the more I feel sure that if I were in your shoes - knowing the money is readily available - I'd just take care of it myself, shopping for the new toilet and arranging for the plumber to install.

[hornblower]

Not normal, get it fixed! 

 

 

It might be your drains & not your toilets but either way, I would not live like this. It would be at the top of the list to fix. 

Apart from replacing the actual toilets (I have Toto toilets) I'd check the pipe vents on the roof. Make sure they're not clogged, bent, broken, etc. If the vent is not clear, you'll have problems. 

You may also need your drains checked with a camera from the street. If you have trees or shrubbery anywhere near your front, they like to send their roots into the pipes.  If the sewer drains haven't been checked or repaired in the last 40-50 yrs, you'll almost certainly need to get them repaired. 

 

[Happy]

I'd go to the store and buy new toilets today. I firmly believe this is one of those situations where a wife has to put her foot down. There aren't many, but this would be one of them. I'd pay to have them delivered if need be, but they'd be waiting there to be installed. Then I'd ask if he wants me to hire someone to install them or does he want to do it?

 

And hiring someone, by the way, is not a cop out. My husband ended up with TWO inguinal hernias after installing our last toilet. The surgery to fix them cost a lot more than hiring a younger, more skilled person to do it for us. He will not be installing anymore toilets. Ever. 

I AGREE!!!!

 

I'd be over at the Lowe's or Home Depot store before lunch.

 

With the newly purchased toilets placed in the middle of the living room, I'd be calling plumbers to install them. Or watching YouTube vids on how to do it myself. Chat with the people at the big box store and gather any supplies needed.

 

You could be mean and suggest DH could use the great outdoors to lessen the load on the current toilets. :)

[Supertechmom]

Oh, I would be seeing my favorite Lowes delivery guy again as he dropped  off new toilets in each bathroom.  That guy is great!   I defer to hubby a lot but things that affect me daily and require extra work on my part due to something that doesn't work right, nope.   It gets fixed.  Overflowing toilets are nasty and there is not enough bleach in the world.

[Valley Girl]

Good gravy! I'm sorry, but that's just nuts that you're having to put up with that. I would call the plumber. Yes, it costs money, but better to know that toilets will actually fix the problem. Then I'd replace the toilets yesterday. No, no, NO, you are absolutely NOT spoiled for not wanting to have sewage on the floor.

[Harriet Vane]

What you are describing sounds like a plumber is desperately needed.

 

AND you need new toilets.

 

I am guessing that your wax ring died many moons ago, and I would bet money you need the lines cleared (routered, whatever).

 

AND it MUST BE DONE because you will end up with major, ugly, costly plumbing nightmares if you don't.

 

 

 

 

Been there. Done that. Hope you can benefit from my ugly experience. 

[cintinative]

I cannot buy Cottonelle, as much as I love it, it's just too thick. I'm thinking Charmin does the same thing. Kirkland works okay, but borderline. AngelSoft is fine. 

 

This is definitely true. When we switched from Charmin to Angel Soft the clogs only happened when excessive tp was used.  That said, even when they did happen, it was not daily like OP is describing.

[cintinative]

 

 

I am guessing that your wax ring died many moons ago

 

AND it MUST BE DONE because you will end up with major, ugly, costly plumbing nightmares if you don't.

 

 

Echoing this.  Wax rings going out is BAD. Really BAD. You do not want sewage seeping through the ceiling into another room below.  You just don't.  Get someone to install new wax rings when you get those new toilets.  

[Laurie]

We're on a city sanitation system, we had the pipes scoped in the inspection, they were normal, wide, and empty.  This is a crappy toilet situation.

 

You mentioned gurgling toilets.   Did anyone check the plumbing vent on the roof for clogs?   

 

All of our toilets are the same brand from the 80's but only one of them had a gurgling problem.  I was able to stop the gurgling by doing some  bucket flushes.  You need to fill a bucket with hot water (not boiling) from the tub.  Stand in front of the toilet and hold the bucket at about waist height (you want to get the full effect of gravity when you pour the water into the toilet very fast).  I had to do this a few times between uses, kind of like maintenance.  (Plunge first if the water level is already too high of course!)    I also started using Dawn dish detergent to clean the toilet...I think the degreasers in it help to break down anything "biological" that could be stuck somewhere.  

[Georgiana Daniels]

Just DO it. You're being way nicer than I would be, lol. It's not wrong to put your foot down on this, considering you have the money to replace. Not wanting a poopy/bloody/icky mess is NOT being spoiled!

[Georgiana Daniels]

I AGREE!!!!

 

I'd be over at the Lowe's or Home Depot store before lunch.

 

With the newly purchased toilets placed in the middle of the living room, I'd be calling plumbers to install them. Or watching YouTube vids on how to do it myself. Chat with the people at the big box store and gather any supplies needed.

 

You could be mean and suggest DH could use the great outdoors to lessen the load on the current toilets. :)

 

Gack! Some men might like that :eek: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

 

[Laurie]

 

Apart from replacing the actual toilets (I have Toto toilets) I'd check the pipe vents on the roof. Make sure they're not clogged, bent, broken, etc. If the vent is not clear, you'll have problems. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry!  I didn't see that you had already mentioned the clogged vents!  

[rocassie]

Well, in our case it wasn't the toilet but a blockage in the pipe.  The flusher on the toilet has also malfunctioned as well.  That was a quick and easy install.  As for wads of toilet paper, depends on how big the wads and how well a toilet (crappy ones don't handle well) can flush that down.  My BIL repeatedly clogs the toilet because he wraps his hand up like a mitten.  If it only clogs when one person uses it, than that person is the culprit.  Otherwise it's the toilet, pipes, or flusher.

[Tita Gidge]

I think we undervalue peace of mind and sanity, because we tend to only look at the hard cost of things. So I see the husband's point, but I'm with the wife!

 

When we moved into our current (circa 1970s) home, my parents were living with us. They had a separate wing with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Within a week my father was done with the toilets, which were overflowing daily.  He went out and bought new low-flow, FDA-height toilets for the entire house. I preferred to keep my high-flow, short height toilets and told him to return the ones he had bought for 'my' bathrooms (and then I called a plumber). So faced with the same toilet overflow issues, we each handled it very differently.

 

My parents eventually moved out. When they come over, they still only use the toilets that were in 'their' former wing of the house. My sons like their toilets, too, and tend to go out of their way to use them.  I'm very short so I can't comfortably use those taller toilets. I'm glad I kept my old, short ones. The plumber had me switch toilet paper brands, which helped a lot, and then said it was a sewer line issue. So we got that fixed up and now ALL toilets in the house remain clog-free (except for the occasional overzealous nephew who uses TP likes its water).

 

My plumber was way cheaper than new toilets, and the sewer would've had to been fixed regardless. So maybe get someone to come check your sewer line but start comparison shopping for new toilets. Daily plunging? No thanks! You're time is worth the cost of a new toilet. Make it easy for your husband by narrowing it down to two choices and inviting him to select the winner. LOL

[Kalmia]

Consumer Reports: Top flusher: American Standard Champion 4 around 300.00. Buy it now. Life is too short to be dealing with medieval sanitary conditions in your home.

[catz]

Yes - replace those toilets!  We did some bathroom remodeling a few years ago.  I learned a little about toilets.  Many of the early low water toilets are not good (ETA - like early 90's vintage toilets).  My mom has some in her townhouse.  They overflow WAY too easily.   The newer toilets are much better with using less water AND being able to flush more.  Our 2 new toilets needed to be plunged ONCE I think in the past like 2-3 years. 

Edited June 7, 2016 by WoolySocks

[lllll]

nm

Edited June 8, 2016 by _ ?^..

[Happy]

Gack! Some men might like that :eek: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

LOL! That's very true!

[Scarlett]

Consumer Reports: Top flusher: American Standard Champion 4 around 300.00. Buy it now. Life is too short to be dealing with medieval sanitary conditions in your home.

 

 

I think that is the one we have and I don't think it was that high.  But it is a great toilet.

[MistyMountain]

One toilet in my house has overflowed a few times when one of my children uses way to much toilet paper. It happens fast and causes a real issue but it does not happen with normal usage. Growing up the toilets in my house never overflowed. I would not live with a toilet that overflowed daily or just with normal use. Reading this I actually think the toilet that overflowed within too much toilet paper might need to be replaced or fixed so it would just clog and not overflow if that happens again.

Edited June 7, 2016 by MistyMountain

[TranquilMind]

We moved into a mid century ranch house.  The toilets overflow frequently. As in don't poop without flushing before wiping frequently.  And oh, don't use more than two bits of Charmin either.  They also waste a ton of water, I'm guessing the tanks hold more than 5 gallons each, because if you flush with nothing in the toilet, the bowl fills, empties, and gurgles at the bottom two or three times.

 

I think we should replace the toilets with the no-clog low-water kind that cost a couple hundred dollars.  When I talked to my mom about this, she offered to buy new toilets for me.  I declined, and said DH is just being cheap.

 

DH didn't call me spoiled exactly, but says these sorts of toilets are normal and this is the way most people live, and then tried to school me in faster plunging technique.   I think he's being ridiculous, and this is definitely not the way most people live.  Who's right?

 

 

 

 

If it matters, we have more than enough money to replace both without having to dip into savings, but DH has other ideas with what to do with that money.  I want to replace them before my period starts. I'm already anticipating one overflowing, bloody mess, me sobbing, and needing to tear up the carpet in the hallway if we don't switch at least one soon.  Also there is CLEAR and DISGUSTING evidence in the basement that both toilets overflow quite frequently and that the toilets were never properly caulked.  There are white and brown stains all over some exposed pipes and ducts in the basement that are right below both the toilets.  I can't believe I never noticed those during the home inspections.  I'll never miss that again.

I've got a lot of "toilet experience", having had a traumatic experience as a 2 year old where I fell in, and also having been a landlord and renovator for a long time.

 

Sometimes, it isn't you!  The previous residents could have clogged the line with tampons or those supposedly flushable wipes.  You could have a nest built in your vent pipe. You could have roots clogging your main.  You could even have a solid chunk of calcium built up in your toilet trap that barely prevents passage (ask me how I know about any of these).  In the last instance, I was yelling at everyone every day to stop clogging the toilet.  Turns out the hole was barely visible and it was only a 5 year old toilet!  Hard water is a killer.

 

If it is you (your family), then tell them to throw away excess toilet paper in a nearby trash can lined with a bag.  Better than plunging toilets. 

 

At any rate, replace the toilets with TOTO toilets.  You will be happy.  Also have your lines snaked while doing it.  It's worth it. 

Edited June 7, 2016 by TranquilMind

[TranquilMind]

Oh, I would be seeing my favorite Lowes delivery guy again as he dropped  off new toilets in each bathroom.  That guy is great!   I defer to hubby a lot but things that affect me daily and require extra work on my part due to something that doesn't work right, nope.   It gets fixed.  Overflowing toilets are nasty and there is not enough bleach in the world.

 

Just FYI, cheaper units are sold to the big box stores with more breakable plastic parts, whether toilets, faucets, or whatever.

I only buy these items from a plumbing supply store.  They are far heavier because they have brass, not plastic, and will last longer. 

[TranquilMind]

I AGREE!!!!

 

I'd be over at the Lowe's or Home Depot store before lunch.

 

With the newly purchased toilets placed in the middle of the living room, I'd be calling plumbers to install them. Or watching YouTube vids on how to do it myself. Chat with the people at the big box store and gather any supplies needed.

 

You could be mean and suggest DH could use the great outdoors to lessen the load on the current toilets. :)

 

I'd be calling my plumber and having him bring nice new TOTO toilets from the plumbing supply store.  All the work is on him, and he then gives a warranty on his work and the toilets. 

 

Not much more money but far less trouble and you get a much better unit from the plumbing supply store than the big box stores, even if the brand is identical. 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

The water pressure is fine.  What anti-clogging product?

 

It's basically a drain-o type product made specifically for toilets.  We have insanely hard water so sometimes the various holes in the toilet do get clogged with mineral build up.  That stuff helps with that sort of thing.

 

You can find it in Home Depot or Walmart. 

[The Girls' Mom]

We're on a city sanitation system, we had the pipes scoped in the inspection, they were normal, wide, and empty.  This is a crappy toilet situation.

I see what you did there :D

 

No it isn't normal.  Your dh is the unreasonable one.  This will cost thousands more in floor replacement on down the line.  (not to mention potential mold problems).  

 

Check out penguin toilets.  I have them in my entire house.  They have an overflow protection drain.  However, they don't clog at all under normal use.  The one upstairs clogs occasionally, but I have a child that could clog the Chunnel.  Even with clogs, they've never overflowed.

[Anne]

Katy,

 

Are your new toilets in your house yet??????

 

Do it Now, girlfriend!!

 

Anne

[Katy]

Send him the link to this GIF, and the link to the new toilet. Tell him to pick :)

 

giphy.gif

Bwahahaha.  Apparently that clip was already in his head because I announced I was going to the store to choose a model and he just negotiated waiting another day or two until an expected check gets deposited.  Now he's okay with replacing them both.

 

I agree, call a plumber.  Get this checked out instead of just replacing the toilets.  During inspection were the toilets flushed?  Surely they were.  If there wasn't an issue then, I would wonder if in the interim between inspection and you moving in months later something else had happened.   This is absolutely NOT normal for the situation you describe.  

 

Have we had toilets back up?  Yes.  Twice it was overzealous kiddos using lots of toilet paper.   The rest of the time (and there were only a handful over the course of 20 years) it was something wrong with the pipes or something wrong with the toilet.

 

You need to find out what is happening.  If it is just crappy toilets, fine, replace them.  If it is something else, you need to address it before you find yourself with much more costly repairs.  Surely your DH doesn't want to have to pay for water removal/flood damage/mold eradication?

 

It's not just that, it's also that I'm extremely allergic to mold, and if there is water damage in the house that isn't repaired and he gets another job transfer, we don't have the safety of having the relocation package where they will guarantee purchase of the house in a certain number of days.

 

 

Katy, when we built our home, we were told that 2 piece toilets were easier (and therefore possibly cheaper?) to work on than the one piece toilets. We haven't had any problems w/ our toilets, but we did get the 2 piece toilets just in case. 

 

If you do buy new toilets, you might want to ask around to verify this advice before deciding on a model. 

You're right, the 2 piece kind is better.

 

We had/have this issue, particularly with our downstairs toilet.  It was overflowing nearly every day.   Finally, after one overflow that required sanitizing the entire bathroom and part of the living room, DH went out and bought some expensive toilet that uses air pressure or something like that to flush.  He installed it himself.   Now you push the handle and WHOOSH!   All gone, every.single.time.  I love that toilet.  Love love love.  

 

Replace the toilets.  I can tell you, nothing improves your quality of life more quickly than reliable plumbing. 

What's crazy is that we replaced a toilet with a model like that in 2 of the last 3 homes we lived in, and in every single case DH agreed the toilet was much better, was absolutely worth it, and wished we had done it before.  He's just too cheap to wrap his head around that I guess.

 

Consumer Reports: Top flusher: American Standard Champion 4 around 300.00. Buy it now. Life is too short to be dealing with medieval sanitary conditions in your home.

I just went to the store and picked out the American Standard Titan.  Can you tell me what Consumer Reports says about that?  I don't think I saw a Champion 4 at the store I was at.

 

Yep.  That would be my dh.  Fortunately, we lived out in the woods with no neighbors nearby.  But still ... :glare:   I once asked him why he didn't just build himself an outhouse.  Guess that would also have cost actual money.

bwahahahaha!

 

I see what you did there :D

 

No it isn't normal.  Your dh is the unreasonable one.  This will cost thousands more in floor replacement on down the line.  (not to mention potential mold problems).  

 

Check out penguin toilets.  I have them in my entire house.  They have an overflow protection drain.  However, they don't clog at all under normal use.  The one upstairs clogs occasionally, but I have a child that could clog the Chunnel.  Even with clogs, they've never overflowed.

Where do they sell penguin?

[Mama Geek]

I wouldn't think the problem is the toilet, I would think it is somewhere else down the line.  We finally dug our line up and realized it wasn't sloped enough.  That fixed our problem although it was a pain.

[Katy]

I picked out some, but I can't go get them until DH comes home from work (unless I go swap cars with him at work), because he left me with the small car today.

[zoobie]

Dealing with overflowing raw sewage on a regular basis is not normal IME. I have lived in a variety of housing, and I've never needed to plunge more than rarely.

[Katy]

For the person who asked about didn't they flush the toilets in the inspection:  yes, but the toilets flush fine as long as there is no human waste or toilet paper in them.

[zoobie]

I picked out some, but I can't go get them until DH comes home from work (unless I go swap cars with him at work), because he left me with the small car today.

We ordered toilets from Amazon. They were cheaper than the plumber's cost price!

[barnwife]

Unlike the 80 gallon hot water heater, the new toilets will save money.  Maybe never pay for themselves, but in most places the water rates are going up high that they could pay off relatively quickly, especially if you install them yourself, and/or there's no additional rot to repair.  But you'll have to repair the rot eventually anyway, and the toilets won't get any better with age.  

 

Acid can sometimes do wonders for a weak flush, draino won't do anything for a toilet, it is for grease or hair clogs in kitchen sinks.  I'd bet these would improve with a good acid soak and cleaning, but who want's to do that with old toilets that will always cost you on the water bill?  If the tubs next to the toilet don't back up, or gurgle when the toilet is flushed, then the pipes are fine.  Sometimes toothbrushes, small mouthwash bottles  etc. get lodged in the toilet and it still flushes, but since these have been the same from the start, the plumber has snaked the line, and they're old, it's more likely mineral buildup. Last I've checked, $150 is the minimum to spend for a top of the line (flushing functionality) toilet.  Habitat Restores get the whole range and they're all priced the same $25, so you can get a good one sometimes, if you know which are good ones. Avoid most from the 90's, low flow at it's worst.   

Edited June 7, 2016 by barnwife

[zoobie]

Also check for rebates from your state, county/city, and water department for upgrading to a water efficient toilet.

[MrsWeasley]

Sorry, I think you should call a plumber, which would probably be even less popular with your husband. I know you said you had your pipes scoped, but if your home inspector didn't point out the water stains, I don't trust your home inspector. Evidence of shoddy workmanship like the toilets not getting caulked makes me wonder about the plumbing in your house. How is the water pressure in your house? 

[HS Mom in NC]

You must be a much nicer person than I am.  If my husband took the position your husband does (which he doesn't he's an OCD type) he would rather replace the toilets or plumbing or whatever it took than deal with me on this kind of topic.  There would be words.  Hard, honest words.

[The Girls' Mom]

 

 

Where do they sell penguin?

 

 

I got mine at Lowe's.  They have REALLY cheap plastic seats though, so be prepared to put some nicer ones on.  That was my only complaint.