Nothing lasts forever. Not even your toilet. We take a look at when to replace a toilet by looking out for these 8 tell-tale signs.
How important is your toilet?
The World Toilet Organization estimates that the average person uses the toilet 2,500 times in an entire year. That’s six or seven times a day!
Needless to say, when something is wrong with it, you will notice. You’ll also notice how inconvenient it is.
However, toilets don’t just go bad without giving warnings. Here are some signs you should make note of because they will tell you when to replace a toilet.
1. Clogging Happens All the Time
Clogging should never be ignored because it’s not a plumbing emergency. Clogging that happens randomly and frequently is a sign that your toilet needs to be fixed.
If you’re experiencing clogging more than once a week then it is time to consider replacing your toilet.
2. Puddles of Water Caused by Cracks
Cracks in the porcelain of your toilet can cause leakage and leakage will lead to puddles settling around your toilet. The bottom line is that toilets can start to malfunction when cracks are present.
However, sometimes the toilet may continue to work just fine. This doesn’t mean you should get comfortable with the occasional puddle.
Leaking toilets waste a lot of water that you may not even be able to see. This can make your water bill go up.
3. You Call the Plumber Often
If you’re constantly calling the plumber, then consider getting a replacement toilet. While the occasional fix is fine and expected, a toilet that needs to be fixed constantly is giving you a sign that it needs to be replaced.
Remember, that plumbing fees can add up, so it may be better to just purchase a new toilet.
4. Wobbling Is Present
It’s never a good sign when your toilet begins to wobble. Apart from the fact that it makes you feel insecure about sitting on it, there may be a deeper issue.
Often wobbling may be caused by a loose screw or it may be caused by something as serious as the floor rotting away under the toilet. This means that wobbling should never be ignored. Call in a professional as quickly as you can.
5. High Water Bills
High water bills are often a sign that your toilet is consuming too much water. It may be that it’s an older model that doesn’t make use of low flush technology.
Low flush toilets use about half the amount of water that regular toilets do. This is why the state of California recently created a law that all toilets should be low flush. This is in an attempt to reduce the wastage of water.
If you have a big family then water usage for the toilet is usually high. In this case, it’s in your best interest to switch to a low flush model.
Additionally, if your water bills are high, you may want to consider using a dual flush toilet. Dual flush toilets handle solid and liquid waste differently. They usually have two push buttons for flushing.
The amount of water used for liquid waste is less than what is used for solid waste.
The fact is that toilets have gone through an evolution, as companies and even government agencies seek ways to reduce the amount of water that toilets use.
The amount of water used by toilets in the seventies and eighties is far more than what is used today. If you have an older house with an older toilet, it’s time to invest in a newer model.
6. Lots of Surface Damage
While cracks and chips may not affect the function of the toilet, it does impact the overall aesthetic look of your bathroom. When your toilet has lots of cracks and chips it can make your bathroom look shabby.
It can also make the toilet harder to clean since dirt can get lodged in between the cracks. The inability to get a proper clean will affect the overall cleanliness of your toilet.
If you have young children who use the toilet this is a serious concern as you don’t want them to pick up germs.
7. Mineral Deposits Have Built Up
There are many areas where hard water is the norm. Hard water can cause minerals to build up in inlet holes and siphon holes in the toilet.
When this buildup happens, water stops flowing properly through the toilet. This makes your toilet extremely inefficient.
If you hire a plumber, they may be able to remove some of the mineral deposits. However, sometimes this is unsuccessful. When this happens, it’s best to replace the toilet.
Once you replace the toilet, you may want to invest in water softeners to help remove minerals from your water.
8. The Toilet Is Constantly Running
Listen carefully, if you hear the sound of water running all the time then something is wrong. Water should be running to fill up the tank once the toilet is flushed. But, you shouldn’t hear this all the time.
Often, it may mean that the rubber flap in the tank has become damaged in some way. In other cases, it may mean that the fill valve has been broken.
These problems can sometimes be fixed. If they can’t, or you find yourself having to fix them repeatedly, it’s time to replace the toilet.
Final Thoughts on When to Replace a Toilet
If you’re wondering when to replace a toilet, the eight reasons discussed above should give you all the information you need.
It’s usually not worth it to fix a toilet very often. It’s also not advisable to keep older models because they use a lot of water and that can end up costing you a lot in water bills.
If you hear water running constantly or are sitting on a wobbly toilet, call in a professional to help find out if your toilet needs to be replaced.
If you would like more information on toilet replacement and other general plumbing information, please contact us.
