The toilet isn't working correctly. When I pull the handle, the water in the tank goes down. the flapper goes down, and everything looks like it is working from inside the tank. But, in the bowl it is a different story. It doesn't flush. What I mean is that the water from the tank seems to be going into the bowl, and the water in the bowl seems to be going down the trap, but it is more like an exchange of the waters. That is to say, the bowl doesn't empty like a full flush would be. If I add some water to the bowl directly, I get a full flush, but not unless I add the water. I tried adjusting the float the other day, but that didn't do any good.
You want to make sure that the water in the tank is all the way up to the overflow tube but not spilling any water into it. Sounds like it is not running enough water into it.
Try holding the handle down until it flushes. Many toilets have two flush modes. Regular or heady duty. You get the heavy duty by holding down the handle. You also may have a problem with the flap valve.
The water holes around the underside of the rim may be clogged with lime and not letting water flow into the bowl fast enough to get the syphon flush action started. Use a small mirror to look at them and a piece of coathanger wire or a very small slot screwdriver to ream them out.
It just means that it's time for a new toilet. You old one's old and doesn't flow as well as it used to (hence the "good" flush when you pour a little water in it).
In that case I would look into the suggestion to check the holes under the rim. You might also consider that there may be some of partial obstruction or a problem with the flapper valve keeping it from fully opening or closing too soon.
Finally it may be time for a new toilet.
Buying by brand name is not a good idea. Most brands make good models and poor models. Many of the water savers are very good, some are very bad. I was looking at a few the other day. Limiting it to standard looking models (no color or special designer looks) I found models priced from $39.95 to $289.95.
All the cheaper models (which likely make up 90+% of the total sold, especially to contractor homes) have 1.75" traps unglazed. The better ones had 2" or larger traps with additional water surface areas and the trap areas were glazed. Some even had special pressurized water tanks.
Consider the difference. Have you felt the surface of an unglazed ceramic surface? That along with poor design, small opening etc. all contribute to poor performance. Using a lot of water was just a cheap way of getting around bad design.
Get a good water saver and you will be fine. Get a cheap model of any design and you will have problems.
A very large market for them are builders who want the cheapest thing that meets the code, so they all make one. You don't want this. They all also make nice looking models that have a lot of appeal until you get them home and you find that the working parts are the same as the builder's specials.
Consumer Reports magazine did a report on them not long ago, you should be able to find a copy in the library. That may help.
Most people seem to be very happy with the American Standard Cadet models. Note that they do make more than one model in that line and pay attention to the trap design in which one you pick. Others like the Gerber (sp) power flush line. They are a little nosier and have a little more complex flushing system, but it is very effective.
Exactly. I had been living with flush problem for a while until I got one of the Pressure-assisted siphon jet action. The American Standard 1.6- GPF Elongated Toilet that easily fllushes with just about half a gallon.
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