Toilet

[Yaofeng]

A few years ago, oh.. I think probably 6 or 7 years ago, I fixed the plumbing of this toilet in a rental I owned. Or so do I think. This is the downstairs unit of a two family house which was built in the

1940's, it not earlier.

The lead bend on the waste pipe was leaking. I removed the toilet. Chipped out a portion of the mosaic tile foor to get to the lead bend. I did not remove the lead bend completely. Just saw cut it and left a stub hanging out from the branch of cast iron stack. Then I wrapped the stub with a rubber connector with stainless steel straps and connect the upstream end with PVC pipe and bend. I took the opportunity to retile the bathroom with 8x8 ceramic tiles also.

Six or seven years later tenants are complaining the toilet is difficult to flush. But the rubber connection I made still hold as there is no leak. So after eating turkey I am going to remove the toilet to see what may have caused the plug as the tenants have gone home for the holiday.

Anyone has this experience or care to speculate what I may find?

[Pat]

I have found all sorts of objects stuck in the toilet.

[Colbyt]

I doubt that the work you did is the cause of the current problem. Observe the problem for yourself before you tear anything apart. Flush it with and without a load. If your turkey hasn't kicked in use about 15 squares total of tissue in 3 clumps for a simulated load. Look for a calcium buildup (brown scale) in the throat of the bowl or where the water enters around the rim of the bowl. If buildup is present you can use muriatic acid to remove it in several repeated treatments pouring about a quart into the bowl and letting it sit for 30 minutes or so. MAKE SURE TO OPEN THE WINDOW! and wear eye protection.

A flapper that closes to soon or a low water level in the tank are the most likely causes if there is no buildup. Another possible cause is a blocked vent (the stack that goes up through the roof).

If there are kids in the house and there is no buildup ask what they might have put down it. The damnest thing I ever fished out was a tablespoon. Flushed fine with no load and stopped up every time with a load. Plastic toys from Micky D's are almost impossible to fish out. I generally tell the tenant I buy and replace the unit and then we will break it open to see who gets to pay for it. If it is a toy, they pay.

Colbyt

[Red Neckerson]

"Yaofeng" wrote

Jimmy Hoffa?