DO I NEED TO REPLACE THIS TOILET?

Toilets are difficult things to know. They have been built pretty much the same way for hundreds of years, so you can’t really tell how old they are. It might not work very well all the time, but you can’t tell if that’s normal or not. Also, there’s that never unacknowledged but common feeling that its you-you're somehow doing something wrong in there.

Fortunately, it’s someone’s job to understand the toilets so you don’t have to. Specifically, it’s our job. If you think it’s time to replace a toilet but you just don’t know, start here. You should consider getting your toilet replaced if…

It clogs once a week or more
Every toilet clogs once in a while. How often a toilet clog depends on the strength of its flush, the cleanliness of its drain pipes, and what it’s trying to flush. If your toilet clogs more than once a month–or even once a week–possibly because mineral deposits have developed all over the top of the drain or in the drain pipes themselves.

These deposits occur more often when a toilet is worn out or has a weak flush because the toilet doesn’t have the power to blast the minerals away from the drain pipe. If you want to ensure your toilet is the problem before you replace it, you could have your drain pipes professionally cleaned. If your drain pipes are clean and your toilet still clogs, it is time for a new one.

The bowl or tank are cracked or leak significantly
Toilets are made of porcelain because it’s waterproof, sanitary, and durable. Unfortunately, however, porcelain isn’t perfect–it can crack. Even if your toilet isn’t leaking now, hairline cracks and fractures grow, because even a tiny crack compromises the resistance of the entire structure.

Search for cracks or leaks when you clean your toilet. Examine the wax sealing at the base of the toilet, check the intake pipe behind the toilet, and look in and out of the tank as well as the bowl. Some cracks and leaks can be repaired without replacing the entire toilet, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you have a crack in your toilet that’s actively leaking, you should get it replaced instantly. If your toilet does enough water damage, it may end up crashing through the bathroom floor. That’s a mess you don’t want to clean up. 

Your water bill is getting higher
Like constant clogs, a high water bill isn’t exactly a smoking gun. There are lots of non-related reasons why your water bill could be high. Try searching for places where you could reduce on water use. If you still can’t seem to bring the bill down, the toilet may be the problem.

As the toilets get older, they have to work harder to do their jobs. Harder work means more water. Whether your toilet functions productively, it is also expected that it’s simply an old design that uses a lot of water. If you’re anxious about your water bill, consider replacing your old toilet with a new low-flow model. The new low-flow toilets function just as effectively as any other type of toilet, and you will save a surprising amount on your water bill.

The toilet will wobble or shift when you sit on it
A toilet wobbles or shift when you sit on it for a few different reasons. One of them is that the screws at the base of the bowl have begun loose. If that’s all the issue is, it can be solved instantly just by tightening them. Unluckily, that’s not the only reason toilets wobble.
A more serious cause is water damage to the floor underneath affecting the screws to not be able to hold as tightly. While the wobble doesn’t always signify your toilet itself needs to be replaced, it does mean that there are more massive problems at work.

If you’re worried about the condition of your toilet, call us today. We can perform a thorough inspection and let you know exactly what your old commodes’ deal is.
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​Elizabeth Plumbing and Drain Service
362 Elmora Ave. #323, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07202
(908) 988-0365

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