It might seem like a toilet is the kind of thing that just works forever. We often don’t want to pay a lot of attention to it other than making sure it’s been flushed and that it’s clean. Like a bottle of Worcestershire sauce in the refrigerator, it just sits there for years and years. But there will come a time when it crosses your mind. Should your toilet be replaced?
Here are the main reasons to decide your toilet has come to the end of its life.
Age
A toilet is not like modern electronics, meant to work for a couple of years and be swapped out for the latest model. But nevertheless, it does have a natural lifespan, and that is usually around twenty years. While your twenty-year-old toilet may still be working, chances are, it will develop more issues at this age, and some of those issues could be disastrous. As seals dry out and crack, major leaks can occur. It’s better to replace the toilet now rather than have to tear out your bathroom floor to remedy serious water damage.
Water Use
Older toilets usually use up to six gallons of water per flush. If you are familiar with the huge jugs of drinking water on water coolers in offices and waiting rooms, those contain five gallons. Imagine wasting more clean water than that every time you flush your toilet!
Now that you know that, you won’t be surprised to hear that toilets can be responsible for around 40% of water usage in the home. Modern toilets almost never use more than three gallons per flush, and if you want to save even more water and money, low-flow toilets use as little as a gallon and a half and still get the job done.
Clogging
Does your toilet often get clogged? Sometimes there is a problem with the sewer line, which carries all the wastewater away from your home, and replacing your toilet won’t fix that. But if that is the case, you’ll almost definitely be dealing with frequent clogging in other drains throughout your house as well, in the shower perhaps, or the kitchen sink. If it’s only the toilet that clogs, chances are it’s no longer working effectively. This is likely due to age. Repairs may be possible, but when your toilet is already old and probably using water inefficiently, you might prefer a new toilet installation in Norristown, PA.
Cracks
Any water leakage from your toilet is a serious issue. As we said above, you don’t want to end up tearing out your entire bathroom floor. But some leaks can be repaired by replacing certain parts, such as the wax ring at the base, or the gasket that forms the seal between the tank and the bowl. Cracks in the porcelain of the toilet itself, however, cannot be repaired. If you see a crack, no matter how small, it’s time to replace the toilet.
If any of these apply to your toilet, or if you’re simply remodeling and looking to give your bathroom a fresh, updated appearance, our team of highly-qualified plumbers would love to help.
Contact Platinum Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our pros.