Depending on when your home was built, your toilets could be several decades old. And while you might believe that they are still as functional as ever, that is not necessarily the case. It might appear to be doing its job. But there are many ways that your old toilet could be costing you money. And once you know a few things to look for, your opinion of your current toilet might change drastically.

Common Issues To Look For

One of the most common issues with older toilets is that they continuously run. This issue might not appear to be anything more than annoying. But it is a substantial waste of water and money when it is allowed to continue for years. You might believe that replacing the flapper and fill assembly will correct the issue. However, older toilet replacement parts can be challenging to find. And eventually, you are forced to try to make do with components that are not mean for your model toilet. This choice will result in a slow leak from the tank to the bowl and a continuous waste of water.

Another annoying issue with older toilets is a leak at the base of the tank. It could be at the hose connection or the tank seal. But that tiny drip will eventually cause water damage to your floor or wall at the base of the toilet. And a word of caution. Repairing an older toilet can often lead to more issues than you can fix. Once you begin to disassemble it, you will create more problems by damaging seals and connections. A replacement is often a far more cost-effective solution to consider.

Are You Tired Of A Toilet Bowl That Always Looks Dirty?

Does your toilet bowl appear to be dirty or stained the day after you scrub it? It might seem hard to believe, but this is a real issue that is caused by certain toilet bowl cleaners. If you have used the disc-style toilet bowl cleaners that are placed in the tank, then you could be experiencing this issue. The reason is that these large cleaning tabs release the majority of their chlorine bleach cleaner when they are first placed in the tank. This high level of bleach eats away the finish on your toilet bowl. Once the finish is gone, the bowl will always look dingy and dirty. And the porous surface will retain waste and contaminates that will add to your concern. The only solution is to replace your toilet. Once the new toilet is installed, be sure only to use the cleaners that can be hung in the toilet bowl as this will not damage the finish on the new toilet bowl.

Advances In Toilets

You might think that nothing has changed in toilet technology in the last 100 years. But that is far from the truth. The most significant advances in this area of plumbing have focused on water conservation. The average household water consumption is calculated by measuring the water used both inside and outside the home. Of this water, toilets use about 15% of all household water and a whopping 38% of all water used inside the house. So reducing the amount of water used for each flush can be a substantial saving. Older toilets required as much as seven gallons of water per flush. However, new low-flow toilets consume no more than 1.6 gallons with each flush.

Should You Tackle Toilet Replacement?

Unless you have a good handle on plumbing and are not afraid of a bit of a dirt DIY project, it is best to leave toilet replacement to the pros. A call to (301) 278-8786 will put you in touch with the licensed plumbers at A Better Plumber who can answer your questions about toilet replacement and schedule an appointment for a free no-obligation price quote.

In addition to affordable pricing, we offer full parts and labor warranty on all of our work and appointments in the evening and on weekends to eliminate scheduling conflicts. Don’t let your old toilet waste up to five gallons of water with each flush and even more from a slow leak. Call (301) 278-8786 today and invest in new low-flow toilets for your home.