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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:26 PM
Original message
Interesting tidbit re: old toilets.
I went down and bought two new toilets today. My rusty, trusty plumber said my Kohlers are crap, and ordered me to buy two Totos. What plumber wants, plumber gets.

At the plumbing supply store, I bought two toilets and arranged for delivery (figuring they wouldn't fit in my Prius). I asked the salesperson if they would haul off the old toilets. She said that they would remove the old toilets, but suggested that I call Habitat for Humanity. She said that they love to get old fixtures for re-work and installation into the homes they build (not just toilets either). What an excellent idea!
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liberal N proud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:31 PM
Response to Original message
1. About your new toilets...
Don't do much paper work and if the load is heavy flush often. Keep plunger close.

I understand and agree with the low water usage of new toilets but damn, can't they design one that flushes everything without plugging?

If your toilets are no longer any good, why would they help Habitat?
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Ilsa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:34 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. Ours are low flush, and they work great, but yes, we do a
"courtesy" flush for #2 and then a paper flush, just to be sure.
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Canuckistanian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:40 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. So, 3 flushes for a lo-flow?
Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose? Or does the lo-flow use less than a third of regular toilets?
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:46 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. I think they defeat the purpose
My house has one, and it clogs up easily. And you have to flush and flush and I have to keep the plunger right next to the toilet. I hate the thing.
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midlife_mo_Jo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:31 PM
Response to Reply #7
21. With several kids and low flush toilets
We spend quite a bit of time with a plunger. We probably average two "plumber" visits a year; in our previous house I don't think we ever hired a plumber for anything!
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:34 PM
Response to Reply #21
22. My house was built in 1951
And I think I've got some roots in the lines. Sigh. Thank god for the home warranty, it's only $55 to have someone come out. The line was clogged a few weeks ago and the toilet backed up into the tub. DISGUSTING. And I only have the one bathroom.

I'm blaming the boyfriend. I never had a problem with the toilet until he moved in. :)
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:43 PM
Response to Reply #22
24. You can only blame your boyfriend or husband for leaving the toilet seat up.
That is a long-established precedent. No double jeopardy!

Know what I mean?
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:18 PM
Response to Reply #24
30. Actually, he doesn't leave the toilet seat up
Edited on Tue Nov-13-07 08:20 PM by tammywammy
Someone before me trained him well. :P
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midlife_mo_Jo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:08 PM
Response to Reply #22
25. Good idea.
Blame him and make him pay for the plumber! :)
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:19 PM
Response to Reply #25
31. I haven't been reduced to it yet
The other day while I was taking a nap it clogged up. He went outside and with the water hose, sent some water down the line and then came in a plunged away and fixed it. He was very proud when he told me later on.

It just never seems to clog up on me, it's always him.
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:15 PM
Response to Reply #31
41. At the risk of sounding sexist .. but I am quoting:
My rusty, trusty plumber blames most toilet back-ups on feminine hygiene products. After installing my $12K dual grinder pump lift system, he was adamant that the ladies not flush cotton products. I had already learned that lesson, again at the expensive way, at the mountain house.

BTW: To be fair, he blames condoms too.
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:18 PM
Response to Reply #41
43. Don't worry I'm not offended
I've heard that about tampons and condoms as well. Neither of those are the problem here. The plumber said that there are some roots growing in the line, he said it wasn't much but there's some. I'm going to check on something to flush down there that'll kill them off.
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yasmina27 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:36 PM
Response to Reply #22
37. I'm not sure what it is
but there is a chemical that you can put down your lines to kill the roots. My dh does this twice a year on the advice of the former owners (my cousin). I'm sure your local hardware store can help you out.
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:16 PM
Response to Reply #37
42. Thanks
I'll check into that.
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:24 PM
Response to Reply #42
44. If it kills roots, it probably kills fish .. downstream.
Snake it. Call Roto-Rooter, or the cheaper generic equivalent.
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razors edge Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:17 PM
Response to Reply #21
29. If your problem is
always at the toilet, and the plunger just won't do the job, consider investing 40 bucks in a closet auger, sort of a sewer snake made to clear toilet clogs.
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Ilsa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:58 PM
Response to Reply #6
14. No, usually one. Maybe two once a day. Considering
how often I pee, it's a good deal to have low flush.
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:38 PM
Response to Reply #14
46. I never flush after a #1.
Let those build up. A #2 is another story.
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Blue Diadem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:47 PM
Response to Reply #1
9. We don't have any problems with ours.
It's not an expensive one nor power flush, just a gravity tank type. We did some research and it was suggested to get the biggest trap size available. Some trapways are pretty narrow.
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:50 PM
Response to Reply #1
11. Habitat overhauls the old fixtures.
And the price is right.
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liberal N proud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:37 PM
Response to Reply #11
23. Considering the design of the old bowls is intended for the wate used
Low flow retrofits would be worse than those designed for low flow.

I was sick when I busted one of our 20 year old tanks during a bathroom remodel. I was putting the toilet back in and leaned against the tank just right and pop.
Purchased a low flow as that is all you can buy today and the girls in my house keep it plugged with paper all the time.
I have threatened them with paper rationing and made them learn how to run a plunger but it hasn't phased them at all.
When I have a #2, I use the old toilet in the other bathroom just because I know it will flush.
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Champion Jack Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:06 PM
Response to Reply #1
17. None of that applies to the Toto, to put it bluntly, they work
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Ilsa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:33 PM
Response to Original message
2. As long as they are low water-usage, recycling them sounds great.
We have water-saving toilets in our home, and they work fine, even with my youngest's ability to poop like a horse. The four of us used only 4 thousand gallons of water last month. This keeps our water bill way down, too.
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graywarrior Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:33 PM
Response to Original message
3. Habitat has a huge store here in Sarasota filled with used stuff like toilets, sinks,
doors, nails, furniture, anything you need to put into a house. I'd rather donate to Habitat than Goodwill.
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:48 PM
Response to Reply #3
10. There's a store in Raleigh too
It's a fun place to go look around if you're looking for not just old windows or sinks or toilets, but odd bits of architectural detail too.
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Sal Minella Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:38 PM
Response to Original message
5. My plumber said "No!" when I asked about getting a new low-flow toilet.
He said you stand there and flush three times, so you end up using just as much water, plus wasting your own time. So, one flapper-assembly-thingy replacement later, old one-flush is still in this habitat.
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:53 PM
Response to Reply #5
12. But the only NEW toilets available are 1.6 GPF, per the law.
The Kohlers I am giving to HH are low-flow too.
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Champion Jack Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:02 PM
Response to Reply #5
16. That's what I thought until I bought a Toto
This thing rocks! One flush does it every time ,
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MindPilot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:46 PM
Response to Original message
8. I have a low-flo my plumber installed over a decade ago
Edited on Tue Nov-13-07 06:47 PM by MindPilot
I even had him transfer it to the new house when I moved.

I forget the brand, and it was expensive, but damn, it needs one of those warning labels jet engines have on their intakes. I don't think it has ever had a load it can't handle in one cycle.

Bah-WHOOSH!! It would do Al Bundy proud.
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Blue Diadem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:55 PM
Response to Original message
13. I wasn't aware they took old fixtures.
I'd heard they take cabinets/sinks, doors etc. It's good to know they'll take them to re-work and install. They have re-stores that sell used items and building supplies to the public too.

http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx
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bklyncowgirl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:00 PM
Response to Original message
15. We have a "Flushmate" power assist low flow toilet. Big whoosh and gets it all in one flush.
This thing is great. You have to change the canister occasionally but this job is within even my level of plumbing incompetence.

Nice to hear that Habitat will take old fixtures.
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annabanana Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:09 PM
Response to Original message
18. a KILLER low-flow!!
My mom has one at her house and it is scary.
http://www.flushmate.com/index.asp

(Like, stand up before you hit that handle!)
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Canuckistanian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:27 PM
Response to Reply #18
20. Looks interesting
What does it use for a power source? It's own nuclear reactor?

The videos are impressive:
http://www.flushmate.com/SeeItWork/default.asp
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high density Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:11 PM
Response to Reply #20
26. Water pressure in the line
http://www.flushmate.com/HelpArea/answer.asp?id=23
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razors edge Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:20 PM
Response to Reply #18
33. Kohler quit selling them,
they got too many complaints about the noise, they will wake the dead.
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tularetom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:12 PM
Response to Original message
19. You won't have any problems with yer new toilets
Our house is like 100 years old. about 4 years ago I replaced the old no name toilets that must have been 50 years old with two new low flow Totos. The guy who sold em to me said they'd suck down 30 golf balls (because I'd seen an ad for an American Standard model that would accomodate 29). We've never had a problem with the capacity of the toilets. Although we've had a lot of problems with the drain plugs in the tanks not seating properly, we finally fixed that too.
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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:15 PM
Response to Reply #19
28. Oh, golf balls, any toilet can do THAT! Now, when you have to flush 10 or 12
soccer balls, that's when you really have to have the right stuff!
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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:14 PM
Response to Original message
27. All I have to say is that it's weird seeing this thread right before the one on

eating cranberries for Thanksgiving. Now I'll be thinking about old toilets when I eat cranberry sauce, blecch.
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zbdent Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:20 PM
Response to Original message
32. Don't leave them out by the curb too early on trash day ...
you might find an infestation of a new breed of vermin ... the "wide-stanced goper" ...
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Kingshakabobo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:23 PM
Response to Original message
34. Did you get the dual flush?
One button for number 1 and another button for number 2.

To the people shying away from low-flow toilets - The brand really DOES matter. Listen to the plumber and go with a Toto.
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CatWoman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:23 PM
Response to Original message
35. LOL
DemoTex is starting to mind meld with Al Bundy.

Remember Al's "Ferguson"???

:rofl:

Al: Bud, sit down. Let me tell you the story of the Ferguson. Now these babies were made in Maine, you know, at the little Ferguson factory. It's the Stradivarius of toilets. And my Dad could play it like a violin.

Yup, I'll never forget the time my dad took me to Maine to visit the factory. I had to go to the bathroom. And I begged him to pull into a truck stop. He said no, wait until we get there! It'll be worth it! It was!

Bud: Excuse me, Dad, but a toilet is a toilet.

Al: (grimacing) Bud... the toilets today aren't worthy of the name! They come in designer colors... they're too low! When you flush them, they make this weak, almost apologetic sound. But not the Ferguson. It only comes in white. And when you flush it... BaaaWOOOSH! That's a man's flush, Bud. A Ferguson says, "I'm a toilet. Sit down and give me your best shot." Oh, if only a Ferguson could speak, the tales it would tell!




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MindPilot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:46 PM
Response to Reply #35
38. DemoTex is not going to be comfortable with any toilet
that doesn't pull a substantial vacuum and blue fluid. :D

Yep, the Ferguson was one of the best episodes, EVER! Remember how the fountain lost pressure when Al flushed?:rofl:
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CatWoman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:51 PM
Response to Reply #38
39. lol
yep!!

ba-WOOSH!!!!

:rofl:
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DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #39
40. At cocktail parties, Dr. D. has a few and insists I tell tales of the brown trout in the blue pools.
Like the big woman who got stuck in the biffy on my first Boeing 737 trip with Piedmont in the early 80s (I had to help her out). Or the gigantic turd stories from the flight attendants. Or the mile-high initiates in the aft loos. Or the hijack message on the mirror in the 1st class blue room. Or the great stories about flight attendants "crop dusting" (farting as they walk down the aisle). ETC., ETC....
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AZCat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:29 PM
Response to Original message
36. A great page for comparing toilet performance...
is at the California Urban Water Council (CUWCC). They produce a Maximum Performance Testing (MaP) Report several times a year that ranks the various toilets according to - I "shit" you not - poop tests. You can download the full report (updated July 2007) or the appendices which list toilets by manufacturer or performance. It's a wonderful resource for those who are thinking about buying new fixtures!

CUWCC web page

CUWCC MaP Report Page
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malaise Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 09:25 PM
Response to Original message
45. Bravo Jimmy Carter n/t
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