How to Know When It's Time for a Toilet Replacement
Have you noticed your water bill going up recently? Are you tired of spending so much money on utilities every month? By continuing to use your old toilets, you could be literally flushing unnecessary water (and money). By investing in new, updated toilets throughout your home, you can upgrade your bathrooms while cutting your monthly water use significantly. Keep reading to find out when it's time for a toilet replacement.
Should I Replace My Old Toilet?
While your old toilets may technically do their job, they’re simply not as efficient as newer models. Not to mention if your old toilets start to show their age by cracking, leaking, or clogging, it’s often best to consider toilet replacement rather than repair. The cost of searching for the problem and repairing it tends to be more than replacing the toilet outright, especially considering the savings that accompany a new, water-efficient unit over time.
How Do I Know When To Replace My Toilet?
It can be tough to notice the exact moment when you should replace your toilet. Unlike most fixtures, toilets typically don't suddenly stop working. They just get less efficient and useful over time due to worn out parts. There are some specific signs to look out for to determine whether it’s time to get a toilet replacement.
Consider toilet replacement if you notice:
- One flush isn’t enough
- Your toilet wobbles
- Cracks
- Leaking
- Surface damage
- Mineral deposits
- Frequent repairs
- The wax ring is failing
- Your toilet is over 20 years old
How Do I Know If My Wax Ring Is Bad?
One of the reasons your toilet could be having problems is because of the wax ring, which seals the toilet to the floor and creates a barrier that keeps anything that’s flushed from seeping onto the floor.
When the wax ring fails, you may start to notice:
- Water pooling around the toilet’s base
- Bad odors
- Water damage on the floor or ceiling below
At the first sign of a failing wax ring, it’s important to contact the professional plumbers at Pilgrim Plumbing & Heating, Inc. We can respond quickly and work efficiently to find the problem and help you decide between repair or replacement, taking your needs and budget into consideration.
How Long Should a Toilet Last?
Theoretically, the lifespan of a toilet can stretch up to 50 years. However, that’s only if the toilet is consistently maintained and well treated; the average toilet lifespan can be decades shorter as mechanical parts wear down or rubber parts dry out or crack. Frankly, though, you probably don’t want to keep your toilet around for 30–50 years. Older toilets use more resources for the same exact purpose, which is environmentally (and financially) wasteful. We go into more detail on that below.
How Can A New Toilet Save Water?
Toilets account for nearly 27% of all water use in a home, more than any other plumbing fixture or water-using appliance. Fortunately, toilets are far more efficient and powerful than they used to be, and they’re only getting better. The gallons per flush of an old toilet can be anywhere from five to seven gallons. That means toilets from only 40 years ago use 4x as much water per flush as recent models. Most contractors today install low-flow toilets by default, but older homes, particularly homes built prior to 1994, can have old, inefficient toilets.
Should I Call A Plumber To Replace My Toilet?
In a word, yes. Professional plumbers like those on our team at Pilgrim Plumbing & Heating, Inc. have years of experience repairing, installing, and replacing toilets. We know what to look for and can tailor our expertise to your unique situation. If you need advice about upgrading your toilets, make Pilgrim Plumbing & Heating, Inc. your first call.
Don’t try to replace your toilet yourself. Contact Pilgrim Plumbing & Heating, Inc. at (781) 253-2055 today to learn more about how your toilets affect your utility bill as well as your water use.