Should You Repair or Replace Your Toilet?

Wondering if you should repair or replace your old toilet?

Believe it or not, there are good reasons for both. Here’s the information you need to make the right decision.

Reasons to rebuild your old toilet:

• The old one flushes great and it’s never had a problem with stoppages.
• It still looks good.
• It fits you — the seat height is right, and you don’t experience discomfort sitting on or standing up on the toilet.
• To repair or rebuild would be a cost-effective alternative to buying a new one.
• Your house has cast iron drain pipes.
  • This is extremely important! When you have cast iron drain lines you need 3-5 gallons of water that an older toilet provides to push the waste out of your drain system. Current regulations restrict the amount of water a toilet can use per flush to 1.28 gallons per flush which can leave debris piling up in cast iron drain lines.
  • We have seen clients that have had to replace their entire drain systems or put up with stoppage after stoppage because another company installed a low-flow toilet on a cast iron drainage system.
  • A well-trained plumber would not recommend a replacement unless the original toilet was broken beyond repair, even if that is the case they may recommend moving toilets to different bathrooms to minimize any future stoppages.

Reasons to get rid of that old toilet:

• Your builder-grade toilet has never flushed well, and class five toilets flush great!
• Your toilet has a round seat instead of an elongated seat.
• You have PVC drain lines and the transition is seamless.
• You’re looking to save water.
• The rebate incentives for toilet replacement through some cities can offset the cost of replacement versus repair.
• You’re shopping for a taller toilet.
• The cost to rebuild an old toilet can be more than the toilet cost originally.

We strive to educate our clients about the variables that may impact their purchase so they can make an informed decision and use their resources wisely.