I can’t count how many times I’ve been called out for a “bad toilet” and it’s actually a venting issue or a clog further down the line. People swap out perfectly good toilets thinking it’ll fix everything, but if the vent’s blocked or undersized, even the fanciest water-saver won’t flush right. Had one job where a bird’s nest in the vent pipe was causing all sorts of weird flushing problems—took ages to figure out. Folks just don’t think about the whole system, they want a quick fix. Water-saving toilets are fine, but only if the rest of the plumbing’s up to snuff.
Totally get where you’re coming from. People love blaming the toilet when half the time it’s the rest of the plumbing throwing a tantrum. I swapped in a water-saver last year and, yeah, it’s great for the water bill, but only after I had a plumber check the venting and clear out what turned out to be a squirrel stash (nuts everywhere, no joke).
Honestly, I think water-saving toilets are worth it, but only if you’re willing to look at the whole picture. Otherwise, you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment and maybe some embarrassing “double flush” situations. It’s like buying a fancy new bike and ignoring flat tires—gotta keep the whole system happy.
Anyway, props for pointing out the venting issue. Most folks don’t even know that’s a thing until their bathroom sounds like it’s haunted.
That squirrel stash story cracked me up—nature’s little plumbers, I guess. But honestly, do water-savers really save that much if you’re double-flushing half the time? I’ve seen a few installs where folks ended up using more water just trying to clear things out. Maybe it’s all about matching the toilet to your plumbing, but I’m still not convinced they’re always worth the hype. Anyone else ever have to call in backup after a “water-saving” upgrade?
But honestly, do water-savers really save that much if you’re double-flushing half the time?
That’s the kicker, isn’t it? I’ve seen plenty of installs where folks end up calling me back because the low-flow model just can’t handle older pipes or long runs. It’s not always the toilet’s fault—sometimes it’s the mismatch with existing plumbing. Ever notice if the clogging happens more in older houses, or is it just across the board?
Honestly, I’ve seen the same thing—people get these fancy water-savers and then end up flushing twice, which kinda defeats the purpose. It’s like, yeah, you’re saving water... unless you’re not. I’ve noticed older houses with those ancient pipes seem to have way more issues. Sometimes it’s just not enough ‘oomph’ to get everything moving, especially if the run to the main line is long or there’s a weird bend somewhere.
Newer places seem to handle the low-flow models better, but even then, it’s not always perfect. I had a buddy who put one in his 90s-built place and still had to keep a plunger on standby. Maybe it’s just luck of the draw with some of these installs? I get why people want to save water, but if you’re standing there praying every flush works, it kinda kills the vibe.
