Unclog Toilet 101: Have Modern “Johns” Lost their Flushing Power?

Posted: May 29, 2012
Author: Ace Hardware Home Services

Many people are convinced that modern toilets don’t flush as well as older ones. In the past, toilets could take just about anything that was flushed down them. While this practice would not have been beneficial for a septic tank system in the city, if a toddler tossed a toy down the toilet, it usually didn’t cause an “unclog toilet” emergency.

Today, this isn’t so true. Toilet design has changed in a quest to make them more efficient. But, does this newfound efficiency mean that the modern “john” has lost some of its flushing power? Yes and no – read on.

Gravity Toilets

These rely on gravity to pull waste and water out of the toilet. When you push the flush handle, a valve opens – then, aided by gravity, the water flow speeds up to expel the water and waste. Older toilets functioned in much the same way, except they used a lot more water to do the job.

You can adjust the water level in many modern toilets, but no matter how much you change it, you’re still going to get the occasional “unclog toilet” emergency.

Another option worth considering

If your gravity toilet is giving you flushing problems, you may want to look at a pressure-assisted toilet. These incorporate the use of compressed air to blast the waste out more efficiently. The bottom line is you get a low-water consuming toilet with plenty of flush power.

In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that a pressure-assisted toilet can save a family of four up to 8,000 gallons of water a year – in comparison to a standard 1.6 gallon toilet.