Who knew there were so many ways to reference the fixed water-flushed bowl and seat used as a waste receptacle in your bathroom? Along with a few unmentionable slang terms, a toilet is also commonly known as one or more of the following: lavatory, bathroom, can, loo, throne, water closet, washroom, latrine, John, urinal, and potty. Ultimately, despite what you call it, a toilet is a bowl connected to a system for flushing waste products into a septic tank or sewer system. This piece of hardware has an interesting history and has evolved into quite the modern, efficient, central design element of home bathrooms.
History of Toilets
It seems some sort of primitive toilet has always existed with the modern toilet coming into play around 1775 with Alexander Cummings patenting a flushing lavatory and the first pedestal toilet emerging around 1884. Interestingly, toilet paper has had quite the evolution too! From sand and leaves to bidets, to the first commercially available toilet paper emerging around the late 1800s, toilet paper has sure progressed through the years. In today’s times of modern convenience overload, one need only to visit a grocery store or home improvement retail store to be inundated with choices! Do you want 1 ply or 2 ply toilet paper? Scented or unscented? Premium, quilted, eco-friendly? With regard to toilet choices, do you want a standard low flush toilet or a dual flush toilet? Elongated or standard size? Or a waterless toilet? The options can be simply overwhelming. If you are considering a bathroom remodel or changing out an old toilet and are running into issues, Sun Plumbing’s trained technicians can assist you in the Melbourne, Viera, and Palm Bay area of Florida with toilet repairs, toilet replacements, and bathroom remodeling. While we may not be able to assist you with which toilet paper to purchase, we can help with toilet concerns!
Potential Problems
In a future blog, we will take a closer look at the different types of toilets available and the benefits of each system. For now, let’s take a look at some common complications which can occur with whichever toilet you decide to install in your home. Here are some common problems:
- Suction sounds or bubbling in the sink in tub caused by a partially or fully clogged vent pipe
- A slow flushing toilet related a clog or partial clog
- Dripping running, or tank filling due to siphon issues with the tank fill valve
- The tank is slow to fill or restricted
- Whistling while the tank fills due to the worn out fill valve
- Drop in bowl water level due to cracks in the interior piping or a toilet paper clog
- Double flusher due to the water level in the tank set too high
- Partial flush due to a worn out or waterlogged flapper valve
- Weak flush – a possible design flaw
- Rocking toilet-not solidly fastened to ground which can damage the wax seal and cause leaks
As you can see, it doesn’t matter what you call your toilet or which toilet paper you select, issues can arise regardless. If a predicament emerges, contact Sun Plumbing promptly so we can send a member of our professional plumbing team your way!
