Dealing with toilet trouble is not on anyone's fun list. It’s frustrating, annoying, and can genuinely make life miserable for everyone in the house. A toilet that doesn't work right is a problem that demands your immediate attention. Eventually, though, every toilet reaches the end of its road, meaning you have to confront the issue at some point.
So, how can you tell if your toilet is just having a bad day or if it's time to say goodbye for good? Knowing the signs puts you in control.
Your Plunger Has Become Your Best Friend Because Your Toilet Clogs All the Time
A clog here and there is normal. But if you find yourself reaching for the plunger every other day, you have a bigger issue. Older, first-generation low-flow toilets are notorious for this. They just don't have the flushing power needed to clear the bowl and the trap effectively. Over time, frequent clogging can also point to a buildup of hard water deposits or other obstructions deep inside the toilet's internal pathways.
You can’t see these blockages, but you can certainly see the result: a toilet that just won’t flush properly. Instead of fighting a losing battle with an outdated and inefficient design, a new toilet can give you a powerful, clean flush every single time.
You’ve Spotted Visible Cracks in the Porcelain Tank or the Bowl Itself
This one is a big deal. A small hairline crack might seem like a cosmetic issue, but it's a disaster waiting to happen. That tiny fracture is a weak point that is constantly under pressure from water and use. It can fail suddenly, spilling gallons of water all over your bathroom floor. Water damage can ruin your flooring, seep into the subfloor, and even cause problems for the ceiling in the room below.
Get a flashlight and carefully inspect the entire outside of the bowl and the tank. Pay close attention to the area around the bolts at the base and where the tank connects to the bowl. If you find any crack, no matter how small, it’s not a candidate for repair. The only safe solution is a full replacement.
The Sound of Constantly Running Water Is Driving You Crazy and Your Water Bill Up
That faint hissing or gurgling sound coming from your toilet is the sound of your money going down the drain. A running toilet is usually caused by a faulty flapper or fill valve inside the tank. While you can sometimes replace these parts, it's often a temporary fix for an older unit. In an aging toilet, one part failing is often just a sign that other components are about to go, too.
No Matter How Much You Scrub, the Bowl Is Covered in Scratches and Stubborn Stains
You clean your bathroom regularly, but the toilet bowl never looks truly clean. Over years of use and cleaning with abrasive chemicals or brushes, the protective glaze on the inside of the bowl can wear away. This exposes the porous porcelain underneath, creating a perfect surface for grime, mineral deposits, and bacteria to adhere to.
When the finish is gone, no amount of scrubbing will restore it. You're left with a toilet that looks dirty all the time and is harder to keep sanitary.
Your Toilet Feels Unstable and Wobbles When You Sit Down or Get Up
A toilet should be rock solid. If yours moves, shifts, or wobbles, you have a problem that needs immediate attention. Sometimes, the issue is just a pair of loose bolts at the base. But often, a wobble is a sign of a much more serious issue happening underneath the toilet. The wax ring that creates a watertight seal between the toilet and the drainpipe could be failing.
Your Toilet Is an Antique That Uses a Ridiculous Amount of Water With Every Flush
If your home was built before the mid-1990s and still has its original toilet, you are wasting a massive amount of water. Older toilets could use anywhere from 3.5 to 7 gallons of water for a single flush. Modern toilets, by law, use 1.6 gallons per flush or less, with many high-efficiency models using just 1.28 gallons.
Pop the lid off your tank and look for a date stamped into the back wall of the porcelain. If it’s from the early 90s or before, you could cut your water usage from flushing by more than half just by upgrading. That adds up to significant savings on your water bill over the course of a year.
Ready for an Upgrade? S and J Plumbing Makes Toilet Replacement Simple
Replacing a toilet is an easier task than you think! That's because our team handles everything from start to finish. We’re proud to be the plumbing pros who can take this stress right off your plate. You can enjoy a great new toilet without dealing with the mess that comes with the job. Call today for plumbing services!
