ugh always something huh? If you do have to get a new toilet I would recommend chair height and it be a skirted toilet. Sleeker looking and easier to clean the outside. This is the one we put our new bathroom. Very happy with it. I hope you can get this resolved quickly.

IDK if it's still made, but 25 years ago a plumber raved about a toilet so much that we put one in. It's still the most efficient toilet in the house, a Kohler "Memoirs" low flow. Ours is standard height; you may want to choose a taller one.

Is there any product that keeps the tank clean without ruining the 'works'?

Having plumbing problems is the worst..especially the toilets. I recently remodeled a bathroom and had to buy a new toilet. I did a lot of research and finally ended up with an American Standard (which I always thought was a lower end produc, but is actually very highly rated) that I LOVE. It's a low flow with a bit of a power flush feature...so no double flushing, no debris remain the bowl, very easy to keep clean (no problems with water line stains - it has some kind of special finish). It's a style like the Gleam pictured above. Boy do I love no bolts to deal with when cleaning it. I loved it so much, I replaced my other bathroom's toilet, even tho it was still working fine.

American Standard Cadet 3

If I were YOU...Home Depot has a Hampden Bay toilet....new...about $99. It's water saving, but also a nice height seat. Old toilets are low. Then get a Ka Boom...it flushes hard and fast...and cleans the bowl. I use them in my 6 bathrooms.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ka+boom+kit&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS981US981&oq=ka+boom+kit&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMgoIBhAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBxAAGIAEGKIEMgoICBAAGKIEGIkF0gEIMjg1MmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:764331ac,vid:pGgIY8f6onM,st:0

Plumber called around 10:30a, he can't make it until "this afternoon". Since the toilet won't flush even with the bucket method now, I went to the barn and got a 10gal. bucket, added some water, and put it in the bedroom for emergency. I'm 72, so frequent trips are becoming the norm.

When he called back, and after I gave him details, he said it sounds like he'll have to "pull the toilet". Not sure exactly what that means.

Of all days, I was keeping the two boy cats in the cellar today because of the cold. Usually I bring let them come up into the house first thing in the morning when I let them out. But it's so cold, and they always want in and out all day, so I left them down there with their five litter boxes. Well, since the plumber may have to go down to the cellar and shut water off, etc., I brought the cats up into the house just now. Otherwise, I can see them racing out the cellar door when the plumber goes in and out and one is so quick I may not be able to stop him. Too cold for that skittish one to take off somewhere and be afraid to come back up to the house with a stranger here. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks for the toilet recommendations. I've been thinking of trying the chair height ones someday.

Thanks for the toilet recommendations. I've been thinking of trying the chair height ones someday.

When he says he's pulling the toilet...he's removing it....you'll need a new wax ring...which comes with a NEW toilet. I'd go buy a toilet and just have it on hand to switch out. Home Depot will load it into your car for you. It is chair height. And a KaBoom is a cleaning system you'll really love.

Yeah, that's what he meant. He pulled the toilet up and there was a lot of sediment, calcium, rust, etc. inside. He just left to get a new one. I didn't have much time to think! So he's getting the same brand name (Mansfield) that I had, only more efficient, not water saving, and an inch or so higher in height. But he highly recommended an oval seat - I never had oval seats! Plus seats were so easy to re-install on my old one, hopefully this one will be too. He'll have to show me how. I hate change, even if it's for the better.

At least this is getting done all in one afternoon. Thank goodness for having a good relationship with your plumber, And have the money in your checkbook.

I don’t recall how I found this, but I bought a few bottles of this last year. It was amazing. I don’t usually trust this kind of thing but it really worked with one easy application. A year or so later and my formerly very, very ugly tanks are still nearly like new.

It is wonderful to get it all done in a day. As far as a new toilet for Christmas, definitely not a fun purchase and an unwanted expense. On the plus side, though, it probably beats whatever facilities Joseph and Mary were using.

I don't know why the US doesn't have decent toilets. Here due to our very dry climate, our toilets are water saving, and we have no trouble at all flushing down whatever goes into them. In addition, there is no wax ring to fiddle with and if there's ever a leak (I'm 64 and have never experienced a leaking toilet) it would be from the tank or water pipe. When we built an extension to the house which included the toilet, we installed a new toilet. For a couple of years we didn't get around to bolting it to the floor, so you could actually rock it side to side. Still no leaks.

I'd love new toilets but the three 1955 kohler elongated style in this house match tiles, tubs and sinks - meaning complete redo. Some day. The bathrooms were so well done to begin with I hate to make expensive changes for reason of not my colors or styles.

My brother and his wife spent a few weeks in Japan this summer. They fell in love with the Japanese (brand specific) bidet toilets. They have 5 bathrooms and my brother immediately set about finding someone who could replace theirs at home with precisely the same. He found someone and was moving forward with them even though each toilet took its own electrical supply. I haven't made the trip to try one he had installed yet but he assures me I'd never go back to standard.......😊

I'm of an age I'd be fine with a new toilet for Christmas if I needed a new toilet. I'm very practical and surprises are lost on me.......

" So he's getting the same brand name (Mansfield) that I had, only more efficient, not water saving, and an inch or so higher in height. "

I'm not sure what you're trying to say by this but there are federal laws requiring toilets to use substantially less water than models you may have grown up using. Or indeed, perhaps like the one being replaced if it's old. States are allowed to have more stringent requirements and some do. You can be sure that a new one being installed will be "water saving".

" our toilets are water saving, and we have no trouble at all flushing down whatever goes into them. "

Funny enough, toilet styles and plumbing practices do vary from place to place. Some are better, some are worse. I won't believe for a second that Australia is Plumbing Heaven where pipes never leak, drains and toilets never clog, and fixtures clean themselves. ;-)

Quick question for you - when you look at a directory of plumbers, do none tout their expertise with clearing clogged toilets and drains? I picked a few Aussie cities and found many immediately.

For the last 30 years at least, American toilets also have had water use restrictions that have become more stringent over time. The problem is, some brand designs are more capable at clearing the toilet than others. Also true from country to country. Plumbers will always suggest holding the handle down a bit longer to help clear toilet contents.

Toilet flushing can't come close to being a substantial water use in the average home. Sure, over an entire community, it may add up to a difference, but in one home, nah.

Years ago, when we redid our bathroom, the toilet we installed was a water-saving model, and it didn't do its job. In fact, more water was used because, many times, two or three flushes were required. Obviously, there was a design flaw because the company replaced the toilet and paid for the installation.

@schoolhouse_gw, sorry you are having to expend funds on such a mundane purchase, but I hope you like the functionality of the replacement. I switched over to comfort height toilets many years ago and much prefer them. I added a Toto bidet toilet in my latest bathroom remodel and have appreciated it.

Elmer, I didn’t claim Australia is plumbing heaven and I did say that when a toilet leaks here it is usually the tank or the piping as opposed to water coming out of the bottom. Blocked drains are most often drains other than the toilet, although toilet drains can block if people flush inappropriate items down them or if tree roots break into and block the drain.

Actually a quick glance through listings for plumbers in the nearest big city showed that they do mention fixing toilets, but it’s way down the list of other services people are more likely to need.

As I understand it, chair height and comfort height are industry terms that vaguely indicate a range of height higher than what was once standard. Fortunately these seem to have become rather standard themselves by now. ADA compliant toilets have stricter limits. As I get older, the higher the better I say. I feel like I’m gonna hit the ground when I sit down on old toilets! Unfortunately elongated bowls haven’t taken over as universally but that’s all I’d consider owning.

So schoolhouse, your new setup sounds inviting so if you want some company for… tea… I’m game!

Nicole - I think you meant Glacier Bay. Re the kaboom, thanks for that, sounds like I can use that, maybe. Comments I’m seeing online suggest they might not install easily on Toto toilets, but I’ll have to look into it more.

colleen, toilets designs and plumbing techniques vary from place to place but blockages are universal. Low water units are cleared by having stronger siphoning force than in days of old. But, too much is too much. Or maybe in this case, hard water deposits have made the passage rough and things tend to not flow by smoothly.

Whatever. I didn't want to mention this but I have personal experience with clogging a toilet down under. The fix is global - a plunger, which the homeowner had on hand because "our toilets tend to clog".

I haven't seen a round seat toilet in ages. Even as a female, I prefer elongated. I trust you got a nice new seat for your new toilet.

bpath -- I'm putting the tank cleaner product on my list. Thank you.

Chisue - I‘m realizing that an estimate I saw earlier was for toilet SEATS sold, not toilets. So those would include replacements in older homes. Elongated toilets do seem to be far more common for remodels and new construction. Good!

Yes, the last several years, I've sometimes had to resort to hoisting myself up off the seat via the toilet paper holder - yikes. I could see that breaking eventually. More often it was bracing one hand on the upright seat lid and "pushing off" ha I'm not sure if he got me the chair height seat all I know is he mentioned the new one would be appx, 1 inch higher than the old one. Doesn't sound like much but definitely feel the difference.

" I haven't seen a round seat toilet in ages. "

We have one, stop by, I'll show it to you. My wife insisted on getting it for one daughter's ensuite bathroom when we were getting a bunch of new ones. Thankfully we got oblongs for the others. I couldn't use the round one decades ago when it was first installed and I still can't. I don't try anymore.

@schoolhouse_gw They make a number of different kinds of TP holders that double as grab bars, so if you need to hoist yourself in the future.

Schoolhouse, bless your plumber for being willing to dig into this and make sure it's all really fixed for you!

I'll second adding an actual, real grab bar. I bought a house that had a very solid grab bar installed in the master bath - that thing is definitely mounted into studs. I almost had it taken out and patched when I had painters working....and then realized that I am, in fact, aging. Ha. I left it. But unbeknownst to me, I found out my dear sweet Dad was using the TP holder when both he and it took a tumble one day. Getting a grab bar installed into the studs is easy and so much safer.

@schoolhouse_gw, I agree, you wouldn't think an inch would make a difference but I struggled getting into my bed for a couple of years due to my deteriorating bad knees compounded by being short anyway. The bed was just too high to comfortably get into for me. I got a little step stool but it still wasn't ideal. Then DH had the idea to take the little short glide feet off the bottom of the box spring. They were only about 2 1/2" high but it has made a world of difference and now I can easily get into bed.

" that thing is definitely mounted into studs. "

That's essential. Or, alternatively if the walls are open, have a backer board put in. That's a wood 2 by 4 or 6 mounted horizontally between studs to which any wall connection can be attached. Even towel holders can benefit from being attached so securely. By comparison, wallboard mounting using anchors can weaken and become loose over time and even at the best of times, can't support much weight.

re: needing a taller toilet as we age. I did say that the inch (or whatever it is) does make a difference, but as we age we can also get shorter! So I would not get a toilet much taller than this new one. I actually should go measure it. If one goes shopping for one, they should sit on it first. lol

As for a grab bar, I definitely am thinking of adding one. Before, I imagined getting a small cane-like support that I could place nearby and put out of the way when not needed. When seated, there's one wall to the left (w/tp holder) of the toilet, the shower is to the right (no wall).

Don't get a Kohler. This is the one that was replaced years ago when the water feature wasn't strong enough. It still isn't, but I'll deal. I wish I had a taller one for when I'm much older. I used a restroom in Philly last week, and the toilet was so low I couldn't see how people who aren't fit even stand up.

I was staring at the wall across from my hall toilet snd thinking it might be nice to install TRX straps. 🙂

If the wall is tiled, there are removable grab handles you can get (here they are sold at businesses that supply medical and mobility aids). They have a giant suction cup on either end and once you wet them and flick the suction lever they are almost impossible to shift. In addition to bolted on grab bars in our town apartment shower, I have one mounted on the glass shower screen where a permanent one can't be fixed. I also take it when we are travelling. I am quite heavy and it takes my weight.

When my daughter came to visit she asked why the toilet seat was loose. Because my knee gives out and I fall the lastlittle bit onto the seat and it loosens up and I have to tighten it often. Getting up was even harder (before my knee replacement). She later sent me this picture asking if I'd like her to bring it home from Lowes. YES

!https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-White-Toilet-Safety-Rails/5014006507

How funny to find a toilet thread when I finally treated myself to an upgrade. In Florida we have a choice of the 1.28 water saver or the 1.6 gpf. I think gallons per flush was the measure, too lazy to look it up. I went with 1.6 based on my plumbers advice. My toilets were 20 plus years old in a home with well water. To say that I am in love with my basic Toto Drake would be understating it. LOL They make me very happy. I went with the standard shorter height version as my Mom is shrinking in height.