Weak flushing water saver toilets

(04/05/2010)

After being tormented by toilets that leaked and needed at least 2 flushes, I finally came up with an easy fix without taking off the water tank. My house is only 5 years old and all of my over-flow tubes, in the six water-saver toilets, were only 5.25 inches long. I understand by reducing the height of the over-flow tube, the manufactures could qualify for the 1.6 gal. requirement for a water saver toilet.

I did not have enough water height in my tank to seat the flapper valve properly and our water bills were really high. I learned if I put sum food color in my tanks I could see if my flapper valve was leaking. I had all six toilets leaking and I thought that I was over watering my grass. After fixing one of my toilets by replacing the short over-flow tube with a traditional ten inch monster, I had to take off the water tank, make two trips to the hardware store, buy unexpected parts like new rubber washers that turned to mush and bolts.

Over the last 5 years I had adjusted the water inlet valve so many times the plastic adjusting screw was stripped and no longer held. I had to replace that before I was done. My new water height in my now, super flushing toilet was what my wife was looking for. I only added about two inches of water but every thing seemed to work better. I had to take the bend out of the rod that held the float ball. I no longer needed to bend it down to reach the water table.

Now the water turns off when the ball is level with the turn off valve and it really turns off with lots of adjustment left. Not wanting to take any more tanks apart I thought there must be a better way. I thought if I could find a tube to fit over the over-flow tube in my other five toilets my problems would be solved. To my surprise after looking at every tube built that I could find including the internet, I could not find the right size to save my sole. I then went to a local plastic manufacture and had several 1.100 in. ID tubes made.

The 1.100 in. tubes by 8.5 in. slipped right over the rest of my short over-flow tubes and a little PVC glue and my toilets were brand new. I now thought I had and easy fix to a big international problem. Everybody that I was talking to, that had a water saver toilet, that was not designed originally as one was having a problem with weak flushing.

My biggest problem was the flapper valve not seating well. As I said I thought I had an easy fix however when I gave my sons and friends my new extension tubes to try, none would fit. There seems to be so many sizes we started test marketing to find out how many could there be. We settled on thirteen sizes, starting at 1.010 ID to 1.300 ID. I now have a patten on my extension tubes and we have them color coded to indicate the different sizes.

I have to build twenty five hundred feet in each size and color before my excursion tube manufacture can afford to turn on the equipment. I now have fifty thousand ready to sell.

Related categories:  Insulation   Pipes - plastic and HDPE   Toilets   Water efficiency