Why do I plunge so much?

[seagv]

I have had a toto for a couple of years now. I have to plunge it about 2-3 times every week. Each time is because of one family member who says he never has any problems anywhere else. I have an old house. Could there be a problem with the pipes that reduces the amount of suction, or any other problem that would cause this?
Thanks.

[Terry]

Sounds like something in the trapway.

Take several paper towels and wad it up into a ball, and try to flush that.
If it plugs, get a closet auger and remove whatever is in the trapway.
You may have to pull the bowl and remove whatever is there.


GI Joe takes a ride in a toilet, and finds that life can be the dumps at times.

[seagv]

Thanks. I'll try that. I should have mentioned that the second toilet in my house, which sits right below the newer one, is very old and has the same problem. That's why I wondered if it was the pipes. Could be that GI Joe sits inside that one as well. Great picture.

[Ian Gills]

Let's see the pic of Jamie and the auger!

[jimbo]

The type of paper used makes a BIG difference. Charmin is among the worst flushers. The best are the cheapest....scott, costco, etc. They are thin and dissolve well in water. The softies like the charmin do not absorb water so well and stay clumped up. If you have anyone who tends to use a lot of paper, you can have issues. I am in that category ( is this already TMI!) and I find that as long as I use the cheap paper, I get by with no plunging, and very few double flushes on the Flushmate!

[Inspektor Ludwig]

LOL,
I agree with Jimbo, it's the paper. We had to stop using charmin just for that reason. Now it's kirkland signature.
The auger pic is a hoot but why in the world is he not wearing his double nitrile gloves?

[Runs with bison]

Which Toto is it?

The paper could be part of the problem. There is some magic combination of some texture of #2 and Northern paper that was hell on the old 1994 1.6 gpf Gerbers in our home. (Northern paper is comfy, but a known clogger.) The toilets could pack pretty solid so that I had to auger them. I'm using the same paper with Toto EcoDrakes without any problem so far (<knock on porcelain>.) Sometimes it moves a little slow, but it always moves...and disappears. My hope is that 1 year from now I'll report zero plunges from three toilets...but that is a real stretch goal.

Vent or drain problems are possible, particularly in an older home on septic. My Grandparent's farmhouse has always had toilet drain issues and I've never been able to tell which of the weak links was the weakest...the line to the septic routinely had roots in it and the septic tank seemed too small and not well taken care of. Then again I suspected vent issues in other lines. But none of it was in my realm of control.