Do I Need a High-Power Flush Toilet?

Are you frustrated with the low flush power of your current toilet or looking for the best high-pressure flush toilet for your home? If you’ve noticed that you have frequently clogged drains or need to flush twice to get everything down, a high-power flush toilet could be the answer.

Read on to learn more about the advantages of a high-power flush and how to decide if buying one is right for you.

Types of High-Power Toilets

There are four types of high-power toilets made for the residential market. All have one thing in common: more flushing power than the standard gravity-assisted toilet.

Here are the high-power toilets to choose from:

• Pressure-assisted. Go one step up from a gravity-assisted toilet with a toilet that uses compressed air to add extra oomph to your flush without using more water. They tend to be a little louder and can be costly.
• Double Cyclone and Tornado Flush. Developed by the company Toto, both toilets use pressurized jets at the top of the bowl. With two nozzles on the Double Cyclone and three on the Tornado, these jets create a powerful vortex flush that pushes the waste down and helps clean the bowl.
• Double Vortex. Found in American Standard brand toilets, the Double Vortex also uses jets to create a more powerful flush. Water comes from two nozzles at the top of the bowl and the drain, traveling in both directions simultaneously to create a powerful flow.
• Siphon Jet. What is a siphon jet flush toilet? It’s a separate small reservoir tank that you can install alongside other systems. Water is released with a vacuum pull to increase the power of your flush.

Related Topic: Can Flushable Wipes Damage My Plumbing?

How to Increase Your Toilet’s Flush Power

Knowing how to increase toilet flush power yourself might save you from having to buy a whole new toilet. While you can’t retrofit your existing low-flow toilet due to the way they’re built, maintaining what you already have might improve your current flush power. Here are some of the ways to maintain a good flush rate:

• Check for clogs. If your low flow is just due to clogging in your pipes, opt to get your drain unclogged before deciding you want to replace your toilet. Make sure to check your toilet drain for clogs too.
• Adjust your tank’s float. Open your toilet tank and check the water level. If it’s low, there might not be enough water to flush the way you need! Adjust the float valve length to sit between minimum and maximum on the tank.
• Clean the rim jets. If the jets that release water when you flush get clogged with mineral buildup—which they do, over time—scrape out the buildup with a thin wire. Unbend a wire coat hanger for an easy at-home tool.
• Use vinegar and baking soda toilet tank soaks. You’ll need about a quart of white vinegar. In your toilet tank, find the rubber hose that’s attached over the overflow valve. Keeping the tube inside the tank, run a funnel into its end so you can pour easily. Pour your vinegar into the tube and let rest for about 15 minutes. Then, add baking soda a little at a time until it starts hissing. Let the toilet sit for two hours without flushing, then flush it to see if the flow has improved.
• Replace a broken flush valve. Find the flush valve at the bottom of your toilet tank. It’s the part that lifts when you flush to release water, so try jiggling the handle if you can’t find it. A cracked or damaged flush valve can decrease flush power.

To test it, put a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank. If the color leeches into the water in the toilet bowl, your flush valve isn’t sealing properly and should be replaced.

If you’ve tried everything and you still aren’t getting the power you need, it’s time to look for a new toilet. If you do end up deciding to get a new high-power toilet, we can help with toilet installation.

Related Topic: How to Measure for a Replacement Toilet

How to Convert a Low-Flow Toilet to High-Flow

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to convert a low-flow toilet to a high-flow or pressure-assisted toilet. The only option is to replace a gravity-flush toilet with a pressure-assisted flush toilet.

Opting for Low-Flush Power Might Benefit You

If you haven’t experienced problems with your flushes, a low-flush power toilet can help conserve water (as long as you don’t find yourself having to flush twice). There are plenty of water-saving toilets with lower power that won’t leave you with everything half-flushed. Choosing a high-efficiency toilet is a great way to use less water while still getting everything down. You can use a dual-flush toilet to provide a “half flush” option for liquid waste and a “full flush” for solid waste. Or, stick with a standard gravity-assisted model if that style doesn’t give you any trouble.

Upgrade to a More Powerful Flush

Because more forceful flushes push waste further and faster, high-power flushes can reduce or eliminate clogs. They also keep sewer lines and septic tanks healthier, making backups less likely.

If you usually have to flush twice or find yourself reaching for the plunger more often, contact your local Mr. Rooter Plumbing. We can perform a thorough plumbing inspection to ensure your system is in proper working order to determine if adding a high-power flush toilet is right for your bathroom. Give us a call or request an estimate online today.