Toilet clogs

[psmith0803]

I've got two restrooms on a small office and have about 7 to 8 employees (all but 1 is a woman) using them. They are on a single septic tank and we're fighting clogs more than I think we should. Typically it starts at the tank where the "t" is mounted to force the solids down and then just backs up from there. I can snake them out easy enough but it's a constant issue. I think the problem is too much paper and not enough water, there are no showers, dish washers, clothes washer etc....

We've talked about removing the T from the septic tank, we've talked about trying to find older high water usage toilets to increase the water to paper ratio and we've talked about instituting a double flush rule. Does anyone else have a better suggestion?

The local plumbers are not much help, they just want me to chew out my employees for using too much paper. That's not really a conversation I'd like to have with grown adult female employees...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Reach4]

Bidet attachments and bidet seats can reduce paper use. Maybe put in one, and see if it is preferred.

It is also possible to make a flapper change that increases water used per flush.

 

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[PumpMd]

Do you use Rid-X on your septic tank?

 

[Gary Swart]

You didn't mention the brand of toilets you are using. Although newer low flow toilets have improved recently, many of the early ones were terrible. The manufactures tried using the same fixture and tweaking the mechanics. Didn't work. Toto took the lead by changing the internal design of their toilets. This proved to be very satisfactory. Toto has continued to improve their designs, and other manufactures have done the same. Might be you problem is older low flow toilets.

 

[SteveW]

Might want to repost this in the general plumbing section.

From what I am reading in your initial post, this is not necessarily a toilet problem but instead sounds like there may be some sort of restriction in the connection between your sewer line and the "t" fitting at the septic tank, based on your experience snaking the line -- is that correct?

 

[psmith0803]

I put in the toilet section I guess because I thought it was a lack of water causing the issue but you may be right. It's all new system (less than 6 months old) so I don't think it's a rid ex issue. The toilets are western brand again, less than 6 months old. We certainly would change the toilets if we thought that would fix the problem.

How would a person adjust the flapper to increase water per flush?

 

[Reach4]

The toilets are western brand again, less than 6 months old. We certainly would change the toilets if we thought that would fix the problem.

How would a person adjust the flapper to increase water per flush?

What is western brand? To me a western toilet is one that you sit on rather than squat over.

There are adjustable flappers. Does your toilet take a standard 3 inch or 2 inch flapper?

 

[SteveW]

Since it is new system, perhaps it is to some extent a toilet problem -- I think I get where you are coming from. There are no other high-water-using fixtures that would help push waste into the tank, like there would be in a house.

I wonder if a pressure-assisted toilet with a Flushmate system might help propel things down the sewer a bit better? But no more water used (compared to a non-pressure-assisted low-flow toilet) so not sure.

 

[Gary Swart]

Your term, "western brand" leads me to think you have what plumbers refer to as builder grade toilets. Translated in to meaningful English, this mean really cheapos that are sold to spec house builders to meet the requirement of a toilet that will flush. Terry Love has made a career out of replacing builder grade toilets that are just a few months old. Just an idea.

 

[SteveW]

They are on a single septic tank and we're fighting clogs more than I think we should. Typically it starts at the tank where the "t" is mounted to force the solids down and then just backs up from there. I can snake them out easy enough but it's a constant issue. I think the problem is too much paper and not enough water, there are no showers, dish washers, clothes washer etc....

His problem sounds downstream of the toilets...

 

[psmith0803]

I'm not sure on the flapper size, I can take a look at that. My guess is they are builders grade as well, we were never really given an option. So do you have a "high pressure" toilet you would recommend?