St. Thomas Marathon I, etc.

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Vincent

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Hi, Everyone,

Seasons Greetings!

My family has a St. Thomas Marathon I toilet, builder grade I believe, which was fine until recently. It probably went a good six or seven years or more without a problem, but it now has a problem whereby the water rises too high and will spill over when it is flushed. Doesn't happen every single time, but does happen very often. Our plumber augered the trap and said it's clear, but there has been no real improvement. He said we need a new toilet. We even had someone (someone else--not a professional plumber) check the ventstack on the roof but it appears clear.

So my mother is looking for a new toilet; she's looked at many models, but is having a hard time finding something she likes; the only Toto she likes is the Promenade, but I understand the water line is too low on that model. We've ruled out the Gerbers because it seems they are still quite loud.

That's the context. Any and all help is greatly appreciated with the following questions:

1.Is the promenade as bad as many say? With this model, is it common for waste to lay above the water line as I've been made to understand?


2. She actually does really like our existing toilet, the St. Thomas. In terms of just re-ordering that: is the Marathon I builder grade considered a decent, or even a good, toilet? I'm aware it's a standard gravity flush. From the very few snippets of opinion on this brand and model I can find on the 'Net, it seems plumbers do like this model, more than they dislike it. True--or not?

She doesn't want the Marathon II for some reason.


3. In terms of having UPS deliver her St. Thomas to our house--a bad idea? I read that it's a bad idea in terms of breakage, but the dealer states it won't be a problem. We're not buying it from the 'Net; a local dealer is ordering it for us (my mother asked them if they would inspect it, but they indicate they don't do that unless there seems to be something broken in the box).


4. Assuming we have it delivered: should we inspect the toilet with the courier standing right there? What do we look for? Do we literally examine every square inch of the exterior and interior? I've read about microcracks or microfractures--how hard are these to spot? Any tips for how to spot them? For example, if there's a crack, even a tiny, shallow one, is that a dealbreaker for that particular toilet?

(And will the UPS courier take the delivery back if we've opened the box?)


5. She sort of liked a Vitra model, but a local supply house asserts that getting parts will be, or could be, a problem. True? Is it a good brand?

We need some candid and informed opinion on these questions, especially the consensus on the St. Thomas Marathon I.

Thanks so much in advance!

Regards,

vince
 

Jadnashua

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Sounds like you have a clog somewhere. If the water rises and then slowly drains out of the toilet, a new one will not help. If he used a toilet auger (they only go a few feet), it didn't reach the clog.
 

Vincent

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St. Thomas Marathon I, etc., More

Thanks, Jim,

My most recent experience with the St. Thomas was this:

Moderate amount of waste and paper in bowl; flushed, water rose up, about to spill over, I pulled float up and water stopped rising, then all water just drained out of bowl completely (don't recall it draining slowly--kind of quickly, I think), I put the float back down, and everything seemed fine again.

That sound like the kind of clog you're talking about?

If so, do you mean the clog is in the toilet (if so--where?), or in the large waste pipe?

(I think someone told me if the clog was in the large waste pipe going into the cellar, other fixtures in the bathroom like the sink and tub would also clog or backup. True?)

Thanks again.

Truly,

vincent
 
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Jadnashua

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If you pour a bucket of water down the toilet, does it go down the drain quickly? Depending on where the clog is, and is seems to me that you do have one, it might or might not affect other fixtures - it just depends on how the piping runs. Now, it could be something like a toy, a pencil, a crayon or something like that that is caught in the toilet, too. A toilet auger might go right by it, but other stuff could get caught on it and restrict the flow. Got kids? You might find anything in the trap of the toilet. My unprofessional opinon. Course, it could be further down the drain, too.
 

Plumber1

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toilet

My guess is Jim has it right from the way you describe the problem.

A good closet auger will get most things that get stuck in the toilet.

Test: Do what Jim suggests with a pail of water

Test: Put paper in the toilet 2, 3, 4 times till you plug the toilet then use the auger. If you release the water with the auger you'll know that the toilet is or was plugged.
 
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