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Plumbing

QUESTION
 All three of my low-flow toilets keep overflowing in the house I recently bought.  I called the previous owner and he said he switched to Scott paper and the problem stopped.  All three are Kohler, and a plumbing snake went beyond all the toilets.

I guess there is a blockage somewhere, but where, especially if all three toilets are overflowing?

One plumber said the blockage was in the drain that is lower than the three toilets.  I also noticed that when I flush a toilet, the stopper flapper stays upright during the entire flush, when all the water drains out of the tank. Is this correct? It seems that long flush uses more water than its 1.2 gallon rating.

ANSWER
Kohler is a good brand of low-flow toilet. I think you and your plumber are right, that the blockage is below the three toilets.  So have the plumber check out the main drain and open it as necessary.

As for the extra-long flush, I don’t think it should happen.  Have your plumber adjust the flapper.

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Question
We have a moaning/howling sound coming form our bathroom walls. Sometimes it happens when a toilet is flushed, but often it can be heard when no plumbing fixture is in use. What can be causing the sound, and how can it be fixed?

Answer
I don’t think it’s a problem unless the moaning gets worse. The sound is water running through the pipes. If the pipes are loose, they vibrate when water runs through, causing the sound. It is unlikely that you can get to the pipes to tighten them in their hangers without breaking into the wall. The moaning when water is not running is caused by the toilet releasing a bit of tank water into the bowl, and then refilling the tank. Check the ball or flapper covering the outlet in the bottom of the tank; you can adjust this flapper so it sits better in the outlet, preventing this phantom flushing.

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Question
We have agreed to buy a home, but the inspector we hired found problems with the plumbing. The sellers are very cooperative and have offered to either have the repairs made themselves or to give us a credit against our closing costs so we will have the money to pay for the work after we move in. We're leaning toward having the sellers make the repairs so we won't have to deal with it. What do you think?

Answer
I can understand your desire to have the sellers handle the repairs now so you won't have to bother with them later. It would be safer; however, if you hire your own plumber to do the work after the sale closes. Your letter says the sellers are being "very cooperative" and you should be grateful for that. But plumbing repairs can be very expensive, and the sellers might understandably be tempted to save money by hiring the cheapest contractor available, using low-quality material or doing a mere patch job even though more extensive work might be needed. A better idea would be to find two or three plumbers yourselves, have each submit a written bid for the work, and then ask the sellers to give you an appropriate credit against your closing costs so you'll have the money to pay for the repairs after you move in. Following this strategy means you will be inconvenienced for a day or two while the plumbers do their job, but that's a small price to pay to help ensure that the work will be done to your satisfaction.

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