RV toilets can make your traveling experience comfortable because you do not have to use public and campsites bathrooms.
RV toilet problems include leaky and cracked cisterns, broken and loose toilet seats, poor and weak flush, damaged flush pedals and buttons, loose and corroded screws, cracked bowls, broken seals and faulty valves, clogging, and flange seal issues.
The accessories in your RV bathrooms depend on their size. Some contain toilets with small sinks, while others also have showers for bathing.
| Problems | Solutions |
| Leaky or cracked cisterns | Tighten screws and use epoxy |
| Broken and loose toilet seats | Use plastic instead of wooden seats |
| Poor and weak flush | Check water levels in the freshwater tank |
| Damaged flush pedal and buttons | Use them softly |
| Loose and corroded screws | Use T-head screws to avoid spinning |
| Cracked bowl | Use plumber cement and replace them |
| Broken seals and faulty valves | Replace rubber seals |
| Clogging | Use plastic containers when gray tanks become full |
| Toilet seal issues | Select the seal of the correct size |
Leaky or cracked cisterns
Cisterns are small water tanks that are present in your RV toilets for flushing purposes. These are connected to the freshwater tank for water refilling through different pipes.
These are made of porcelain, cement, and ceramic material. Many people add wooden shelves on their upper side to save space and increase storage area.
The heavy cabinets put pressure on their construction material and lead to their breaking. You can see the leaks from the tank to the bowl because of their incorrect installation.
The screws used to secure them on the bowl become loose and lead to water leakages. Most RV floors are made up of vinyl and wooden materials.
Water puddles on the floor surfaces cause their deterioration, and you can see soft white spots. Using epoxy when you see cracks in the cistern’s body is necessary.
Tighten the screws with a screwdriver to keep the water tanks in place.
Broken and loose toilet seats
Toilet bowls contain wooden and plastic seats with a lid so you can close them to prevent the entry of unnecessary items in traps.
The plastic seats are more at risk of breaking because of their flexible and brittle material. High interior temperature can affect the plastic material and increase the chances of its breaking.
In addition, these can also break when overweight people sit on them. Wooden toilet seats risk cracking because of high humidity, excessive weight, and long-term water exposure.
These are more vulnerable to cracking when water-proof finishes come off from their surface and expose the wooden surface. Many people also complain that the flip cover of seats does not stay up and produces a slamming sound.
It is better to use plastic toilet seats in RVs instead of wooden ones because these are more prone to damage. Tighten the screws of the flip covers to prevent their sudden slamming.
Poor and weak flush
Many people complain about the weak and poor flush of their RV toilets. The issue comes because of insufficient water in the tanks.
Freshwater tanks in trailers and RVs supply water to different parts. You can face refilling issues because of the low water levels in the freshwater tanks.
In addition, the cracking of pipes that connect the freshwater tank supply with toilets also leads to low water levels and poor flushing.
Water comes into the bowl through rim jet holes, and you cannot get enough water because of their clogging. Blockage of these holes comes when you use hard water in a freshwater tank with high mineral content.
Use bob pins to clear the mineral deposits and other particles from these holes. Check water levels in freshwater tanks for quick refilling of water tanks.
Damaged flush pedal and buttons
RV toilets contain the flush pedal on the lower side, and you can press them with your foot to flush the solid waste. Some of these models also include the flush button on the top surface of water tanks.
The flush pedal becomes faulty, and you cannot remove the solid waste from the bowl. These become faults because of their frequent use.
In addition, people also press them hard, which can lead to their damage. Press the flush pedal and button softly to prevent their breakage.
Loose and corroded screws
The toilet anchor bolts are helpful to keep them in their place. These are used to fasten them with the floor surfaces and are made of metal material.
The screws become loose because of water and soap scum exposure. Spinning of these anchor bolts leads to unusual movement, which can also cause the disintegration of wax seals.
In addition, rust can also come on these metal screws and cause their deterioration. It reduces their strength to hold the RV toilet in its place.
It is better to use plastic bolts for fixing to prevent rust-related damages. I prefer T-head type screws because these are reliable and avoid spinning.
Cracked toilet bowl
Cracking of toilet bowls is common in RVs, which can lead to leakage. The cracking issue comes when you fasten the screws of the bowl tightly.
These can pressure the ceramic and porcelain material and lead to hairline cracks. Hairline cracks are not an issue because they do not cause leakages, and you can fix them with plumber cement and epoxy.
The issue comes when these are deeper and located on the lower side of the bowl. The cracking issue comes from the damaged glazing surface of the porcelain material.
Using incorrect tools for unclogging and cleaning also leads to the cracking of bowl surfaces. It is better to replace them with new ones when cracks are deeper and leads to leakages which can damage your floor.
Broken seals and faulty valves
RV toilets contain seals and valves that allow the flushing mechanism and prevent unnecessary water waste from the tanks.
Tanks contain rubber seals on their bottom end to control the water supply. Seals open when you press the flush pedal or buttons of cisterns.
These seals can break because of age, calcium buildup, frequent flushing, and accumulation of bacteria. The water drips into the bowl continuously, leading to insufficient water refilling for the next flush.
In addition, the float valves that allow the refilling of the tank become faulty and cause a problem. Replacing the rubber flapper seals with new ones is better for preventing running water.
Toilet clogging
Clogging in the RV toilets is a common problem because of the filling of the black water tank. The blank water tank holds the waste coming from the toilets.
Sometimes these become full, and waste material from the traps and pipes cannot move forward. You can see the backing and overflowing of the bowls, which can make the bathrooms dirty.
In addition, the issue comes because of the less water-holding capacity of the gray tanks. Moreover, you can face clogging and overflowing issues when you accidentally flush hair, toothpicks, Q-tips, and food items in them.
It is better to keep the large plastic containers with you during trips so you can connect them when gray tanks become full. Check the indicator light on the tanks and dispose of them when they become full.
Toilet seal issues
RV toilets contain rubber-like sealing material for their proper connection with the flange area. It is made up of wax material, and age-related deterioration is common in it.
The seals also worsen when moving on unpaved and rough terrains, which can cause problems. Traveling on rough rads leads to unusual movement, which directly affects the wax seals.
In addition, the issue also comes because of their poor adjustment. Many people do not know their thickness and select the wrong one from the market, leading to bathroom leakages and smells.
I faced the issue of wobbly movements because of the uneven RV floors. They do not fit properly when you install them on uneven wooden or vinyl surfaces.
Avoid using toilets when moving on rough terrains because it exerts pressure on wax seals, leading to incorrect adjustment and disintegration of wax material.
Select the seals of the correct thickness from the market according to the size of the respective fixture for their proper fitting. Use the shims to maintain balance when installing them on uneven bathroom floors.
Related Articles: