Help is available for problem toilet
Q: We have an American Standard Vent-Away Toilet and the plumber told us we couldn’t get parts for it. He said we have to get rid of the toilet and get a new one. The problem is that the bathroom fixtures are harvest gold from the 1970s. We cannot afford to remodel the bathroom and I really don’t want a white toilet. The only information I can give you on the toilet is the number 2003 – does that mean anything? Have you any idea where we might resurrect a harvest gold toilet or parts for it? - Elizabeth H., Colville
A: My wife remembers hearing about the Vent-Away, a unique toilet, from her father who retired from American Standard. The toilet was manufactured from 1966 to 1979 and was very expensive at the time. The unique feature of this toilet was that an outward pull on the flushing button started the Vent-Away action and water would be drawn out of the trap in the toilet by a jet aspirator. Within 10 seconds, a vacuum would be created to draw air and odors back through holes in the flushing rim of the toilet bowl.
The air carried all the odors with it into the toilet’s discharge outlet. The odors would be expelled through the vent pipe and out of the bathroom. When the button was pushed in, the toilet would discontinue its ventilation action and start a flush cycle.
The manufacturer produced four Vent-Away models using 2002 and 2003 as series numbers; both series had two nonventing and two venting units. The 2000 series tells me that yours is a one-piece unit (a 4000 series would be for two-piece toilet). The “2” at the end of the model number indicates the earlier model so your 2003 is the latest model produced. The actual name for the toilet was Luxor.
You are in luck. A company in Pennsylvania has all the parts in stock for your particular toilet. You can go online at www.plumbingpartsdepot.com to see your toilet and a parts breakdown. When you reach the home page, click on “Toilet Parts,” then on “One Piece Toilet Breakdowns,” and finally on “Luxor One Piece Toilet 2003.” The parts for this model cost just under $372. To place an order, call Scott at (800) 448-8977, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
I recommend that you purchase the parts and do it yourself. If you have a digital camera, take pictures of the guts as you see them in the tank so you will know how to put everything back together. If you run into problems, Scott from PlumbingPartsDepot.com will be able to assist you.