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The amount of water wasted when a toilet ghost flushes depends on the cause of the ghost flushing. Leaky flapper valves tend to waste less water than a larger problem like a damaged flush valve that makes the toilet run constantly. Even if you don’t think you’re wasting a lot of water, it’s still a problem that should be fixed quickly. 

You can tell if your toilet fill valve is full by removing the lid and taking a look. When you flush the toilet, the float is at the bottom of the tank, the water empties, and the fill valve opens. The float rises to the top as the tank fills again with water. When the float rises to the right level, the fill valve closes; if the valve is too high, your toilet may only partially flush, requiring you to adjust the float. 

The first step to clearing the air in a line is to locate the cause. This is usually a blockage in either the drain or the venting system. Once you clear the issue, flush the system by actually flushing the toilets repeatedly. This should allow the trapped air to escape, thus clearing the lines. Don’t be surprised if there is increased bubbling as the air makes its way through the system. 

Some older homes have toilets in the basement to combat sewage backups. This type of toilet, also known as a Pittsburgh potty, acted as a safety valve over the incoming sewer line. If a line backed up, it would back up into the toilet because it was the lowest fixture in the home, keeping it out of sight and away from the finished areas of the house.

Basement toilets were also used by workers with messy jobs, like those who worked in coal mines or steel mills. This way, they could clean up and avoid tracking dirt through their home.