Low Flow Toilets Save Water And Money

September 21st, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Water conservation is important for many reasons.  Not only does reducing water usage conserve fresh water supplies, but it reduces the pressure on water and sewage infrastructure.  As the population increases, your local water authority has to build larger water treatment facilities, more pumping stations, install miles of water and sewer lines, and add more storage capacity.  In addition, by conserving water we can reduce the amount of energy needed for pumping water and for operating water treatment facilities.

On a personal level, water conservation not only reduces your water bill, but can also reduce the amount of energy used for water heating.  If you are on a septic system, lower water usage will help your septic system work better and last longer.

There are many ways we can save on water usage such as turning off the water while shaving or brushing our teeth and catching the water that would otherwise go down the drain while waiting for the shower to warm up and using it for watering plants.  However, an more effective way to save tens of thousands of gallons of water per year without even thinking about it is to replace an older standard toilet with a modern low-flow toilet.

If the toilets in your home date back to before 1992, they most likely use at least twice as much water per flush than modern low flow toilets use.  By replacing these old toilets with low flow toilets you can save about 3,000 gallons of water per person per year.  For a family of four, that’s 12,000 gallons of water!  You will not only conserve water, but depending on water and sewer rates in your area, you could also save $50 to $100 per year on your water bill.

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The Many Advantages of Low Flow Toilets

July 20th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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If you still have older, pre-1995 toilets installed in your home, you are missing out on the many advantages of low flow toilets.  You may be one of the millions of Americans who are hanging on to their old water hungry toilets because they have heard so much bad information about how poorly low flow toilets work.

It’s true that when low flow toilets were first introduced in the mid 1990s, the performance in most of them was seriously lacking.  “Double flushing” and clogged toilets were common.  However, manufactures have since stepped up to the plate and designed water efficient toilets that work just as well or better than the old water wasting models. The time has come to retire those old toilets and join your friends and neighbors who are enjoying the many advantages of low flow toilets.

Toilets account for about 25% of the indoor water usage in the average U.S. home.  A family of four uses over 25,000 gallons of water per year for toilet flushing. Older model toilets use between 3.5 and 7 gallons per flush. Compare that with 1.3 to 1.6 gallons per flush for modern low flow toilets.

You can cut your water usage for toilets by as much as two thirds by switching to new low flow toilets without any loss in performance.  You will save money on your water bill and it’s good for the environment too!  In addition, if your home is on a septic system, low flow toilets reduce the amount of water that flows into the system and can help your system last longer.  Talk to a reputable plumber about installing low flow toilets in your home.

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Efficient Low Flow Toilets Save Water and Money

July 17th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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If you have been reluctant to replace your old toilet because you were concerned about the performance of the new “low flow” toilets, you will be happy to know that modern low flow toilets have been greatly improved since they were first introduced in the mid 1990s.  Prior to 1995, toilets in the United States used between 3.5 and 7 gallons of water per flush.

While all that water did a great job of flushing the waste down the drain, it was a huge waste of water.  As much as one third of all household water usage in those days was attributed to flushing toilets.  To help conserve water, government regulations took effect in 1995 that limited all new toilets sold in the U.S. to using 1.6 gallons of water.

Most toilet manufacturers were unprepared for the changeover to the new lower standards and simply decreased the amount of water used per flush in their existing toilet designs.  The result was that most of these low flow toilets performed poorly.  Consumers complained about toilet clogs and resorted to “double flushing” to get the performance needed which defeated the purpose of low flow toilets.

Manufacturers have since responded by redesigning their toilets and introducing new models that use less water per flush while delivering excellent performance.  In fact, most toilet makers offer standard single flush toilets that work great while only using 1.3 gallons of water per flush.

Other innovations include dual flush toilets that offer a choice of using .8 gallon of water for liquid waste and 1.6 gallons of water for solid waste and pressure assist toilets that use air pressure to help remove waste.  The bottom line is that there is no reason to put off buying a modern, water saving toilet for your home.

 

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Low Flow Toilet Myths

June 21st, 2012 Posted in Bathroom Repairs
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Ever since government regulations took effect in the early 1990’s low flow toilets have suffered from the misconception that they do not perform well, cause problems with plumbing systems, and are too expensive.  The reality is that modern low flow toilets have excellent performance, meet all national plumbing standards, and are inexpensive to buy.  Your local plumber can help you choose a great low flow toilet and handle the installation and any other bathroom repairs.

The misconceptions about low flow toilets are based on the toilets sold in the early 1990’s and unfortunately persist to this day.  Toilets sold in the U.S. prior to 1994 were designed to use 3.4 gallons of water or more per flush.  When government regulations took effect in 1994 limiting the amount of water used per flush to a maximum of 1.6 gallons, many toilet manufacturers simply reduced the amount of water used per flush in existing toilet designs which understandably resulted in poor flushing performance, clogged toilets, and other problems.

However, in response to complaints from consumers, toilet manufacturers have long since redesigned their products to greatly improve performance while 1.6 gallons of water per flush or less.  Some high efficiency toilets use less than 1.3 gallons per flush without sacrificing performance.

In addition, experience has shown that modern low flow toilets do not lead to clogged plumbing or other issues.  Any toilet will clog if used improperly, but low flow toilets do not clog any more frequently than older standard toilets.

Finally, low flow toilets are available in a wide range of prices and styles to fit any budget.  Starting at less than $100, low flow toilets are very affordable and when you factor in the water savings, a low flow toilet can pay for itself in just a few years.

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Going Green With Green Plumbing

June 14th, 2012 Posted in Bathroom Remodeling
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Conserving natural resources is great for the environment and when it comes to plumbing, conserving water and energy for water heating can help you save money too!  Here are just  few of the many ways you can do your part for the environment while putting money back in your wallet with green plumbing:

Low Flow Toilets – According to the EPA, toilets account for about 30 percent of water usage in a typical home.  If your toilets were installed in your home prior to 1992, installing new low flow toilets can cut your toilet water usage by half or more.  Standard low flow toilets use about half the water of older toilets and WaterSense use 20 percent less water than a standard low flow toilet.  The great news is that the performance of modern low flow toilets is far superior to those sold in the late 1990s.

Low Flow Showerheads and Faucets – Replacing your old showerheads and faucets with new low flow fixtures can cut your water usage by more than half and save money on energy costs for water heating as well.  The less hot water you use, the less energy it will take to heat the water.  Save even more with WaterSense fixtures.

Water Heating – There are many ways to save energy on water heating.  Lowering your water heater setting and installing heat traps and an insulation blanket on a storage type water heater can significantly reduce energy consumption for water heating.  Better yet, talk to your plumber about installing a tankless water heating system.  You will not only eliminate standby heat loss, but you will also enjoy an endless supply of hot water.

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Low Flow Toilets

March 16th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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According to EPA estimates, toilets account for about 30% of the water usage in the average home.  In an attempt to help water conservation efforts, federal regulations went into effect in the early 1990’s that limited the amount of water a toilet could use per flush to 1.6 gallons which was less than half of what a typical toilet previously used.  Unless they have been replaced, if your home was built before 1994 it probably has older style toilets.

Unfortunately, toilet manufacturers were not ready to make the switch.  Most simply modified existing toilet designs to use less water per flush.  As a result, most toilets sold in the US after 1994 met the federal requirements but did not do a very good job of flushing waste.  These toilets were designed to use 3.5 to 4 gallons of water per flush and 1.6 gallons of water simply didn’t do the job.

Consumers quickly got the word and tried hard to avoid the new toilets if at all possible.  Homeowners with older style toilets repaired them rather than replace them with new low flow toilets and some desperate consumers went so far as to illegally sneak new toilets across the border from Canada.

The good news is that consumers no longer have to engage in toilet smuggling in order to get an affordable, good flushing toilet.  In recent years toilet manufacturers finally started designing toilets to work well while using only 1.6 gallons per flush.  Most low flow toilets on the market today boast flushing performance equal to or better than their water wasting pre-1994 cousins.

If you have been waiting to replace your older style toilets, now is the time to talk to your plumber about installing modern low flow toilets in your home.  They work great and save the average household about 9,000 gallons of water per year.

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Low Flow Toilets

November 17th, 2010 Posted in Toilets
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If you need to replace an existing toilet or you are choosing toilets to install in your newly constructed home, you will need to choose from one of the many excellent low flow toilets on the market today.  Prior to 1995, most toilets sold in the United States used about 3.5 gallons of water per flush.  Just flushing the toilet accounts for about 30 percent of the indoor water usage for the average household equipped with these older toilets.

By federal law, since 1995 all toilets sold in the United States cannot use more than 1.6 gallons per flush.  By cutting the amount of water a household uses for flushing toilets by over 50%, low flow toilets are not only environmentally responsible, but they also save you money.

When the low flow toilet law first took effect, it sparked complaints about incomplete flushing and the need to “double flush”.  Many of these complaints about these  early low flow toilets were well founded, but toilet manufacturers have made great strides during the 15 years since the low flow law took effect.  Many of today’s low flow toilets work as well as or better than their pre-1995 counterparts.

Toilet manufacturers use a variety of technologies to achieve good toilet performance.  Whether the toilet uses dual flush, single flush, gravity feed, or pressure assist technology matters less than how well the toilet performs.  Look for top performing toilets in tests run by Consumer Reports, the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, or the Maximum Performance Testing published by the California Urban Water Conservation Council.

If you need any additional help, a reputable plumber who offers general plumbing services will be happy to assist you with the choice and installation of a new low flow toilet.

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