Why You Should Consider a Dual Flush Toilet

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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You may have seen them in public bathrooms or even at someone’s house, but dual flow toilets are still a fairly new sensation.  They are catching on quickly because of the amount of water savings they bring.  They are already quite popular in Europe and other countries, and now the US is getting on board.

Dual flush toilets have two separate mechanisms for flushing.  The first is a half flush used for urine while the full flush gets rid of solid waste and uses more water.  The benefit of using this type of toilet is that it conserves water, which is why it is so popular in countries where water is in short supply.

To choose a dual flow toilet, you will want to check its performance rating, called the Maximum Performance Testing or MaP.  This tells you how well the toilet cleans the bowl with a flush.  You will also want to find one that meets the High Efficiency Toilet standard for the best savings in both water and money.

As with any other toilet, you need to try out different options to find the right height and size to be comfortable.  The popular standard for dual flush toilets on height is the same as regular toilets at 17-19 inches.  Even the shape of the seat can make a difference on your selection whether you prefer the round bowl of elongated for saving space.

Once you select the dual flow toilet you like, you will want to contact your local plumber to install it for you.  Your plumber can do a professional installation and you will be saving water and money in no time.

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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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Water Saving Toilet Choices

March 28th, 2012 Posted in Bathroom Remodeling
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According to EPA estimates, toilets use almost 30 percent of the water consumed in a typical residential household.  Homeowners can save a lot of water and a lot of money by replacing older, inefficient toilets with new high efficiency toilets.  There are several different options when it comes to modern high efficiency toilets.

Since 1992, all toilets manufactured for sale in the United States use a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush which is about half the amount used by older toilets.  These low flow toilets got a bad reputation for flushing ability, but in recent years advances in toilet design have greatly improved the performance of standard 1.6 gallon per flush toilets.  These make a very good, economical toilet choice.

In fact, in just the past few years most residential toilets have been designed to meet WaterSense certification standards which require that the toilet use no more than 1.28 gallons per flush and perform as well as or better than a standard low flow toilet.  Choosing a WaterSense certified toilet makes a lot of sense since they use even less water than a standard low flow toilet and have been specifically designed to perform well while using only 1.28 gallons of water.  These are an excellent cost-effective solution.

Dual flush toilets are another alternative.  These toilets have two flush modes:  a full 1.6 gallon flush for flushing solid waste and a partial flush (usually about .8 gallon) for flushing liquid waste.  When used properly, these toilets average less than 1.28 gallons of water and most of them qualify for WaterSense certification.  These are a little more expensive than single flush toilets.

Finally, pressure assist toilets use compressed air to assist with flushing performance.  These toilets work well and use the least amount of water, but they can be noisy and are much more expensive than gravity-flow toilets.

Whether you are doing a full bathroom remodel or just replacing a toilet, your plumbing professional can help you choose the right high efficiency toilet for your home.

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