You've probably heard of low-flow showerheads
and toilets, but have you stopped to think about the great differences between
old toilets and newer, more eco-friendly toilets? For one thing, newer toilets
are often much more water efficient.
Here are five factors that affect
whether your toilet is water efficient or not.
Standard toilets tend to have one
fill valve that pumps water to both the tank and the toilet bowl until both are
filled. Since the bowl fills much faster than the tank, some water tends to go
down the drain as overflow with each flush.
Homeowners who want to increase
water efficiency can have a special water-saving valve installed that allows
for correct calibration. Correct calibration means that the correct amount of
water is diverted to the bowl. This helps the bowl and the tank fill at similar
speeds so less water is wasted each day.
Older toilets may have tanks that
are much larger than necessary. In some cases, these types of tanks can use
several gallons per flush. Newer toilets are typically designed with tanks that
are sized appropriately for the amount of water an optimal flush requires. Some
homeowners simply place a two-liter bottle of water in the tank to reduce its
extra capacity.
If you're replacing your toilet and
want to make sure you get one designed to optimize flushes like this, look for
the WaterSense certification. WaterSense is an EPA program to help consumers
choose water-efficient options.
Anytime the toilet's flapper doesn't
seal well, extra water can leak out of the tank. This is obviously quite
wasteful, so you should keep an eye out for signs that your toilet is losing
water through the flapper. For example, if the toilet seems to run constantly,
this can indicate a problem.
You'll also want to avoid doing
anything that might damage the flapper. For example, putting cleaners in the
tank can chemically damage the plastic. And, putting a brick in the tank (which
is sometimes done in an attempt to save water) can cause brick crumbles to get
into the workings of the flapper and keep it from sealing.
A dual-flush toilet can save water
by using the appropriate amount needed for different types of flushes. A toilet
with only one type of flush available has to use the amount of water needed for
a solid waste flush, whether solid waste is actually present or not.
A dual flush provides more
flexibility, allowing you to use less water when only flushing liquid waste and
toilet paper. This avoids wasting water by using more than is really needed on
these types of flushes.
No matter how well a toilet bowl is
designed, you can only go so low before the amount of water isn't forceful
enough to fully flush waste on just gravity power. That's where
pressure-assisted flushing mechanisms come in. Some low-flow toilets are
designed with this mechanism in order to give the flush a little boost without
using extra water.
The pressure comes from a burst of
air that pushes at the flushing water from behind, giving it extra force so
that it can clear out the toilet bowl more efficiently. In this way, a
pressure-assisted flush can help reduce water waste while still providing a
powerful flushing action.
These five factors can all affect
whether or not your toilet can operate in a water-efficient manner. If your
toilet is older, you probably don't have a dual flush, a pressure-assisted
flush, or an optimized tank size. You can increase the efficiency by having a
dual flush kit retrofitted into your toilet, but eventually you'll want to
start shopping for a newer model.
Whether you're looking for
water-saving tips, toilet installation help, or other plumbing advice and work, Peter Piper's Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Service
is here for you. Get in touch with us today to discuss your
toilet replacement.
