The Big Flush - Toilets are Different!

While selecting a toilet for your bathroom may seem a pretty straightforward task, there have been many changes in this market in recent years. Since the National Energy Policy Act of 1995 mandated standards for the manufacture of toilets, there have been many improvements in their operation and efficiency. As part of that 1995 Act, any new toilets must use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush.  This is compared to 3-7 gallons used by many of the older models.  This represents a considerable savings to you in utility costs, and to the conservation of water throughout the county.

While the law mandates no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush, manufacturers have developed high efficiency toilets (HETs) that use an average of 1.28 gallons per flush, a 20 percent decrease in water usage.  What this means to a family of four with an average of six flushes each per day, is a savings of 8,760 gallons of water each year.

Toilets are available in one or two piece construction.  A two piece model consists of a separate tank and bowl.  The one piece toilet, sometimes called a low profile toilet, is made with the tank and bowl as a single unit.  While the two piece toilet typically costs less, it is more difficult to clean than the one piece which does not have a crevice between the tank and the bowl. The function of your toilet depends on the technology used for its operation.

Gravity flush system toilets use the weight of the water to provide the flushing pressure. These are more likely to clog and a not as likely to thoroughly clean the bowl.

Pressure assisted flush system toilets use water line pressure or a device in the tank to air pressure to flush the toilet.  This type of toilet typically averages 1.1 to 1.2 gallons of water per flush.  While there is significant water savings, these toilets can be louder than the gravity flush models.

Gravity fed Single Flush toilets operate like the gravity flush system but uses 1.1 to 1.28 gallons of water per flush.

Dual flush toilets are designed for light and heavy flushes and typically use a handle that moves up or down, a two button system, to indicate what type of flush is needed. This type is quite common in Europe.

Power assist toilets use a pump to force water down at a higher velocity than gravity toilets.  These models require a 120V power source to operate the pump.

Toilets come in a wide assortment of colors to match the decor of your bathroom as well as many types to meet the needs of your family.