Dual flush toilets are fairly common in most new construction homes. However, older homes in need of bathroom remodeling may still have standard flush toilets that use more water (and the same amount thereof) per flush.
If you’re planning a bathroom renovation in Bryn Mawr, PA, or its nearby areas, and haven’t considered a dual-flush toilet yet, keep reading to learn more about how a dual-flush toilet works and how it can save you money on your water bills.
Our bathroom remodeler and designer in Bryn Mawr, PA, describes the benefits of dual flush toilets and why you should upgrade.
What Is a Dual Flush Toilet?
A dual-flush toilet uses less water per flush for liquid waste than it does for solid waste. It uses a larger trapway at the bottom of the toilet to increase the efficiency of each flush and reduce the chance of clogging.
While the toilet tank uses a standard toilet siphon to refill the bowl, a dual flush drop valve helps reduce the water flow. One of the few downsides of dual flush toilets is that because less water moves through the system, you may need to use a toilet brush more often to clean the bowl.
Dual flush toilets work with either a two-button system to perform a half or full flush or by pushing a handle down for a full flush or lifting the handle for a half flush. Depending on whether you’re flushing liquid or solid waste, you can choose which flush option you need.
Dual Flush Toilets vs. Standard Toilets
Current regulations for standard toilets require manufacturers to ensure that they only use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. You can check your current toilet’s water usage by looking for a stamp behind the seat hinge that should indicate 1.6 GPF (gallons per flush) or 6 LPF (liters per flush).
Because a dual flush toilet offers a half-flush option for liquid waste, the water usage tends to average around 1.28 GPF combined for half and full flushes.
Benefits of Installing a Dual Flush Toilet
By consuming less water, you can reduce your utility bills for water, saving money in the long run. The benefits of upgrading to a dual flush toilet far outweigh the downsides of initial cost and more frequent cleaning.
Conserves Water
By conserving 0.3 gallons of water on average per flush, you can save approximately 1.5 gallons of water per day if you flush your toilet five times in a 24-hour period. In a 30-day month, that totals 45 gallons of water. In a year, that’s nearly 550 gallons of water.
If your home has three bathrooms and you, your partner, and your children all flush multiple times per day, upgrading to dual flush toilets and teaching your family about which flush to use can save hundreds of gallons of water per person each year.
Reduces Water Bills
Conserving water and reducing your water usage will also reduce your water bill. Imagine reducing your water usage by 45 gallons of water per toilet each month. What could that do for your monthly expenses when you pay your bills?
Cost-effective Upgrade
A new dual-flush toilet typically costs around $350-$400 to start. High-end branding, color upgrades, and add-on features can increase the cost. However, despite the higher initial investment in a dual flush toilet over an equally attractive standard flush toilet, you can recover the difference in savings from your reduced water consumption.
This is especially true if you currently have a toilet made before 1994. Older toilets from between 1982 and 1993 used 3.5 gallons of water per flush, and toilets made prior to 1982 used between five and seven gallons of water.
Clogs Less Often Than Traditional Toilets
Traditional toilets feature a narrower tramway, which can more easily clog from solid waste and toilet paper. Because dual flush toilets have a larger trapway and use gravity to remove the waste and water in the bowl, they are much less likely to clog and don’t require plumbing services to fix a clog as often.
Contact Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA, for Your Bathroom Remodeling Project
When planning your next bathroom remodeling project for your Pennsylvania home, consider upgrading to a dual-flush toilet. Call our experienced design team at Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA, at 484-872-8801, or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation with a designer in your home.