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Because water is an increasingly scarce resource, the benefits of a dual flush toilet extend to both financial and environmental concerns. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 37 states now risk a chronic water shortage that could be converted to a water surplus simply by increased conservation and better water management policies. A conventional toilet is one of the biggest water consumers in any home. Toilets that use a lower volume of water per flush promote conservation, but sometimes produce unsatisfactory flushing action. Developed in Australia in the 1980s, the dual flush toilet first gained popularity in Japan and Europe. Now, they are increasingly common in both new construction and toilet retrofits in the U.S. A dual flush toilet provides two effective flushing options: high volume for solid waste and low volume for liquid waste. Some of the benefits of a dual flush toilet include:
Water Savings
Dual flush toilets are classified as high-efficiency toilets (HET) and comply with the National Energy Policy Act of 1994. While conventional toilets can use up to 5 gallons of water per flush, a HET model uses no more than 1.6 gallons. The low-volume flush option on a dual flush model use 1.1 gallons per flush or less. The EPA estimates that replacing every conventional toilet in the U.S. with a high-efficiency model would save 2 billion gallons of water every day.
Money Savings
Water represents a large part of household operating costs. Any measures that reduce water consumption also save money. As much as 4,000 gallons of water every year – and the charges on your utility bill to pay for it – could be saved by installing a dual flush toilet.
Lower Maintenance
Instead of the old-school water-siphoning method of flushing, dual flush models use gravity. When flushing is activated, a trap door in the toilet bowl opens and waste flushes away with a pre-selected volume of water. This produces a much more clog-free operation and reduces plunger use and plumbing service calls.
For more of the benefits of a dual flush toilet in the Chicago area, please contact us at Black Diamond Plumbing & Mechanical.
Written by Rick Sperando
Image provided by Shutter Stock.
