As governmental standards about toilets and water usage have changed and people have become more aware of environmental conservation, the dual flush toilet has entered the home bathroom fixture marketplace. Dual flush toilets are the latest innovation in bathroom fixtures in the United States, although they have been available in the rest of the world for many, many years.

Water Efficiency

Governmental standards for water use in toilets mandates that all new toilets be low water usage toilets and use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush. However, what this initially resulted in was toilets that used lower amounts of water but did not flush very well.

Dual flush toilets solve this problem. The difference with dual flush toilets is that they offer two different amounts of water per flush based on the user’s choice. Larger amounts of water are used, but do not exceed government standards, for waste products that need more aggressive flushing abilities. Typically, a “light” flush uses only .9 gallons of water, and a “heavy” flush uses the maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

Having the choice between a “light” and a “heavy” flush allows users to save considerable amounts of water and to also to ultimately save money in using less water too.

Dual Flush Toilet History

Dual flush toilets have been in use in Australia, Asia and Europe for many, many years. In Australia in particular, water usage and conservation have been a high governmental priority for more than twenty years and the government even invested in companies to perfect the development of the dual flush toilet to maximize water conservation with flushing ability.

It is estimated that approximately 65 percent of Australian homes now have dual flush toilets and they have been used extensively now in Canada, Asia and Europe. The primary reason for dual flush toilets becoming popular around the world is because more and more countries have been experiencing water consumption issues or have become concerned about water conservation in an effort to become more eco-friendly. Now, in the United States, we are beginning to join in these concerns and dual flush toilets are now readily available and easily installed in American households.

Installing a Dual Flush Toilet

While installing a toilet is a fairly simple procedure, installing a dual flush toilet is a bit more involved. Before you run out and buy a dual flush toilet and plunk it down in your bathroom, make sure that you read the instructions thoroughly and investigate any local regulations about installing this kind of toilet. You might also consider hiring a contractor to install your specialized low flow flushing toilet, but if you decide to do it yourself, here are a few pointers:

• The standard rough-in measurement for a toilet is 12", but that can vary, so measure the distance from the wall behind the toilet to the center of the bolts affixing your toilet to the floor. Check the diameter and shape of the base of your toilet to make sure the replacement will cover the footprint your old toilet occupies. You'll need this information to select a replacement toilet.
• Turn off the water supply to the toilet.
• Remove water from the toilet by flushing it repeatedly.
• Put plastic down along any carpeted hallways or rooms between you and the trash to help you remove the old toilet.
• Disconnect the toilet's supply hose.
• Disconnect the tank from the bowl by unscrewing the two bolts on either side of the toilet.
• Unscrew the two bolts that attach the old toilet to the floor.
• Remove the old toilet.
• Place a rag in the floor drain temporarily to trap any gas that might escape from the drainpipe. Clean away any old wax.
• Install the wax seal or gasket of the new toilet according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Install the offset collar/adapter of the new toilet to the closet flange.
• Put the toilet in place. Install any needed bolts.
• Install the rubber gasket on the outlet of the new water tank, and insert the screws and rubber washers. Attach the tank to the bowl
• Connect the supply hose.
• Apply silicon seal around the base of the toilet.
• Reconnect the water line.
• Install the toilet seat.

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