Save Money and Water With a Dual Flush Toilet Kit

In South Florida every drop of water counts. Water restrictions place limits on how much and when homeowners can irrigate their gardens. People are expected to go to car washes instead of washing their vehicles in their driveways. Conscientious folks take quick showers, flush only when necessary, and don't let the water run when they brush their teeth. That's why dual flush toilet kits are so popular in the sunshine state.

Dual flush toilets save water by using a half flush for liquid waste and a full flush for solid waste, saving overall toilet water usage by 50 percent. All you do is pull the handle down for a half flush and up for a full flush. And, these flapper-less toilets don't leak, as do 12 percent of toilets with flappers-adding to the savings.

While dual flush toilets save water and money in the long run, they are expensive to buy, especially if you already have a perfectly good old-fashioned toilet. Dual flush conversion kits remedy this problem. With a toilet conversion kit homeowners can easily convert their old toilets into "smarter flushes."

The retrofit fits into the tank of any two-piece toilet, converting it into an efficient dual flush toilet in less than 30 minutes. The full conversion kit includes a dual flush valve, a water fill valve, and stainless steel nuts and bolts. With the complete instructions that come with every kit you don't even need a plumber to revolutionize your toilet system. But if you prefer to hire a professional to do the job, you won't have to pay for much of the plumber's time because the retrofit is so easy to do.

In addition to saving money on water, conversion toilets save money on maintenance. By using the conversion kit you replace all working parts in the toilet with new state-of-the-art parts and materials that are resistant to rot, decay, bleach, disinfectants, and corrosion. And there are more advantages: by reducing water usage you reduce wastewater and sewage or septic tank overload.

Converting your existing appliance rather than buying a new toilet means your upgraded toilet has the same color as your old one-no worries about matching the color of the toilet to the sink and tub. And because you are not replacing the bowl the converted toilet has the same footprint as the old one, which means you don't have to be concerned with exposed flooring. If that's not enough to convince you of the benefits of using a dual flush conversion kit, consider this environmental benefit: you won't be adding another old toilet to the landfill.

Exactly how much water and money each household will save by changing to a dual flush toilet depends on local water rates and household water usage. With water prices expected to rise 27 percent over the next five years, your investment will pay for itself in no time. Plus, you'll be doing your part to keep drought from drying up our water supplies.

Water Conservation Information - Part 2

If you prefer not to switch to a newer toilet right away, a low-tech way to save water in the bathroom is to fill a small milk jug with water and place it in your toilet's tank. This will greatly reduce water use per flush. Low-flush toilets are a better option and will save you even more water though, so you should think about switching eventually.

The next thing you can do to save both water and energy is to switch to a low flow shower head. A low flow showerhead can cut your water use in the shower by more than 30 percent.

Some lo flow showerheads are designed simply to reduce the amount of water coming out. This unfortunately means you get a rather low pressure shower. Thankfully, the technology used for many modern lo flow showerheads gives you a good shower without sacrificing pressure. See an example of a high pressure shower head here. These showerheads use something called the Venturi Principle to improve water pressure. They also add oxygen to the water, which leaves your skin cleaner and healthier. You can read more about modern lo flow showerhead technology here.

A typical heads uses roughly between 5 to 8 gallons of water per minute. Most low flow heads can reduce this amount to around 2.5 gallons per minute. (Source: Michigan State Government Water Conservation Website). Some low flow shower heads, like a water saving shower head, can reduce the rate of water flow to 2 gallons per minute or less.

A low flow shower head helps you save you money in two ways because it reduces both the amount of water you use while bathing, and the amount of energy used to heat the water. Considering that a showerhead of this kind costs between $35.00 and $60.00, a low flow nozzle pays for itself again and again. Manufacturers of one brand of loflow showerheads claim that the average family can save up the $600 a year by switching to their showerheads.