Dual Flush Toilet Kits Save Water and Money

Dual Flush toilets are becoming more and more common in new construction. These toilets can perform a full flush, or a flush with half of the amount of water. In most cases, a half-flush is all that is needed to keep the toilet bowl clean. A new dual flush toilet can be expensive and require professional installation, but if you are looking to save water you can install a dual flush retrofit kit on your existing toilet.

These dual flush kits are generally easy to install and fit most existing toilets. Even if you decide to have the kit professionally installed, it will be significantly less expensive than a new dual flush toilet. Dual flush kits allow you to select the amount of water for flushing – 0.8 gallon for a lighter flush and 1.6 gallons when you need more power. Of course, your savings will vary depending on how many people are using the toilet, and how often – basically, how many times is the toilet flushed?

Estimates of how many gallons are saved using a dual flush toilet kit vary widely – from 1,600 gallons per year to 40,000 gallons per year. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that toilets account for 30% of the water used in the home, and that switching an older toilet to a dual flush or other water efficient toilet can save a family of four an average of $2,000 on water bills over the life of the fixture. That’s not a bad return on a minimal investment of time and money.