http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HomeGarden/green-your-throne/

Green your throne

(May 7, 2008) It’s not something we think about very often. But each time you flush you send 13 to 20 litres (3.5 to 5 gallons) down the drain and that adds up to 100 litres (12 gallons) everyday. Obviously it’s time to green the throne.

Replace the old
If your toilet is pre-1991, it uses 9 litres (2.38 gallons) of water. Models between 1991 and 2001 use 7.5 litres (1.98 gallons). Installing either a low-flow or dual flush toilet is going to save you money in the long run.

Dual-flush
Dual-flush technology originated in Australia, where water is scarce. Dual-flush toilets are fairly simple. There’s one button for liquids and another for solids. The number one button uses three litres (0.8 gallons) while the number two button uses 6 litres (1.6 gallons). Both Caroma and Kohler sell dual-flush models. Kohler’s Persuade model with Twin Touch technology is getting a lot of praise for its sleek design and high efficiency.

Low-flow
Low-flow toilets use only 6 litres (1.6 gallons). Low-flow toilets were introduced in response to the 1992 change in U.S. water usage laws and because they weren’t quite ready for the market they developed a bad reputation. Many of the original problems have since been solved and there are plenty of great low-flow toilets on the market. You just have to do your homework. Popular brands include Toto and American Standard.

Shop around
Picking a toilet can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of choose from. Toilet Guru John Koeller and his Canadian cohort, Bill Gauley have tested every low-flow toilet on the market. Their study, called Maximum Performance Testing of Popular Toilet Models (MaP) has become the industry bible. The Canadian Waste and Wastewater Association provides a free copy of MaP so you can compare brands and decide if a low-flow toilet is the way to go for your home. http://www.cwwa.ca/freepub_e.asp

Plumbing guru Terry Love also uses the MaP for his recommendations. His favourite remains the Toto Ultramax.

Greening the existing toilet
Maybe that new toilet is on the wish list until your budget isn’t so tight. But in the meantime you can still clean up your existing toilet’s act:

Replace worn parts:The actual toilet may last for several decades, but the parts usually wear much quicker. The flapper valve, also known as the flush valve ball or tank stopper) should be replaced every three to five years.

Fix the leaks: A dead give away for a leaky toilet is the telltale sound of running water but silent leaks are caused by out pars like a tank ball or overflow. A simplest way to test for leaks is to out a few drops of food colouring in your septic tank and wait. Coloured water in the toilet bowl means you have a leak. Another easy test is to mark the water level in the tank with a pencil and wait a few minutes. If the water level has dropped you have a leak.

Stop air leaks: If your toilet rocks or the hold-down bolts are rusted, you could have an air leak, leading to clogged pipes or extra flushing. The solution is to replace the toilet wax ring.

Save water
A water displacement kit can reduce water being used. UK based company Hippo the Watersaver is a durable plastic bag that opens up to rest under the float, trapping up to three litres (0.8 gallons). The Toilet Tank Bag holds the same amount only hooks onto the inside of your cistern. You can also try using a soda bottle filled with water.

Green your john to save money and water.

Liam McCann is a regular contributor to Green Living Online. He has been caught using the wrong button on his newly installed dual-flush toilet.




Tags: bathrooms, showers, toilets, water conservation. Browse our full tag cloud.