Before you consider purchasing a low-flow toilet, it can help to know exactly what a low-flow toilet is. With environmental concerns abounding and detrimental droughts sweeping wide regions around the world, low-flow toilets have become important and essential tools to fight water waste.
By law, a low-flow toilet can only hold up to 1.6 gallons of water in its reserve tank. Most toilets carry between 3 and 5 gallons, which can really add up. In fact, with a non low-flow toilet, an average household could waste between 20 to 40 gallons of water every single day, which is a travesty considering how critical it is to cut back. Indeed, when you venture out to purchase an environmentally friendly toilet, you want to consider a number of important elements. Here are five factors to consider when purchasing a low-flow toilet.
- Efficiency
One of the most important factors you want to consider is efficiency. Indeed, even low-flow toilets have different efficiency ratings. For instance, a high-efficiency low-flow toilet may only carry up to 1.3 gallons in the reserve opposed to 1.6. This is perfect for single use owners. However, if you have a family, you may want to go for 1.6. Both efficiency levels will help you fight water waste.
- Performance
Just like cars, different toilets – especially low-flow toilets – have varying performance levels. Just the same, you could be paying quite a bit for a high performance toilet – one with built-in gadgetry and the like. However, if you want to go for something a lot more run of the mill, you could save a lot of money. Low-flow doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be spending more on a toilet – it just means you are saving more. When it comes to performance, though, you may want something with a few more bells and whistles.
- Cost
Price is a big consideration, because without bells and whistles, some toilets may cost more accordingly to their make, model and the materials used. These days, a lot of toilets are not made out of porcelain – they are made out of composite. This can be affordable, but you may wind up replacing your toilet sooner rather than later. If you want something with a little more quality, you may want to find a low-flow toilet made out of real porcelain.
- Brand
Another factor that could drive up the costs is the brand. There are some higher-end brands out there that will charge more just for the logo and name recognition. However, it may not be all about the logo. It may also be about the mechanics and materials. Some toilets are made with better inner piping, so you could pay a premium for this upgrade. Before you purchase a low-flow toilet, you may want to consider this factor. For instance, Saniflo Systems is known for making affordable, efficient and reliable toilets.
- Intuitiveness
On top of everything, you want to consider the intuitiveness of a toilet’s functions. If a toilet is difficult to use, maybe you don’t want to invest your money in it. In the end, a toilet’s function is to flush waste, but if there are too many gadgets and computerized gizmos, maybe simple is the best way to go.