Monday, November 7, 2011

5 Tips for Conserving Water with Your Toilet

1. Water Displacement
‘Displacement’ is a fancy word used to describe when a solid object takes up room in an area that would normally be occupied by water, like in a toilet tank.
When a toilet is flushed, it uses all the water that is stored in the tank, which is often far more than is needed to get the job done. The extra water used can be saved by not allowing it into the tank in the first place when the tank refills after a flush.

2. New Is Better
Not only do old toilets use more water per flush, they are also prone to leaks and other problems. Sometimes a simple fix or retrofit will take care of the trouble, but as with any fixture or appliance, there comes a time when a toilet needs to be replaced, and new high-efficiency toilets use much less water.


3. No Trash
Toilets are not trash receptacles. This is a no-frills fact, and saving water by not using the toilet as a garbage can is as simple as not doing it. The trick to breaking this habit is to not throw anything in there in the first place, because once something is in there, it’s just hard not to flush it down. It’s the natural flow of things, so to speak.

4. “Let It Mellow”
There are no words to describe the feeling one gets when he or she uses a private bathroom with this sign hanging in close proximity to the toilet: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down.”

While there may be more discreet ways to announce proper protocol for water-saving ways in a household bathroom, the message is still a good one, especially for big families. With older toilets using anywhere from 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush, this can add up to a lot of water doing very little work.

5. Runs and Leaks
A running toilet is usually not difficult to identify: the toilet makes a noise (a healthy toilet is completely silent) and water is rippling in the bowl. Most people fix this by jiggling the handle, which in turn disturbs the flapper and allows it to drop shut.

A leak is more subtle, but can still result in significant water waste. An east way to find a leak is to flush the toilet, then add a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. If that color shows up in the bowl after 15-30 minutes, it means the flapper valve needs replaced.

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