Finally replaced our ancient toilet with one of those newer, water-saving models. Honestly, I was a little skeptical at first—heard all the jokes about needing to flush twice, or things not, uh, going down as planned. But it’s been a few months now and I’m actually impressed. Water bill dropped a bit (not a fortune, but noticeable), and everything works just fine. Plus, I feel a tiny bit less guilty about the planet every time I flush, which is a nice bonus.
Anyone else made the switch and had a good experience? Or did you run into any weird issues? I’m curious if it’s just me or if these things have actually gotten better over the years.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
Honestly, I’m still on the fence. We swapped ours out last year, and yeah, the water bill dipped a bit, but not enough to really notice unless you’re watching every penny. The thing that bugs me is sometimes you do have to flush twice, especially if you’ve got kids who use way too much TP. Maybe it’s just our model, but I kinda miss the old “one and done” reliability. Not saying I regret it, but I’m not totally sold either...
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
I get where you’re coming from. Some of the early water-saving models really did have that double-flush issue, especially with kids in the mix. It’s a bit of a trade-off, right? You save some water, but sometimes you lose a bit of that old-school power. I’ve seen newer models that handle things better, but yeah, it’s not always a night-and-day difference on the bill. Still, every little bit helps, and over time it does add up... even if it’s not super dramatic month to month.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
Honestly, I was skeptical at first too. We swapped ours out a couple years ago—mainly because the old one was on its last legs anyway. The new one’s definitely better than those early “two-flush minimum” models, but yeah, sometimes you gotta hold the handle down for a sec. Still, our water bill did drop a bit, and with three teenagers in the house, every gallon counts. Not a miracle, but I’ll take it.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
Interesting to hear both of you had similar experiences. I’ve been looking at these for a few rental properties, but I keep wondering if the savings really add up over time, especially in multi-unit buildings. The handle-holding thing you mentioned is exactly what I was worried about—does that kind of defeat the purpose if people end up flushing longer or more than once? I guess it’s still less water than the old-school tanks, but I wonder how much.
One thing I noticed in a building I worked on last year: some tenants complained about “skid marks” (sorry, gross, but real talk), and a couple units had issues with the bowl not clearing fully unless they used a brush every day. Not sure if that’s just certain brands or models, or maybe installation makes a difference? I haven’t seen that in my own place, but it made me pause before swapping out all the toilets at once.
On the flip side, the water bills for those units did go down—nothing dramatic, but enough that it was noticeable over a year. It’s hard to say whether the environmental benefit outweighs the minor annoyances. I guess it comes down to whether you’re okay with a few trade-offs for lower usage.
Curious if anyone’s tried those dual-flush setups—the ones where you pick half or full flush. Are they any better, or just another gimmick? I’ve seen mixed reviews online, but never actually used one myself.
