the water bill savings have definitely outpaced what I’ve spent on the odd flapper or fill valve
That lines up with what I've seen in a lot of projects—long-term, the savings tend to justify the switch. Some models do seem to have more finicky parts, especially the dual-flush types, but honestly, most issues are minor and easy to fix. I’ve noticed Toto and Kohler hold up pretty well in multi-unit buildings. Anyone else find certain brands need less tweaking over time?
Some models do seem to have more finicky parts, especially the dual-flush types, but honestly, most issues are minor and easy to fix.
That’s been my experience too, though I’ll admit I was pretty skeptical at first. The first time I swapped out a whole building’s worth of old tanks for low-flow models, I half-expected a maintenance nightmare. But honestly, after the initial round of “what’s this button do?” calls from tenants, it’s mostly just been the occasional flapper or seal—nothing major.
I’ve had decent luck with Kohler, but oddly enough, one batch of American Standard units gave me more headaches than I’d like. Fill valves that wouldn’t shut off, weird ghost flushes... you name it. Maybe just a bad run? Hard to say. Still, the water bills dropped enough that even with a few extra service calls, it penciled out.
If there’s one thing I’d flag, it’s that some of the ultra-low flow models can be a bit underpowered in older buildings with less-than-ideal plumbing. Sometimes you trade water savings for a few extra plunges. But overall, yeah—the numbers don’t lie.
