Thursday 23 December 2010

Dual Flush Toilets and Kits - Advantages and Disadvantages

Dual flush toilets are becoming more and more popular throughout the world. With a growing awareness and the need to conserve water, as well and more significant droughts throughout the world, people are turning to ways they can conserve water in their own homes. These toilets are used widely throughout the rest of the world, but slowly becoming a popular choice among residents of the United States and Canada.

If you are considering purchasing these water efficient and "green" toilets, you will want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these water efficient toilets. These environmentally friendly units offer two flush volumes: one volume for fluids and the other for solids.

Is it worth abandoning the standard flush system and going for a full replacement or a dual flush toilet conversion kit? Below are some advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages

Save Water

There is no doubt that a these water efficient toilets are very highly efficient and are in compliance of the National Energy Policy Act of 1994. These dual flushing toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to older standard toilets that use more than 3.5 gallons per flush. As mentioned, these dual flushing toilets and kits feature two flush volumes on every model. The lower volume or the liquid flush, uses less than 1.1 gallons per flush. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we can save up to 4,000 gallons of water every year by converting our toilets to the dual flush system.

Saves Money

Water bills can decrease by hundreds of dollars. Along with that, in different provinces in Canada and states in the U.S., rebates are given to consumers who purchase HET a dual flushing toilet with a WaterSense label. The EPA provides an extensive list of toilets from well-known toilet manufacturers. These include, Caroma, American Standard, Kohler and Toto. The WaterSense label indicates that a dual flush toilet is not only "green" but also of a high quality.

The best savings is through a dual flush conversion kit. For about $30 and a couple of hours in an afternoon, you can convert your own regular toilet into a water efficient dual flush toilet. Prices of a brand new water efficient toilet can start around $250 U.S. for economy models and can go up for luxury models.

Clog Less

Most dual flush toilets are made to use gravity to remove waste through a large trapway, rather than old-fashioned pressure siphoning. The trapway is large enough to reduce incidence of clogging.

Disadvantages:

May Be Hard to Install

Some models of these toilets may be difficult for the do it yourselfer and may require professional installation. According to reviews at Amazon.com, and eFaucets, the ease of installation will vary by the model and the experience of the person installing the dual flush toilet. These toilet conversion kits like the one2flush conversion kit will cost around $30 and a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. Any do it yourselfer can have a dual flush toilet at a fraction of the cost using a kit like the one2flush conversion kit.

Can Be Expensive

Many dual flush toilet models can start at around $250 and go up from there. That is why a conversion kit may be the best choice for most home owners. You can easily convert your own toilet into a dual flush toilet with these conversion kits.

What To Do With Your Old Toilet?

Of course with every new toilet purchased, you need to get rid of the old one. If you are environmentally conscious then you know that your old toilet will increase waste in the land fields. With an increase in technology, scientists and environmentalists are looking for ways to recycle old toilets. To save money and the land fields, using a conversion kit is a smart solution.

Conclusion:

These bathroom fixtures and conversion kits will save money, reduce waste and are eco-friendly. If a full toilet replacement is not an option, a dual flush retrofit may be the best option when striving to make the bathroom plumbing more water efficient.

To save hundreds of dollars on a new toilet, check out these reviews and to get more information about the one2flush dual flushing conversion kit at dual flush toilets

Tag : toilet,toilet training,toilet paper,toilet repair,flush toilet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aleta_Grahm

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Toilet For Small Spaces

Toilets come in a variety of styles and models. Some of which are one-piece models and others two-piece units. There is even the composting model for the eco-friendly touch. Models of toilets tend to be categorized, however, by the design of the flush, most of which tend to be reverse trap flush cisterns. A more expensive design is the siphon jet which also has the advantage of being more efficient. There is also the half-flush system which seems to be more popular in some countries than in others. The cistern isn't the end of the story, of course. When choosing a toilet you can decide between a wall-hung design or a low level cistern toilet; one of the traditional high-level cistern toilets; a low-level cistern toilet that has its back attached to the wall; closed coupled cistern toilet; an increasingly popular option is the composting toilet; and then, of course, you can always take a visit to Japan to view their fabulous Toto toilet which can only be purchased in Japan at present.

The Traditional Toilet

The traditional toilet often tends to take up too much wall space. Not just with the toilet bowl and cistern, but with water inlets being on the side of the cistern while the overflow may also be on the side. Of the various different models, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps one of the better choices for a toilet for small spaces would be the wall hung toilet which can be set at varying heights and due to its absence of appendages, can create a remarkable feeling of space in a room that is smaller than average.

Corner Cistern Unit

In a confined space, there is nothing to stop you fitting a corner toilet. These toilets are not as unusual as they sound - and it's the cistern that fits into the corner, rather than the toilet bowl. Ideal Standard is one of the companies that produce a corner toilet for small spaces: the model is one of the Space ranges which, although only available in white, conform to Ideal Standard E7172, E7091, and E7204. It is only sold as a complete set, comprising bowl, corner cistern and toilet seat. The actual height of the toilet bowl is 395mm and, because the cistern is recessed into an available corner, this model makes the ideal design for a toilet for small spaces.

Innovative Designs

While solving the problem of providing a toilet for small spaces calls for innovative thinking, I think the Toto is probably a little too innovative - apart from taking up a bit too much space either side of the toilet bowl with its 'all-singing-all-dancing' routines of taking your blood pressure and analyzing your urine then relaying the resultant information on to your doctor! However, manufacturers of toilet porcelain do, in fact, make smaller toilets - some far too petite to be a great deal of use. For a toilet for small spaces you need to be looking for plumbing that enters the cistern from below instead of the side, with the cistern being no wider than 16 inches. However, when you do need a toilet for small spaces, you might consider a round front bowl, rather than one of the elongated ones. The round toilet bowls are shorter in length by a full 2 inches, making this choice a particularly useful toilet for small spaces - just perfect for when space is at a premium.

Monday 6 December 2010

Kimberly-Clark to Sell Moistened Toilet Paper

Since 1890, the basic idea behind toilet paper has remained pretty much the same.

Competing brands have long slugged it out over which roll is softest, or which roll lasts the longest. But they have never competed over wetness.

But yesterday, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced its intention to retrain the nation to use wet toilet paper.

Kimberly-Clark introduced a new form of wet wipes for adults, Cottonelle Fresh Rollwipes, which hang from a dispenser above a family's dry toilet paper.

Last year, Americans bought $799 million in moist towelettes, a 5.3 percent increase from the year before, and Kimberly-Clark took the largest market share, 41 percent, according to Information Resources Inc.

But the leading moist towelette brands are all baby wipes, and Kimberly-Clark is betting that adults are ready to use them, too. Peggy Nabbefeldt, the marketing director for Cottonelle, said that one out of four Americans already used a moist tissue after they use the toilet.

Kimberly-Clark spent $100 million to develop the new product and will spend an additional $40 million to market it, running ads and installing Rollwipes in health clubs and spas. Rollwipes, which will sell for $8.99 for a dispenser and four rolls, will reach store shelves in the Eastern states by next summer. A set of four replacement rolls will cost $3.99.

''You would not think of this as a category that they could do innovation, and here they are,'' said Amanda Tepper, an analyst for J. P. Morgan Chase. ''They are swinging for a big one here.''

Ms. Tepper said she thought Rollwipes were a good investment for the company. Shares of Kimberley-Clark rose 71 cents yesterday, to $66.22. Still, the costs of rolling out the product will hurt earnings this year, and Ms. Tepper lowered her estimate yesterday by 5 cents, to $3.63 a share.

Kimberly-Clark contends Rollwipes are the first wet, flushable toilet paper on a roll. But DeWitt Paul, president of Cotton Buds, a company in California, said his company's Moist Mates reached shelves four months ago and do everything Rollwipes promise.

Linda Bartelt, the president of the wet wipes division of Kimberly-Clark, contends that the Moist Mates dispenser does not work very well. Mr. Paul, of course, disagrees.

''Once you start using it you wonder how you ever got by without it,'' he said.

Tag : toilet,toilet paper,toilet repair,toilet seats

http://www.nytimes.com/

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Composting Toilets For Families With Children

As our nation faces water shortages and water crises in heavily populated areas like California, composting toilets continue to gain popularity as a water-saving alternative to traditional toilets. Their growing usage, however, leads many families and homeowners to wonder, are they a good solution for my home? Particularly for families with children, there are some special considerations to take into account.

The needs of families with children will vary, depending on the ages of the kids in the home. If you have young children, for example, potty training may be a consideration. First, you'll want to evaluate the seat height of the toilet. Many composting toilets, specifically self-contained units, feature very tall seat heights. Some even have built-in stools or footrests, making it easier for an adult to step up to the seat. For a child, this would obviously create a problem in getting to the toilet on their own.

Young children are notorious for wanting to flush various objects down the toilet-any parent who's ever fished a watch or rubber ducky or other item out of their toilet bowl is well aware of this. With a composting toilet, reaching the lost object may not be so simple. One of the biggest pros to modern composting toilets is that they're designed in such a way that the homeowner does not have to come into contact with the waste until it is fully composted. However, if you think your child has dropped something down into the toilet, you may find yourself donning some gloves and sifting through waste to get at the lost item. Thus, it's important that parents of young children take the time to impress upon their kids the importance of not putting any foreign objects in the toilet. Another easy alternative is to install a child-proof toilet seat and lid, so that children cannot lift up the lid without your assistance.

If you have older adolescents to young teens in your home, you may also need to discuss the importance of not putting things like wet wipes, tampons, or sanitary pads into the toilet. The only things that should go in a composting toilet are waste and toilet paper. Everything else belongs in the garbage can.

The amount of toilet paper used may also be another conversation to have with kids, though this isn't a topic just for homes with composting toilets. Many parents have had to use a plunger to unclog a traditional toilet when a child has used half the roll of toilet paper and tried to flush. With a compost toilet, the issue isn't that it won't flush, but rather that using too much paper will affect the capacity of the unit itself. Capacities of composting toilets are typically based on the number of people using the fixture each day. If someone is adding a huge amount of toilet paper, this will of course have an impact.

Last but not least, homeowners with composting toilet systems should take the time to explain to their kids about the regular maintenance of the unit. Usually this involves adding some bulking material, such as a peat moss/wood chip mixture, each day and turning a crank on the outside of the toilet, which in turn rotates the inner drum. Once children are old enough, get them involved in these daily activities. The more they know about the system, the less likely they are to do something that might potentially harm it.

Composting toilets are a wonderful alternative to traditional toilets, and they can be used virtually anywhere. For families with children, they are still a very viable alternative to traditional toilets, provided that parents explain to and educate their kids about the toilet. Plus, by introducing your kids to an eco friendly fixture like a composting toilet while they are young, you'll be making a positive impact on their lifelong tendency toward a green lifestyle.

Tag : toilet,toilet repair,toilet paper,toilet water