Dual Flush Toilets: Once, Twice, Thrice the Savings

Dual flush toilets are a wonderful way of easily reducing your water consumption in your home. Using the latest technology they can save you over seven liters per flush and also provide you with an attractive and effective toilet.

Nowadays, we must ensure we keep an eye on the quantity of water we use. Water used to be a commodity that was plentiful in supply, but now there are not only countries around the world with water shortages, but there are a number of States in this country which have a serious water shortage and have to impose restrictions particularly duting summer.

The toilet is a primary water-user in the home. If you have an old-fashioned toilet, you may be surprised to find out that for every flush you could be using more than thirteen liters of water. Multiply that by each use of the toilet each day and then you will understand just how much water your household uses. Then you can use your calculator to figure out how much water is being used by all the houses in your street and you'll begin to catch a glimpse of the amount of water being consumed by your local community, and throughout your State.

A simple solution to this was initially made in Australia, where lack of rain is common and water is often in short supply. The dual flush toilet is now not only used in Australia, but is common throughout Asia, Europe and much of the developed world. In a few of the countries, it's been made law that for homes newly built, dual flush toilets must be installed. The reason is because such toilets can save up to 67% in water consumption.

In the US, the technology is just starting to become widespread, though it is definitely available. There is very little reason not to use them other than their installation is better done by a professional plumber, as they are more complicated than a traditional toilet. Due to their marked development in other parts of the glove, you will discover that they utilize more advanced technology and thus use as tiny as three ltrs. per 1/2 flush and 6 ltrs. per whole flush. These come in a variety of aesthetic types, designed to suit any bathroom. And they are simple to utilize, you only have to press the 1/2 or 'whole' button and you will discover that they're a very cost-effective and water-saving regular toilet alternative.

You can complement this technology by choosing a fast re-filling mechanism, so that you are not only re-filling less water because you are using less with the dual flush technology, but the water will re-fill in virtually no time at all. This will especially help those with a large family or a lot of people living in your house.

However, if you do not want to replace your old, attractive toilet tank with a chain, that looks so good in your bathroom, probably located alongside your old-fashioned long bath, you could still save water by filling the tank with a plastic bottle or two so that not as much water can refill the tank. This way, even though you aren't using the advantage of new technology, you are significantly reducing your water consumption which will save you money and be good for the environment.

About the Author

Scott Rodgers is a plumber who has recently begun writing articles for both a plumbing and non-plumbing audience. To view more of plumbing articles, visit http://eLocalPlumbers.com

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Can you Get Aids From a Dirty Toilet Seat?

Myth #1: AIDS can be contratced from a dirty toilet seat in a public restroom.
Fact: You cannot get HIV virus, or other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), from a toilet seat. So, there is no need to rush home every two hours if you plan to go on a shopping spree!

Myth #2: If I swim in the same pool as someone who has AIDS, I risk contracting the disease too.
Fact: The worst thing that can happen to you after a swim at the public pool is probably getting rashes as a result of the not-so-clean pool water.

Myth #3: I can get HIV through kissing an infected person.
Fact: It's not likely that you will get HIV by kissing an infected person. BUT, the virus can be transmitted if you have an open cut or sore in your mouth (which you can get after brushing or flossing). Although the chance of contracting HIV through kissing is very slim in reality. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Myth #4: The HIV will spread to me if an AIDS patient happens to cough or sneeze in front of me.
Fact: The HIV virus is not airborne, meaning, it does not spread by coughs or sneezes. You can't simply "catch it" like a cold or flu.

Myth #5:I can be infected if an AIDS patient touches me.
Fact: You won't get HIV through everyday contact with infected people at school, work, home or anywhere! The virus cannot be passed on by ordinary physical contact such as touching and holding hands.

Myth #6:I can get AIDS from a mosquito bite.
Fact:When it comes to mosquito bites, you only have to worry about dengue fever. The AIDS virus does not live in mosquitoes, and it is not transmitted through a mosquito's salivary glands like other diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

Myth #7: I can get AIDS through a blood donation
Fact: It's true that if you receive blood from an infected person, you are very much at risk of contracting AIDS. But you won't get infected by giving blood. The needles used for blood donation are sterile and discarded immediately after one use.

Myth #8: Tattooing and body piercing will not lead to AIDS.
Fact: The risk of HIV transmission exists if instruments contaminated with blood are not sterilised or disinfected properly upon re-use. The good news, however, is that reputed tattooists and body-piercers in Singapore discard the needles after one use.

So, in conclusion... There are four fluids that can carry and transmit HIV: blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. HIV can be transmitted only through contact with these body fluids of an infected person. Stop worrying about the myths you hear. You won't contract HIV from clothes, phones, or toilet seats! Also, things like spoons, cups or other objects used by an infected person do not spread the virus. You should be pretty safe as long as you refrain from having sexual intercourse and sharing of needles or syringes with an infected person.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/can-you-get-aids-from-a-dirty-toilet-seat-150178.html

Repairing a Leaky Toilet Without a Plumber

A leaky toilet can lead to other major issues such as it can damage the flooring and sub flooring. More severe problems can also damage ceilings and framings below. Leaks can be caused at flush valve or fill valve. However, sometimes, it may also be caused due to hairline tank cracks at those locations.

These are very severe problems, and in these cases, you may need to replace the tank or possibly even the entire toilet. We have tried to explore a few possible reasons for the leaks, and the procedure to fix it. In order to find out the reasons for the leaks, first tighten all the connections.
Dry everything with a towel and then carefully examine the source of the leaks. Once you have determined the source, you can proceed and fix it using the following steps.

Loose Nuts under Tanks
Tools Required:
Flathead screwdriver
Adjustable wrench

Procedure
1. Using the flathead screwdriver, hold the bolt steady.
2. At the same time, tighten the nuts on the underside of the tank by using the adjustable wrench.
3. Check if the water still leaks. If no, that is great. If yes, follow the steps below.
4. Holding the bolt steady (as in step one) using the adjustable wrench, remove the nuts, and change the washer with a proper-size new washer for the bolt.

If Water is Leaking at the Fill Valve
Tools Required:
Wrench

Procedure
1. Turn off the water supply to the toilet.
2. Drain the tank by flushing it
3. Using a wrench, disconnect the supply-tube coupling nut.
4. Remove the mounting nut of the fill valve.
5. Lift out the fill valve
6. Clean its gasket and washer
7. Carefully examine if it is damaged or dried out. If so, you have no other option but to replace it.
8. Hold the valve vertical, and carefully position it in the center of the hole.
9. Tighten the mounting nut. Make sure not to over-tighten it, as it can crack the porcelain.
10. Reconnect the supply tube
11. Turn on the water supply to the toilet
12. If the problem persists, tighten the mounting nut a little more.

If Water is Leaking at the Flush Valve
Tools
Large standard screwdriver
Socket Wrench
Spud Wrench
Soapy sponge

Procedure
1. Follow the steps 1-3 as discussed above
2. Remove the mounting bolts of the tanks. For this, you can use a large standard screwdriver on the bolt, and a socket wrench on the nut.
3. Put the tank upside down.
4. Pull or twist off the rubber spud washer.
5. Unscrew the large locking nut from the flush valve using a spud wrench.
6. Put the tank aside. However, make sure that you place it on a bath mat or similar padding. This way, you can protect both the flooring and the tank.
7. Remove the flush valve.
8. Take out the beveled cone washer from the flush valve.
9. If they are in poor condition, replace them. If no, just use a soapy sponge and clean them.
10. Reinstall the tank, as discussed above. However, make sure that when you tighten the bolt, you have somebody to hold it level and plumb.
11. Remember, the beveled side of the cone washer must face the inside of the tank, while the beveled side of the spud washer must face the bowl.

Hence, follow the above simple steps and you can do it yourself. However, make sure that you have the necessary plumbing tools available to you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/repairing-a-leaky-toilet-without-a-plumber-78996.html

How to Choose Bathroom Toilet Holder Accessories

Installing toilet holders is not the issue; rather you want to decide which holder is suitable for your bathroom. On the market, you have a wide selection of products to choose from, which makes it more difficult than installing.

How to choose toilet holders?
Toilet holders include the Austin collections, which go well with selected towel bars, rings, robe hooks, vanity glass shelves and more. The Austin collections give you a hint of Southern and Western appeal. If you have a motif bath, the holders will look great in your bathroom. Dustin collections offer you the option of choosing the chrome polished, nickel satin, and so on. The toilet holders blend with modern bathrooms. If you go online, you will find a few selected items, which the manufacturers are offering 22% discount. The holders go well with towel bars/ rings and robe hooks of the same quality.

MUSA has created one of the latest holders, which include the dual roll holders, chrome polished and the satin nickel series. The holders were imported from classic designers in Italy. Holders created by MUSA goes well with modern designs. The bathroom accessories comprise rods made of brass. You have substantial diameter, i.e. around 16-mm, which enables you to add a soap dish. The dual soap dishes can be added as well. The holders also support shelves, and other holders, such as the tumblers. If you like crystal, you may enjoy adding a transparent crystal shelf. The shelves are 10-mm thick.

You can also add woods, such as the wedged textures. The accessories include the pure brass brush holders as well. Adding the water-clear crystals is nice, since it will enhance your bathroom by adding elegance and style.

How do I choose matching accessories?
Consider viewing the latest commode brush holders, or the corner shelves made of glass. You may also want to consider the vanity shelves, robe hooks, towel bars, tumblers, and a variety of soap dishes.

What are tumblers?
Tumblers are glass and toothbrush holders. You have a choice of woods and glass.

How do I choose toilet holders for antique environments?
Go to the antique selection. Recently, I viewed the latest bronze burn and brass, which is polished to the shine. You will find a variety to fit your old-fashion bathroom by visiting the Internet.

How do I choose antique bathroom necessities to match the holder?
If you visit the Internet, you will find antique holders, which below you will have a list of accessories to select from. Web owners often post coordinated designs to fit your needs. You have choices of vanity glass shelves, robe hooks, towel bars/rings and so on.

How do I choose items for a regal bathroom?
If you have a regal bathroom, you may enjoy the series designed by Aranjeuz. The holders are made of chrome, gold, nickel, etc, which all products are polished. German crafters engineer this particular group of items. Unlike many other holders, this particular group allows you to choose a wider selection of bathroom accessories to match. For instance, you can choose showerheads, Roman Bathtub Collections. You also have a wide array of Bathroom Faucets to choose from, as well as wall mounts.

How to install bath fixtures?
The fixtures would look good mounted to marble walls, tiled walls, drywall, granite walls, etc. How you install the holders is simple. You merely drill a hole to the desired location. Install your anchor lock, because if you just screw it in it will chip away. The anchor lock spreads out, swells and secures it self.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/how-to-choose-bathroom-toilet-holder-accessories-89208.html

How Do I Toilet Train My Autistic Child

Toilet training your autistic child can be very frustrating and can make you feel almost desperate at times.

There are many factors you need to consider when deciding on the right time to start toilet training with your autistic/ asperger child.

Concentrate on one behavior at a time; you will find it very difficult to attempt to alter two sets of behavior issue at a time.

Ideally, everyone working with your child should begin the toilet training at the same time….And will follow an agreed approach.

The first sign that a child might be ready to start toilet training is when they start to become aware of needing to go to the toilet.

You may notice some changes in their behavior patterns, appearing distracted or fidgeting when they are wet or have soiled themselves. Or maybe they have started to tell you when they need changing.

Once you have made the decision that it is the right time to begin toilet training or potty training your autistic child, you will need to begin getting all the necessary equipment and aids in place.

A lot of parents use social stories as an aid to toilet training; these short descriptive pieces of text will act as a pictorial guide for your child.

Autism social stories can be used for many situations-giving your child clear clues as to what is expected of them when potty training, or indeed in any situation. After careful observation of your child you can determine which situations they are finding difficult.

These would be good areas to introduce social stories.

Potty training an autistic child is never going to be easy, but it can be made easier….

To obtain autism social stories for potty training your autistic child, or social stories for going to the bathroom plus many more visit us today, www.autismsocialstories.com/hygiene

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If you Gotta Go, Use an Eco-toilet

Have you ever come across the inconvenient problem of needing to go to the bathroom out in the woods or during camping? Who hasn’t?? It’s a problem faced by all, even for those of you who don’t camp. But anyway, without getting into gross details, there is a solution available for those who don’t feel like going out into the woods and digging a hole in the ground. That solution my friends, is a portable, ecologically friendly toilet.

Environmentally friendly toilets, ecologically friendly toilets, or even eco-toilets for short, are innovative inventions that make doing your business easy, clean and friendly to the environment. As mentioned before these toilets are usually portable and are ideal for camping trips. Some companies even boast that you can use them for other outdoor activities where a bathroom wouldn’t be readily available, such as hunting or fishing, and that you can even use them in emergency situations or disaster preparedness.

The thing that separates eco-toilets from the regular household toilet other than the fact that it’s portable is that you use a biodegradable bag to dispense your, business in. Since the bags are designed to be biodegradable, they are in turn perfectly acceptable to use for composting. If you do decide to use these biodegradable bags for composting, you should definitely keep in mind that whatever waste you may have in these bags will take as many as 40 days to decompose fully to a humus state only if they are placed in a controlled composting environment. If you are a novice to composting, then I wouldn’t recommend that you try this until you’ve done more research and are confident enough in what you are doing.

Whether the toilet will be used during camping, outdoor activities or even during emergency situations, it’s always nice to know that there is an alternative to digging a hole in the ground and squatting to do your dirty work. This much more environmentally conscious alternative reduces water consumption, usually comes with biodegradable bags, is portable and easy to use, what more could you ask for? Sorry folks, toilet paper not included.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/if-you-gotta-go-use-an-ecotoilet-165534.html

The "toilet Stoppages" Of Life

Have you ever experienced a toilet in your home being stopped up? If anything else goes into the toilet, flushing it will simply overflow a lot of messy stuff all over and require extensive cleanup. A stopped up toilet is something that simply cannot be ignored however. It requires action to avoid creating a worse problem. You can't just keep on using a stopped up toilet and not taking the time to get it unblocked. If you ignore the problem, the stink soon becomes quite repulsive. One way or another, you must stop what you're doing and unstop the toilet. How is this a metaphor in life?

There are times in life when you're making great progress on your goals, gaining momentum, developing direction and suddenly find a major blockage. There's nothing you can do but deal with it. No amount of complaining, crying, protesting, whining or ignoring the blockage will change the fact. You must stop what you are doing and deal with it. You could try ignoring it. You could pretend it's not blocked and keep using it. You could even leave it for someone else to fix...and live with the stink. If you want to solve the problem and get right back to making progress, you will have to take the actions that get your life unblocked.

When you come to a serious blockage in your life, how can you resolve it as quickly as possible?

1.) Decide that you will "just handle it". Don't leave it for someone else. Don't ignore the problem. Don't get angry or depressed and make things worse by going on and on about the problem. Decide that you will do what it takes to resolve the blockage in your life as quickly as you are able.

2.) Sometimes, the blockage might require thought or planning to resolve. Take the time needed, but don't stall. Just dealing with problems is the best way not to lose momentum.

3.) If you don't have the tools or experience, you may need to consult an expert to find out what you need to do to unblock the stoppage. Most times, you wouldn't want to pay a plumber to do something that would take you a few minutes to do yourself. Getting advice from someone experienced in dealing with the same sorts of blockage problems will build your confidence in dealing with it yourself.

4.) Frequently, the best way to deal with these kinds of issues is immediate response. If you let a blockage stop you, inertia will likely set in and your stopping might become prolonged or permanent. What can you do immediately to resolve the issue? Do you know what to do or is some research required? Do you need to get guidance or advice in how to proceed? Go get it.

Are you ready, willing and able to get right up and take action? Make the time to do it and go ahead. Do you have unresolved fears or questions as to effective action to be taken? Get guidance from someone who has solved the same problem in their own life.

5.) Whatever you do, don't ignore the problem. It is likely that doing so will only lead to a nasty mess on the floor, or a big stinking unresolved problem to be dealt with later. Make sure that you handle the problem as quickly as possible. Every life has unexpected "toilet stoppages" in it. Don't let it be an excuse to stop making progress. Don't choose to ignore it and end up with a stinking mess or overflowing sewage. Just deal with it!

By: Suzi Elton

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Life Insurance To Protect Against Toilet Humour

When taking out life insurance, many people think of the obvious risks. Cancer, heart disease and accidents are the main concerns, although thankfully these won't happen to the majority of us.

But have you ever considered life insurance to cover dying of laughter? Have you ever considered the possibilities of dying on the toilet? It happens.

There are many deaths reputed to be attributable to laughter. As far back as 207 BC a Greek philosopher by the name of Chrysippus was apparently watching his drunken donkey trying to eat figs when he laughed himself to death.

More recently, a 50 year old bricklayer died after 25 continuous minutes of laughing while watching an episode of the Goodies on TV. His death was put down to heart failure, brought on by the excessive strains of laughing too much.

Dying of laughter itself is not possible. It is thought that it only possible if choking or heart failure occur at the same time. Thankfully, this is not very likely as, according to health experts, patients with heart disease will laugh less than anybody else.

This is due to the stress levels. Endothelial cells form a protective lining in our blood vessels and stress impairs the production of these cells. A weak endothelium can lead to hardened arteries, quite literally, hardening the heart.

It has been surmised that it is possible to suffocate during excessive laughter. During laughter, the epiglottis constricts the larynx. This restricts our ability to breath but the automatic breathing response will take over before it's too late.

Laughter has, in fact, been found to be a great medicine. So much so that laughter therapy is now a recognised practice. It reduces the stress hormones and our bodies natural produce killer cells to ward off all types of diseases and virus's.

In fact, laughter is a good all-over workout. Blood pressure is lowered, there is an increase in vascular blood flow and more oxygen reaches the blood stream. Diaphragm, abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles are given such a work out that laughing 100 times is the equivalent of 10 minutes on a rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike.

The dangers of a negative lifestyle are well documented. The emotions of a negative person can cause biochemical changes that affect our health adversely.

Surely, if laughter is this good for you there should be a clause in life insurance policies to reflect it? There is a section asking about regular exercise. If a gym membership lowers the premiums for life insurance then shouldn't a sunny disposition do the same? Is laughing at the cost of life insurance enough?

There's also the other hidden danger in life that is not mentioned on life insurance policies and that's the risk of dying on the toilet. It is widely believed, though not proven, that Elvis Presley died whilst on the toilet and he is not the only famous person to have this eulogy.

From slipping on a wet bathroom floor, pulling down a high mounted old-fashioned toilet system, pinching injuries from broken toilet seats to broken hips from slipping off a dodgy toilet seat, toilet injuries are common place but death?

It really is physically possible to die from going to the toilet. This is apparently due to a drop in blood pressure due to the parasympathetic nervous system during bowel movements. However, it is expected that there will already be a circulatory problem before the event.

So, when taking out that life insurance policy, check the small print and ensure you are covered for every day events such as going to the toilet and laughing.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/life-insurance-to-protect-against-toilet-humour-288525.html