They have posted a notice up in my apartment that next month they are going to replace all of the toilets, shower heads etc. in the building to "low flow" efficient models. First off, that really surprised me but it must be cost efficient to do that in the long run. Second, I am not looking forward to having to flush at least twice all the time. That's my experience at work.
After doing a quick search, it looks like old toilets used about 3.5 G vs the new ones that use 1.6 G (or less). At work they are 1 G (4 point something L) per flush. If on average you have to flush twice, then they are still saving water. *sigh*
I just wish that there were able to design and build toilets that flushed right the first time. I keep on imagining the engineering team and how they all this fake poop at their disposal and adding it to their "test toilets" in pipping bags like you ice a cake with. I wonder if they have a computer simulations too? Maybe this is like the early automotive industry and soon we will have better toilets like the ones in japan. Who knows. One thing that I do know is that this isn't a new issue and people who really care like Dave Barry have been "lifting the lid" on this issue for a while now.
I'll post again when the new fixtures have been installed and after some "field testing" to see if they suck, or more importantly flush.
Maybe your work just has cheap low-flows. I know people who've used/who have good quality low-flows that work like a charm.
ReplyDeleteMy apartment toilet literally does suck. It's one of those elongated industrial-grade ones (CRANE) I used to only see in high tech companies (Corel, Rational) for some reason. It's high powered! I'm actually afraid to flush while sitting on it -- and it never misses anything. It says it uses "less than 6L (1.6G) per flush."
ReplyDeleteYeah, saving water does make sense for apartment buildings since it's usually management paying for it and not the tenants. Maybe you'll get a super flushing CRANE too!
Ya, it wouldn't surprise me if my work bought crappy (haha) toilets. I don't think that for those purchases they have try before you buy policy.
ReplyDeleteI hope that we get one of those CRANE ones... that sounds cool. I wonder how they get it to be so powerful... a really high storage tank to get the pressure up?
I took the top of the back of the tank off and the water is in a seperate plastic container inside the toilet's ceramic enclosure. It's possible it's water pressure, but it's not plugged in or anything. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe toilet in my apartment in Stockholm that had this dual flush function (basically 2 flush buttons). If you did #1 you would use about 1/2 the volume of what you would use for #2. I could be more graphic in this comment but I want to keep the internet as chaste as possible.
ReplyDeleteThere are other design aspects of bathroom ammenities in Europe that I fail to understand (higher toilets seats for one, must be a gravity thing).
I heard something about this a while back. It seems that there exists some toilets which have 2 different flushing methods. #1 for well, #1, and #2 for well, #2. This would probably save a lot of water, because most of the time you only need a little water, while still providing the flushing power when you actually need it.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing brings to mind that King Of The Hill episode where Arlen mandates low flow toilets. Some people have to flush like 7 times. This is a bit extremely, although if you really look at it, it makes sense. 1 flush with 7 litres is probably going to work better than 7 flushes with 1 litre in most cases.
I really should learn to read all the other comments before I post.
ReplyDeleteThat was the funnest thing I read all day! :-D
ReplyDeleteLow Flow...Please see Seinfeld for further info.
ReplyDelete