There’s a surprising amount to think about when it comes to your toilet and, as technology advances, there’s more than ever. While we could go on for pages and pages about the futuristic, sci-fi-esque things on the market, today we’re going to keep it simple and talk about the basic mechanism behind your flush. There are two competing varieties of flush mechanisms on the market, so upgrading is now a matter of comparing a single vs dual flush toilet. We all know the standard single flush but what are dual flush toilets and are they worth the extra up front cost?
What Is A Single Flush Toilet?
A single flush toilet is a simple mechanism and, chances are, you know it well. You pull the handle (or chain, button or whatever), the flapper valve is raised and the cistern empties down the bowl, flushing away whatever you left there. They always use the same amount of water and are generally pretty easy to fix if they go wrong. They’re found in homes, businesses and public restrooms the world over.
Advantages of Single Flush Toilets
Single flush toilets are still the most common found around the US for a number of reasons:
- Simplicity: Pull the lever and away it goes. There’s not much to get confused about making an unpleasant task as easy as possible.
- Commonly Available: They’re pretty much everywhere. This makes them the comfortable choice we’re most used to. It also means that replacement parts are easy to find because there are so many out there.
- Lower Upfront Costs: Single flush mechanisms are simple and that means they’re cheap.
- More Powerful Flush: When comparing a single vs dual flush toilet, single is generally a lot more powerful. This means less chance of anything unpleasant getting left behind in the bowl.
Disadvantages of Single Flush Toilets
Of course, if it was all roses, there’d be no need for a blog comparing a single vs dual flush toilet, so let’s cover the downsides too:
- Water Wastage: You don’t always need to empty the whole cistern to get the job done. Liquid waste doesn’t need nearly as much water to flush away, so using the whole tank is a significant waste. This leads us neatly on to our next point:
- Higher Water Bills: single flush toilets are a lot less efficient than their dual flush rivals. This means that every time you pull the chain, you’re literally flushing money down the toilet.
- Compliance: Many areas have water conservation regulations and older single flush toilets might not comply.
Understanding Dual Flush Toilets
Dual flush toilets, on the other hand, are a bit more complex. Rather than simply emptying the full 1.6 gallon tank down the drain each time, these models have two modes (hence the name). The flushing mechanism tends to be a button, split into two parts. Push one and the tank empties like a single flush, the other part only allows a portion out. This offers users the ability to avoid water waste while dealing with liquid waste and still have a powerful method of dealing with solids.
Advantages of Dual Flush Toilets
Dual flush are slowly becoming a much more common sight out in the wild for a number of reasons:
- Water Efficiency: The chance to waste less water is good for both the environment and your wallet. Liquid waste simply doesn’t need a full cistern of water when it comes time to flush.
- Cost Savings: Over time, you’ll notice a significant reduction in your water bill, thanks to using a much smaller amount per-flush.
- Environmentally Friendly: Dual flush toilets will meet or beat EPA WaterSense standards. As water treatment can be a fairly energy intensive business, the less we all use the better.
- Modern Designs: more modern toilets have advanced flushing technology, removing more waste with less water.
Disadvantages of Dual Flush Toilets
Naturally enough, dual flush toilets come with their own set of drawbacks:
- Higher Upfront Costs: There’s no getting around it; dual flush toilets cost more upfront. The mechanism is more complex, and that comes with a cost.
- Learning Curve: You’ve been using the toilet the same way your whole life, so changes can take some getting used to. Simply having two options means that at least some of the time, you’re likely to push the wrong one, cutting down on how effective your dual flush is at conserving water.
- Potential for Clogging: Many dual flush toilets have smaller cisterns, meaning they won’t be as powerful. This can lead to clogs forming more easily than in single flush systems as waste isn’t removed as forcefully.
- Flush buttons wear out faster: There are still working single flush toilets from the 1800s out there. The same can’t be said for dual flush systems and not just because they’re newer. The general rule is the more complex the part, the quicker it wears out.
Comparing Single Vs Dual Flush Toilets: Which is Right for You?
Both dual and single flush toilets have a lot going for them, so picking between them requires a little thought. Let’s break it down in a direct head to head on the main issues:
Water Consumption
An average single flush toilet cistern holds about 1.6 gallons of water. Every time the flush is activated, all that water goes down the drain, whether it was all needed or not.
Dual flush models use around 0.8-1.1 gallons for a smaller flush and 1.28-1.6 for a larger one. This means that they offer significant savings over their lifetimes, both financially and environmentally.
Cost and Installation
In terms of installation complexity, there’s not much to compare between a single vs dual flush toilet. While dual flush systems have more complex inner workings, they’re generally contained in an easy to install unit.
Cost-wise, single flush units are cheaper to buy but will cost more over the course of their lifetime through water usage. Dual flush toilets however will cost more upfront but offer long-term savings. Which makes most sense here will depend on your own situation.
Maintenance and Repairs
Single flush toilets are simple mechanisms with very few moving parts. This makes repairing them generally pretty straightforward and cheap when something does go wrong.
On the other hand, dual flush toilets are a bit more complex, meaning that breakdowns happen more often. It’s often more economical to replace the whole dual flush kit rather than an individual part, even if a compatible part can be found.
Environmental Impact
As we covered in the water consumption section above, dual flush toilets simply use less water. This vastly reduces a home’s environmental impact over the lifetime of the toilet. On top of this, dual flush models might qualify for water conservation rebates in some areas, further incentivizing their installation.
Suitability for Different Households
Ultimately, the real choice in the single vs dual flush toilet debate comes down to how suited to your household’s particular needs they are. This depends on various factors:
Single Flush Toilets are Best for:
- If your home prioritizes simplicity and ease of use
- If you place a premium on ease of repair
- Have older family members or regular guests who may not be familiar with dual flush toilets
- If water conservation isn’t a particular concern in your region
Dual Flush Toilets are Best for:
- If you’re trying to save water to reduce environmental impact or on-going bills
- If you prioritize efficiency and modern technology
Final Verdict: Which Toilet Should You Choose?
Ultimately, there’s no ‘right’ answer when it comes to picking a toilet flushing mechanism. They all do basically the same thing after all. Which makes most sense for you will depend on where your priorities lie.
Dual flush kits are great for those who want to save water, cut long-term costs and value modern solutions. They’re more expensive to buy but, if used properly, will save money in the long-term. Thanks to being that little bit more complex, there is bound to still be the occasional wastage and the inevitable repairs can be relatively pricey.
Single Flush toilets are the right choice if you place more value on initial costs, reliability or ease of use. In comparison to dual flush toilets, single flush models are simple things, making repairs cheap and easy, but they will lead to higher water bills and wastage.
Other factors to consider include things like local rebates for water conservation, utilities costs and personal usage habits. Larger families could see significant savings from a dual flush system, but equally are more likely to face regular clogs.
Weighing out which aspects of your toilet matter most to you should mean you make the right choice, whatever you decide.