Years and years ago, many toilets used between 5 and 7 gallons of water with every flush. These toilets wasted thousands of gallons per household every year. In the early 1990s, water efficiency standards tightened in many states, and high-efficiency toilets became more popular. These toilets saved thousands of gallons yearly but had a bad reputation. Homeowners had some less-than-ideal experiences with these early versions of the high-efficiency toilet. Their complaint? One flush isn’t always enough to eliminate solid waste.
Today, high-efficiency toilets have changed a lot, but many homeowners continue to have questions about how well high-efficiency toilets work. If you’re one of these homeowners, here’s what you need to know about modern toilet efficiency.
Toilet Efficiency Keeps Improving
Standard toilets now use approximately 1.6 gallons of water every time the toilet flushes. However, some ultra-high-efficiency toilets use as little as 0.8 gallons every time the toilet is flushed. That’s not very much water when you consider that toilets of the 1950s used as much as 7 gallons!
What Is a MaP Score?
So, it’s good that toilets are using less water – but are they effective at getting rid of solid waste? It turns out the answer is yes! Flushing efficiency is better than you might expect, given how little water toilets need to do their job. Independent tests show that some ultra-high efficiency toilets can flush away 1.75 pounds of solid waste.
Maximum performance (MaP) testing can tell you how much solid waste each toilet can evacuate in grams. 350 to 600 grams for a 1.6-gallon toilet is considered pretty good, but some toilets can flush much more, using even less water. If you’re dedicated to buying a very efficient toilet for your home, pay attention to the MaP score.
Consider a Dual Flush Toilet
Liquid waste goes down easier than solid waste, so some toilets save water by offering two different flush options. These dual flush toilets may use as little as 0.8 gallons for a liquid waste flush, and 1.6 gallons for a solid waste flush. Dual flush toilets may cost a little more upfront but save money (and water) in the long run.
Need a New, Efficient Toilet? Call ToiletKing Today
ToiletKing sells high-quality toilet replacements. If you’re ready to buy a new toilet, consider a dual flush toilet to save water and lower your utility costs. We can walk you through the process of purchasing and scheduling the installation of your new toilet. Call today to get a quote and make an appointment for installation.