1.6 Gallon, Low-consumption Toilets

continued ...

Here are some ideas for improving the flush of any toilet..

First carefully remove the tank cover (put it flat on the floor on a towel out of the way so it won't get knocked over and cracked) and just observe what goes on when you flush the toilet. Is the water level as high as it could be? Is the flush valve staying open long enough to empty almost all the water out of the tank? Make sure the trip lever does not hit the underside of the lid when you turn the handle. If so, the flapper or tank ball will close prematurely.

Don't let the water go to the very top of the overflow, but you could adjust the refill valve to raise the water level to 1/4 inch below the top--make sure it stays below the top. There are two things that limit the water level in the tank: the height of overflow pipe and the hole in the tank wall where the handle enters the tank.

~~ IMPORTANT NOTE ~~

When either replacing the flush valve entirely or raising its height make certain that the top of the overflow pipe NEVER is higher than the bottom of the hole for the handle. If a refill valve malfunctions and turns the water on, water will flow indefinitely through the hole for the handle when the overflow pipe is too high.

Does the flush valve stay open or does it closing before all the water in the tank leaves? Some flush valves have devices on them that can be adjusted to make the flapper stay open longer.

Regarding the bowl not refilling after the toilet is flushed -- is the refill tube directing water into the top of the overflow pipe? Make sure it is firmly attached to the top of the overflow. Is the refill valve (ball-cock) shutting off before the tank is filled? If so, it is not allowing enough water to flow into the bowl. You may be able to bend the arm of the float ball up a bit, or adjust the refill cup, or you may find there is an adjustment screw on the refill valve to keep it open longer.

~~ Worth a try ... ~~

The answer to a better flush may be found in the toilet tissue used, according to Bruce Case of Case Design/Remodeling Inc. of Bethesda, MD. Case claims in his personal experience switching from a thick fluffy tissue such as Charmin to a light tissue such as White Cloud his family found their toilets worked better.

In addition Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab tested 14 top-selling toilet paper brands to compare them for softness, absorbency, strength, and quality. It also tested to see how fast the toilet paper would dissolve, which is important if your toilet clogs or is a low-flow model. Thick, plush toilet papers make you feel pampered, but if your plumbing is prone to clogging, they can aggravate the problem. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested all the leading brands and found that Charmin, Charmin Ultra, Quilted Northern and Cottonelle were particularly slow to dissolve. So if you have a low-flow toilet, or old, sticky plumbing that often acts up, those toilet papers may not be your best bet.

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