How Is the Dual Flush Toilet Retrofit Efficient?

Dual Water Level Options

• The dual flush toilet retrofit provides two water level options that allow you to determine the amount of water you need to flush the contents in your toilet down the drain. If there is no solid waste in the toilet, select the flush option that releases approximately one-fourth of the water in your tank. Choose the full-flush option if your toilet bowl contains solid waste or large amounts of toilet paper. According to the University of Idaho, a person uses almost 20 gallons of water a day or 7,000 gallons per year with a standard toilet. A retrofitted toilet uses a quarter of that water — about 5 gallons per day and less than 2,000 gallons per year.

Fewer Full Flushes

• Fewer full flushes supports water conservation and puts less stress on your toilet tank assembly. The dual flush retrofit eliminates leaky flappers, so you don't have to hold or jiggle the handle on your toilet when you flush. The Alliance for Water Efficiency states that toilet retrofits do not reduce the volume of water in a full flush but only reduce the volume for partial flushes. In most cases, the volume reduction is 50 percent to 70 percent of the volume of the full flush.

Two-Button Operation

• A dual flush retrofit gives you the option to push one of two buttons when you want to flush your toilet. Press the smaller top button and release a reduced amount of water from your tank to flush liquids and small amounts of toilet paper down the drain. Press the larger bottom button to deliver all the water in your tank to the bowl and flush solid waste down the drain. The two-button hardware replaces your existing side or front handle on the exterior of your toilet tank.

Installation and Upkeep

• Installation of a basic dual flush toilet retrofit does not require construction or household tools. Remove the flapper and original handle and drop the retrofit over your existing overflow tube in your toilet tank. Insert the two-button circular hardware in the opening that supported your old handle. No special skills, maintenance or upkeep on the retrofit is required, and you can clean your toilet as you did before the retrofit was installed.

Drawbacks

• The Alliance for Water Efficiency reports that consumer dissatisfaction with the retrofit can arise if all of the water and waste in the toilet bowl does not completely wash down the drain. With a dual flush toilet retrofit, the correct amount of water in the toilet bowl may not refill to the correct level. Some utility companies are concerned that retrofits may not perform adequately since toilets were not originally designed for reduced flush purposes.