With all of the great new green building products out now in the marketplace, there are certainly many options available for the eco-conscious homeowner about to embark on a full scale sustainable remodel or retrofit of his or her existing home. But while the choices for greener fit and finishes may be many, those people looking to stay within a budget often find themselves compromising, or even abandoning all together, their sustainability goals for their home remodel or retrofit simply because they can’t afford to do everything they wanted. A familiar predicament to be sure for any type of remodel, but when it comes to the environment, the eco-minded homeowner feels a little guilty for not being able to do something he or she knows would lessen his or her impact.
Saving Water While Saving Money
One of the easiest and most environmentally effective upgrades a homeowner can make to his or her home is the installation of either a low-flush, or, preferably, a dual-flush toilet. While dual-flush toilets can save up 60% more water than a standard flush toilet, their cost to purchase and install often make them a premium item when being considered for a budget remodel. Subsequently, they are often cut out of the budget for the sexier, yet less environmentally beneficial, household remodel items like countertops and appliances. After all, why spend several hundred dollars to rip out a perfectly functional toilet just to save some water?
While I personally would argue that there are plenty of good reasons, both environmental and economical, to do just that (and I myself have), for now, let’s assume that the above logic holds true for most people. Given the fact that the economy isn’t so hot, and even the most eco-conscious among us are looking to save money wherever and whenever we can, Brondell has developed a product called the Perfect Flush that enables you to get the same water saving benefits as a dual-flush toilet from your own standard toilet; at a fraction of the cost and effort.
Perfect Flush is essentially a simple retrofit device that can be easily installed on any standard toilet. It uses the same basic technology as a factory produced dual-flush toilet, only the Perfect Flush is a retrofitted product that works by restricting water to the toilet at the supply line in conjunction with a re-calibration device fitted to the lifter in the tank. There is a control dial that sits on top of the toilet that allows the user to select the appropriate flush (half for #1; full for #2) with the touch of a button like popular dual-flush toilets by Caroma and Toto.
Some features of the Perfect Flush, as stated by Brondell, include:
- 50% water savings
- Fits most one-piece and two-tank toilets
- About 1/5 the cost of most dual-flush toilets (~$100)
- 30 minute DIY install
- Payback in less than a year
- Simple and elegant push button control
- One-time set and forget volume setting
- 20,000 flushes per set of 4-AAA batteries
Hotel Griffon in San Francisco thinks the Perfect Flush is great and has installed them on every toilet in the hotel. After having the Perfect Flush in action for several months now, the hotel is seeing a monthly savings of 18,000 gallons of water as well as a yearly cost savings of $3,500. Not bad considering none of the existing toilets had to be ripped out.
The Good: A relatively inexpensive/easy-to-install green upgrade that reduces a toilet’s water consumption by 50% and pays for itself in cost savings in less than a year. Functional toilets are given new life instead of being landfilled.
The Bad: There is more to a dual-flush toilet than simply water restriction and often times the entire toilet bowl itself is designed to function efficiently (and cleanly) with less water. The Perfect Flush may reduce water consumption, but at the same time reduce flushing effectiveness and increase the need to clean the toilet.
The Bottom-Line: A really cool possible alternative to an expensive dual-flush toilet for those looking to save water as well as some money. Just be aware that it may not be ideal for every toilet; even if it fits them.
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