Austin incentives and savings for low flush toilets? Comments? (sales, house)

[cBach]

All of my toilets run, I've had the plumber fix them and then a couple months they run again, then I've actually learned how to fix them, but then again they run again.

I'm thinking of just replacing all the toilets with low flush versions. I figure this will help the environment as each flush will be less volume of water and there's less of a chance of leaking water from a newer toilet.

I have a few questions for people that have done this:

1. Are there any incentive programs/discounts that I can take advantage of and if so then how?
2. What are the cost savings per year for one toilet? I will eventually be replacing three.
3. What are your experiences? I'm thinking of getting the one with two buttons, one for each obvious function...

I want honest opinions and also which brand of toilet works best?

Thanks!

[centralaustinite]

two button toilets rock!

There are city incentives too. 10 years ago we moved from a house with one toilet to one with three, water bill went down in part because the new ones were low flow (not two buttons even).

[10scoachrick]

You might want to read this NOW...
City of Austin - Water Conservation - Free Toilet Program

Provided you qualify, you only have until the 31st to submit the request. Sounds like a plan to me!

[yam]

Learn everything you ever wanted to know (and more!) about toilets here:
Terry Love's Consumer toilet reports, a report and reviews on toilets
Toilet Forum discussions

The well-reviewed models tend to be available only through plumbing supply stores. Not sure why but I couldn't find anything at the big box stores that had a good review.

I got a couple of Toto Eco Drakes at Kiva Locations - Austin and have been happy with them. It's a low flow model at 1.2 gallons but can also flush 1.6 gallons when the handle is held down for a few seconds.

[Trainwreck20]

I will comment as well that there is an anti-leak valve assembly that works great. If (or when) your toilet 'runs', it will just empty the tank and stop as opposed to constantly try to keep up. When you flush the toilet again, it resets the mechanism and fills the tank normally. It takes a bit to adjust (it is completely mechanical), but I don't know how many times we have found the tank empty, meaning that it had been running.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

You might want to read this NOW...
City of Austin - Water Conservation - Free Toilet Program

Provided you qualify, you only have until the 31st to submit the request. Sounds like a plan to me!

But your house has to have been built before 1996

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by cBach

But your house has to have been built before 1996

Sorry, I figured if you were 0 for 3 on properly operating toilets, the house must be older. My bad.

Do you have a water softener? All the 'rocks' in our local water can do a number on gaskets and fittings.

I replaced two 50 year-old toilets with Kohler models from 'a big box' and never had any trouble with them. And that was 10 years ago when low-flow toilets were known to be 'weaker'. No problems for us. In addition to saving water, the low-flow toilets were better for the septic system. We've also had HE washers for over 10 years, another big help.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Sorry, I figured if you were 0 for 3 on properly operating toilets, the house must be older. My bad.

Do you have a water softener? All the 'rocks' in our local water can do a number on gaskets and fittings.

I replaced two 50 year-old toilets with Kohler models from 'a big box' and never had any trouble with them. And that was 10 years ago when low-flow toilets were known to be 'weaker'. No problems for us. In addition to saving water, the low-flow toilets were better for the septic system. We've also had HE washers for over 10 years, another big help.

The previous owners didn't take care of this place as they should have. So I've had to fix their mistakes.

No water softener and I don't like them. I hate the feeling of being all greasy after taking a shower when you take a shower with soft water.

[G Grasshopper]

We have had very good luck with Toto toilets over the years. We haven't had a 2-stage flush, however. Some Totos have a really slick glaze in the bowl that makes them stay cleaner (it actually works.) Consumer Reports has rated them:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/h...s-overview.htm

[calel]

Replaced an old Eljer square toilet with a round Kohler Wellworth. It was $99 on sale at one of the big box stores (I think they're around $130 normally but sales always cycle). Looks decent and flushes well for a 1.28gpf toilet.