I swear, every time I try to use the “eco” button on our dual flush toilet, it’s like nothing happens. I end up having to flush again anyway, which kinda defeats the purpose, right? Maybe I’m just unlucky with the model we have, but is this a common thing? Or is there some trick to making the half flush actually do its job?
Half flush never seems to work right—am I missing something?
I end up having to flush again anyway, which kinda defeats the purpose, right?
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing with ours. We moved in a few months ago and I was all excited about the “eco” feature, but honestly, it barely clears anything unless it’s just liquid. If there’s even a tiny bit of paper, I’m reaching for the full flush every time. I thought maybe I was doing it wrong or not holding the button long enough, but nope—same result.
I did read somewhere that some models just aren’t great at the half flush thing, especially if your water pressure isn’t ideal. Not sure if that’s true or just an excuse for bad design. Either way, it feels like a bit of a gimmick sometimes. Maybe newer toilets are better? Ours isn’t ancient, but it’s not brand new either.
Kind of makes you wonder how much water is actually being saved if you have to double-flush half the time...
Definitely seeing the same thing in a few of my rentals. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
- Some half flushes just aren’t strong enough, especially with older plumbing or low water pressure.
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—yep, that’s my experience too. Paper almost always needs a full flush.“it barely clears anything unless it’s just liquid.”
- Sometimes the mechanism inside gets gunked up or misaligned, which makes the half flush even weaker.
- I’ve had better luck with newer, higher-end dual flush toilets, but even then, it’s hit or miss.
Honestly, if you’re double-flushing, you’re probably not saving much water. For what it’s worth, I tell tenants not to stress about using the full flush if they need it.
Half flushes are kind of like decaf coffee—nice idea, but never quite does the job. Had one tenant who kept a plunger on standby just for the “eco” flush. Honestly, I just tell folks to use whatever works and not worry about it too much.
Half flushes are hit or miss in my experience. I've swapped out a bunch of those dual flush toilets over the years, and honestly, most folks just end up using the full flush every time. Had a unit where the half flush barely cleared anything, and the tenant would just hold the handle down for a "custom" flush anyway. Sometimes I wonder if the water savings are worth the hassle, especially when you end up with more clogs and calls for help.
