I hear you on the dual-flush headaches. I’ve swapped out more of those “eco” flush valves than I care to admit, and honestly, most of them just don’t seem built for real-world use. It’s like they’re designed for a showroom, not actual people with hard water and kids who mash the buttons. The calcium buildup is relentless, especially if you’re in a hard water area—sometimes it feels like I’m fighting a losing battle with the deposits. I’ve had slightly better luck with Caroma models, but even then, it’s not perfect. At this point, I’m half-convinced that the water “savings” get wiped out by all the extra flushes and repairs...
It’s like they’re designed for a showroom, not actual people with hard water and kids who mash the buttons.
- Totally get what you mean about kids mashing the buttons... I’ve had to explain the “half flush” vs “full flush” thing more times than I can count, and it still ends up being a guessing game.
- Hard water is brutal on those valves. I’ve pulled apart a few that were basically cemented together with scale.
- Funny thing, I thought I was saving water too, but when you have to flush twice half the time, it kinda defeats the purpose.
- Caroma’s been a bit better for me too, but honestly, I’m starting to think the old-school single flush was less hassle. Maybe not as “eco,” but at least you know what you’re getting.
I hear you on the hard water—mine’s left so much buildup in the cistern that the buttons get sticky, and sometimes the half flush just doesn’t reset right. I’ve tried vinegar soaks, but honestly, it feels like a losing battle. At least with the old lever, you knew what you were getting... these dual buttons seem like more maintenance than they’re worth some days.
At least with the old lever, you knew what you were getting... these dual buttons seem like more maintenance than they’re worth some days.
Funny you mention that—reminds me of a call I got last winter. Lady swore her “eco” toilet was haunted because the half flush would stick halfway and just dribble. Turned out, the mineral buildup had basically glued the mechanism together. Vinegar helped a bit, but I ended up popping the whole button assembly out and soaking it overnight in citric acid. Worked better than vinegar, honestly. Ever tried that? Sometimes those plastic parts just need a deeper clean than we think.
Citric acid, huh? Haven’t tried that yet, but I might have to. I’ve only done the vinegar soak, and honestly, it barely made a dent. These buttons are way fussier than the old handle—sometimes I miss just having one thing to worry about.
