We had a similar experience, but I think the math might actually surprise you. When we upgraded ours, I was pretty skeptical too—our house is from the 60s, and plumbing has always felt like a ticking time bomb. But we lucked out, no plumber visits (knock on wood), and the savings showed up quicker than I expected. Still, your point about older plumbing is spot on. A friend of mine who lives in an even older home had a nightmare scenario: multiple plumber visits, replacing pipes, the whole nine yards... by the time everything was finally sorted, she figured it'd take years to break even.
So maybe it's less about whether water-saving toilets themselves are worth it, and more about knowing your home's quirks before diving in? Might be better off investing in other water-saving measures first—like faucet aerators or low-flow showerheads—that don't put as much stress on old plumbing. Just my two cents though...
"Might be better off investing in other water-saving measures first—like faucet aerators or low-flow showerheads—that don't put as much stress on old plumbing."
Fair point, but honestly, I've seen more issues with low-flow showerheads causing pressure problems than toilets. Had one client jokingly call theirs the "sad drizzle maker"... guess mileage varies!
Had one client jokingly call theirs the "sad drizzle maker"... guess mileage varies!
Yeah, I've noticed the same thing with showerheads. Toilets seem pretty straightforward—swap 'em out and forget about it—but showerheads can be finicky. Had tenants complain about weak pressure or uneven spray patterns, even with decent brands. But faucet aerators? Those are usually a safe bet, cheap and easy to install. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather deal with a toilet swap than endless showerhead troubleshooting...
"Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather deal with a toilet swap than endless showerhead troubleshooting..."
Funny you mention that, because I've had the exact opposite experience. Toilets have given me way more headaches than showerheads ever did. A few years back, I swapped out all the toilets in a rental property for those fancy water-saving models. Thought I was doing the right thing—saving water, cutting down on bills, all that good stuff. But man, did I underestimate how picky tenants can be about their flushes.
Within a week, I started getting calls about clogs and weak flushes. One tenant even joked that it was like "flushing with good intentions instead of water." Had to laugh at that one... but it wasn't funny when I had to call in plumbers multiple times to sort things out. Turns out some of these low-flow toilets just don't handle heavy use or older plumbing systems very well.
On the other hand, showerheads have been pretty straightforward for me. Sure, I've had a couple of duds—like the one tenant who called theirs the "sad drizzle maker" (still cracks me up)—but usually swapping out a showerhead is quick and painless. If one doesn't work out, it's cheap enough to replace without much hassle.
I do agree with you on faucet aerators though—those things are underrated heroes. Cheap, easy to install, and tenants rarely complain about them. They're like the quiet achievers of water-saving tech.
So yeah... mileage definitely varies depending on your plumbing setup and tenants' expectations. Personally, I'm skeptical about jumping onto every new eco-friendly toilet model until I've seen some solid reviews or heard from someone who's actually used them long-term. Saving water is great and all, but not if you're spending half your time plunging toilets or fielding complaints from frustrated renters.
I've installed plenty of water-saving toilets, and honestly, the key is picking the right model. A lot of the cheaper low-flow options just don't have enough flush power for older plumbing setups. If you're dealing with frequent clogs, try looking into pressure-assisted models—they're pricier but way more reliable.
"flushing with good intentions instead of water."
Haha, that's spot-on...but trust me, a quality toilet makes all the difference between eco-friendly success and endless plunging sessions.
