- Totally agree on the noise thing...first time mine flushed, I nearly jumped outta my socks.
- But honestly, after a week or two, you barely notice it anymore.
- Plus, knowing you're saving water (and cash!) makes the initial shock worth it. Hang in there!
"But honestly, after a week or two, you barely notice it anymore."
Fair enough, but I've had mine for about three months now and I still notice the noise every single time. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to sounds, but that "whoosh" still makes me cringe a little. That said, I can't deny the savings on my water bill—it's definitely noticeable. And knowing I'm doing something positive for the environment does ease the annoyance factor a bit.
One thing that helped was installing a soft-close lid. Sounds minor, but it reduces at least one source of noise (the lid slamming shut) and makes the whole experience feel a bit more civilized. Also, placing a small rug or mat around the base seemed to absorb some of the echo in my bathroom.
Overall, I'd say they're worth it...with some reservations. If you're sensitive to noise like me, just be prepared to make a few small adjustments.
I've installed quite a few of these water-saving toilets, and honestly, reactions are all over the place. Some folks barely notice the noise after a few days, others (like you) seem to stay sensitive to it indefinitely. I wonder if bathroom acoustics play a bigger role than we realize? Tile and hard surfaces definitely amplify sounds, so your rug idea makes sense.
Soft-close lids are underrated, by the way—good call on that. I've had customers tell me they didn't realize how much the lid slamming bothered them until it stopped happening. Funny how small things make a big difference.
One thing I've noticed is that certain brands or models seem quieter than others. Did you go with a pressure-assisted model or just a standard gravity-fed one? Pressure-assisted ones save even more water, but they're definitely louder. If noise is a big issue for you, maybe a gravity-fed dual-flush would have been a better fit. They're usually quieter and still pretty efficient.
Personally, I installed one at home about a year ago, and while I did notice the noise at first, now it's just background sound. But then again, I'm around plumbing noises all day, so maybe I'm just immune at this point...
Either way, glad you're seeing savings on your bill. At least that's one noise that's easy on the ears, right?
I went with a gravity-fed dual-flush type myself, and it's been great so far. Definitely quieter than the pressure-assisted one we had in our old place—that thing sounded like a mini jet engine taking off every flush. I agree bathroom acoustics matter a lot; ours has tile everywhere, which kinda amplifies noises, but adding a couple of bath mats and towels definitely helped dampen it down a bit. Worth trying if noise is bugging you.
- Gravity-fed dual-flush sounds decent, but honestly, I've had mixed results with water-saving toilets overall.
- Installed a budget dual-flush model last year, and while it saves water on paper, sometimes it takes two flushes to clear properly... kinda defeats the purpose.
- Noise-wise, you're right about pressure-assisted ones being loud, but I'd rather deal with a short blast of noise than repeated flushes.
- Maybe pricier models are better, but from a budget standpoint I'm still skeptical if the savings really add up long-term.
