Switched to a water-saving toilet about two years ago in my older place. Honestly, the water bill dropped noticeably after a few months—nothing huge, but enough to make me feel good about the switch. Installation was straightforward, but I did have to double-check the plumbing first (old pipes can be tricky). I'd say it's worth it if you're careful upfront and don't rush the install... saves headaches later.
"Installation was straightforward, but I did have to double-check the plumbing first (old pipes can be tricky)."
Definitely seconding this. Before you dive in, make sure your plumbing can handle it—especially if your place is older. Had a tenant once who installed one without checking, and let's just say the downstairs neighbor wasn't thrilled with the surprise ceiling shower... Take your time, do your homework, and it's totally worth the savings (and peace of mind).
Gotta say, I'm not totally sold on the "worth the savings" part. A few things to keep in mind:
- Sure, water-saving toilets use less water per flush, but sometimes you end up flushing twice (or more...) if the plumbing isn't ideal. Kinda defeats the purpose.
- Older pipes can struggle with lower water flow, leading to blockages—trust me, I've seen some horror stories.
- If your plumbing's ancient, upgrading the pipes first might be a better investment long-term.
Just my two cents from someone who's spent way too much time unclogging toilets.
"Older pipes can struggle with lower water flow, leading to blockages—trust me, I've seen some horror stories."
Yeah, that's a fair point. I swapped out my old toilet for a water-saving model last year, and while the water bill did drop noticeably, I've definitely had a few more clogging incidents than before. Makes me wonder if the savings are offset by the hassle (and occasional plunger purchases...). Has anyone tried pairing these toilets with plumbing upgrades—did it help much?
I've run into this issue a lot on jobs, and honestly, upgrading pipes isn't always a guaranteed fix. Had a client last year who went all-in on plumbing upgrades thinking it'd solve the clogging from their new water-saving toilet. It helped a bit, sure, but they still had occasional problems. My take is that these toilets are great for newer builds, but if your house has older plumbing, it can be hit-or-miss. Sometimes a bit more water flow just works better...