How Do I Convert a Toilet to Dual Flush?

How Do I Convert a Toilet to Dual Flush?

Conserving water has become an important goal for many homeowners, as doing so will lower monthly bill costs and help them become more eco-friendly. The bathroom is the biggest culprit of wasted water, from filling a bathtub several times a week to multiple toilet flushes and leaving the faucet running while brushing teeth or shaving. A dual-flush toilet will help eliminate a lot of unnecessary bathroom water use. Homeowners can convert their toilet into a dual flush toilet and start seeing the savings right away.

Steps for conversion

Overall, converting to a dual-flush toilet is a project that those with good DIY skills can probably do themselves. If you get stuck or are unsure about your ability to complete the task, call a professional plumber to do it for you. First, you should do your homework using the internet. There are a few dual-flush conversion kits on the market today. The package usually contains most of the items you’ll need to complete the task.

Once you’ve decided which dual-flush conversion kit is right for you, purchase it and then set aside about an hour or more to complete the conversion. First, turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet and remove the toilet tank cover. Flush the toilet a few times to remove all of the water from the tank. Next, remove the old flapper valve, chain and flush handle from your toilet. Disconnect the fill tube from the overflow tube. Your conversion kit will contain a new flush tower mechanism that will fit right over your existing overflow tube. A rubber washer and zip tie are normally provided to hold the mechanism in place, making sure the new flush unit is properly seated in place over the flush valve.

Install the new dual-flush button unit through the hole where your flush handle used to be. Use the plastic nut on the opposite site to hold it in place. Tighten it with your hand, don’t use a wrench or you’ll risk cracking the tank. Next, connect the flush cable from the dual-flush tower to the back of the dual button unit as the instructions show. Reattach the refill tube to the overflow tube. The instructions should show you how to do this. Turn on the water supply to the tank and test flush using the small button and then again using the large button. Your instructions will tell you how to make the necessary adjustments to the dual flush tower to optimize your water savings. Follow them closely. Once you’re satisfied the conversion is complete, use a pencil to draw a line to mark the water level in the toilet tank. Come back in ten minutes and examine your pencil line to check for leaks. If the water level dropped below your pencil line, your flush tower probably isn’t properly seated over the flush valve.

Understand options and risks

Once installed, you’ll have the advantage of being able to flush liquid waste with less water per flush. Usually .08 gallon for the low power flush while the full power flush should utilize around 1.6 GPF. If you don’t want to convert your old toilet, you could also just replace your toilet with a new dual-flush model. However, this will cost substantially more than simply replacing the flush lever and the fill valve in your old one. If you need a new toilet anyway, this could be a solid new investment, but otherwise, converting your current system is going to be the most cost-effective option.

You must also be aware of dual-flush converter kits. Some after-market products used in these kits may change the flush characteristics of the toilet and affect overall performance, potentially increasing your water use. Homeowners must ensure that they are getting the right equipment for their particular fixture to convert to dual flush without any unintended problems.

An experienced plumber can make the conversion for you and will have the items necessary to support your toilet model effectively. Call a Roto-Rooter plumber today to convert your toilet to a dual-flush fixture.