Who would have guessed that I would have multiple lengthy conversations about toilets after simply observing that there are many to choose from? I had no idea there was such pent-up interest in how toilets work. I certainly never expected that I would be so strongly urged to file a report on my toilet performance.
Ok, well, here it is. Those of you who have more important things to do, click to some other, more interesting blog entry.
Three new toilets were delivered to my house. The plumber, Mark (yes we are on a first-name basis), arranged for installing them, and for a moment there was a “pile of toilets” in the main room. He proceeded to de-install the old stools, offering to leave them in the yard as planters, and then assemble and install the new ones. Installing toilets is one of the easier tasks that plumbers are asked to do. There is some lugging of heavy ceramic pieces, but the actual plumbing hookups and connections are straightforward.
Toilet delivery
There were a few hindrances offered by This Odd House, as one would by now expect. And the first toilet had a defect, a crack, in its structure and finish. We had ordered three, but only two could be installed immediately, so the extra unit was substituted (the third will be installed at a later date).
The immediate benefit from the new toilets was apparent at first sitting: they are two inches taller than the standard height. But according to Mark, the vast majority of toilets he installs are these taller, ADA-qualified stools. Only bathrooms for children get the standard-height fixtures these days, so what should now be called “standard”?
The next thing that was obvious was the flush time. Having grown accustomed to protracted swirling and siphoning motions, followed by lengthy tank refill periods, I was amazed at the flushing action of the Gerber Avalanche. Twenty seconds was all that was needed between flush and refilled, the tank ready for the next cycle.
| Flush-to-refill, 20 seconds http://vimeo.com/56737980“The modern toilet flush cycle, as executed by the Gerber Avalanche Model 21-818!” |
Inside the tank. This shows the completely filled state. A line on the back of the tank marks it.
The water use is dramatically less than the 5-gallon monsters that were replaced. In fact, the tank is oversized for its function, probably just for appearance, or maybe for compatibility (so the top is at a standard height to put stuff on?). At any rate, the water refills only to the halfway mark on the inside of the tank. I don’t know if I will see a change in my water bill, but it is nice knowing that this aspect of daily life is now considerably more efficient.
I don’t have enough data yet on “solids transport”, so you will have to contact me later on these details. Meanwhile I will be continuing my field tests.