 One flush - 3 litres - waste gone! There is scepticism about how such a low volume toilet can possibly work with one flush. Personal experience shows it does work!
When I realized that the flapper in my 5 year old constantly leaking toilet was disintegrating at the edges, likely from chlorinated water, I knew I needed to make a change. I needed a toilet without a flapper and I remembered that I wrote an article mentioning the Proficiency toilet last year.
Proficiency toilets were installed in the Chapelview LEED Platinum affordable housing project in Brampton, Canada. At the Construct Canada trade show, I checked out Water_Matrix the distributor for Canadian designed Hennessy & Hinchcliffe’s Proficiency toilet.
The 3 Proficiency toilets I purchased were replacing 2 frequently used 6-litre toilets and 1 seldom-used 12-litre toilet. I had discovered the 12-litre tank was leaking and have saved 4,000 litres this past year by turning off the water from the valve at the toilet base. It was only turned on when occasional overnight guests used that bathroom.
 I calculated that the new toilets will save a total of 17,000 litres (3,740 gallons) of water per year. At my current rate for municipal water and waste water disposal, that will be a saving of $222.00 per year. My municipality realizes there are big savings to be had from encouraging home owners to replace their large volume and leaking toilets by providing a $60 per toilet rebate available by downloading a form from their website. You need proof of purchase and must declare that installation has taken place. My new toilets will have paid for themselves in just over 2 years, and much sooner if the price of water rises!
The new toilets are quiet, reasonably priced and one flush works efficiently for both solid and liquids. The air transfer system maintains pressure in the trapway instead of the tank, making a flapper unnecessary to the design. One simple push of the button on the tank top does the job. If the button is held down, it interferes with air returning to the column for the next flush. Who knew that more was not always better?
The Proficiency is sold in a kit with a self-closing lid and the wax gasket for installation. It is available in white or biscuit (which is a standard bone colour) and in either round bowl or elongated raised height bowl style. In Canada, it is carried by Home Hardware and Lowes.
Sometimes the basics in interior design mean the most to us, and toilets certainly qualify in that regard! If you have questions, comments or would like to book a seminar on any aspect of sustainable design or empowering the conscious consumer, please contact Dayle at info@daylelaing.com |
