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Replacing a standard toilet with a dual-flush model can save energy and water.Whether you are going green or simply looking to save money on utilities, a dual-flush toilet can be a worthwhile investment. According to WaterSense, toilets are the main contributor to water use in homes. By switching to an efficient, dual-flush toilet, you can save both water and energy. About Dual-Flush Toilets

In contrast to standard toilets, which use the same amount of water for each flush, dual-flush toilets have two options: one for solid waste and one for liquid waste. The two types of waste require different amounts of water to flush them effectively, and a dual-flush toilet enables you to use only as much water as needed.

A standard toilet uses approximately 1.6 gallons per flush, which is about the amount of water a dual-flush toilet uses for a solid waste option. The water savings come when you use the low-volume flush option, which uses about .9 gallon. Given that the average American flushes the toilet around 140,000 times in his lifetime, the water savings are significant. According to the Sierra Club, a family of four saves approximately 7,000 gallons per year by switching to a dual-flush toilet.

All toilets sold in the United States are classified as "low flow," which is occasionally used by salespeople as a selling point, but low-flow toilets and dual-flush models are not the same thing. Dual-flush toilets will be marked on the packaging and are easily identifiable by the two buttons for each type of flush. To make sure that your toilet is as efficient as possible, look for the Energy Star or WaterSense label, which means that the technology has been certified to use even less water than the current government standard. Because these high-efficiency toilets use about 20 percent less water, this will help you save even more.

By using less water, you can lower your annual water and sewer bill by around $170, according to the EPA. In addition to the water savings from a dual-flush toilet, using less water means that you will use less energy. It takes as much energy to run a faucet for five minutes as it does to run a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours. Conserving water and energy benefits the environment and helps reduce your ecological footprint.