My parents have a toilet in the basement out in the open like that.  I grew up thinking it was normal.  We had a family of 6, and if somebody was occupying the real bathroom upstairs, it was nice to have the option in the basement.

The last two times I have been up there to visit them, that basement toilet has been running.  I've wiggled the float to get it to stop, and suggested they let me replace the toilet with a modern one, but they wave me off.  I'm curious to know what their water bill is.  I suspect there are hundreds of gallons of water a day going down that toilet.

They believe the  modern low flow toilets don't work, and want to keep their old 6 gallon flush monsters.  Never mind that they have never had issues with the 1.6 GPF toilets when they visit my house.  You just buy a good one, and they work.

glatt wrote:

 They believe the modern low flow toilets don't work, and want to keep their old 6 gallon flush monsters. 

And for good reason.  Companies such as American Standard, had cost controllers designing their early low flow models.  That failed often.  Consumer Reports, in those early days, said all low flow toilets from American companies were defective.  Recommended only imported one.

The world standard for toilets is now Toto (Japanese).  Like is Boeing, it is always about whether top management comes from from business schools or from where the work gets done.  Low flow toilets worked just fine when properly designed.

History says why many still fear low flow toilets.  Rather than learn why those crappy designed failed.
 

Last edited by tw (2/08/2024 12:21 pm)

I think you're right.  I might just do that.

I pictured that way out in the back bayou somewhere, with only a stray party boat to ruin your privacy.
Nope:
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