Power Flushing Your Toilet

This technique apples to standard gravity-fed water-in-the-bowl toilets, including the new 1.6 gal ones that have the sewer stack sealed off by a water trap caused by water standing in the bowl. 

 

The toilets amenable to this method have a flush tank that holds the water above the level of the bowl. When the flush lever is depressed, it opens the flush valve, (either a flapper or a ball) which lets the water rush out of the tank into the bowl.  The outrushing water fills the bowl above it's normal level which starts water flowing over the trap creating a siphon that pulls the water and waste out of the bowl.  The process ends when the water flow from the tank stops, the siphon breaks, and the water in the bowl returns to it's resting level.

What normally stops the water from flowing out of the flush tank is that the water level in the tank falls far enough so that the weight of the flush valve and the pressure of the outflowing water reseats it.  Thus it is the behavior of the flush valve that determines how much water is used, not the action of the water in the bowl.  The effectiveness of a flush is more dependent on getting a good siphon going than the amount of water that passes through the bowl.  Let us examine the action of the flush valve further. 

 

When you press on the flush lever, there is an initial resistance that falls off rapidly as the lever is depressed.  That initial resistance is the weight of the water pressing on the flush valve which seats it and keeps it from leaking.  The valve is hollow so that once it is elevated far enough away from the outlet hole, it floats well above the outlet letting the water rush out, remaining open even though you release the flush lever. 

 

The central concept of this method is to get a strong siphon flowing and then cut off the rest of the water from flowing out of the flush tank.  If you press on the flush lever slowly, you can feel the range of motion where the valve opens but is not yet free from the tug of the outflowing water.  This is the region where you still have control over the flush.  If you press down too far and the valve escapes the suction of the outflowing water, you lose control.  Becoming proficient at Power Flushing involves practice determining how far to open the flush valve to promote a swift flow of water into the bowl without lifting it too far to lose control of the flush and learning how long to hold it in this position to promote a complete flush.  With some toilets this is easy, with others it is quite a challenge.

 

Some toilets need only a little water to promote a good flush -- others significantly more (but still less than would be used in a standard flush).  Some toilets benefit from a double burst - one to get the siphon going and another to add a blast to clear everything down the drain.  This can be challenging because the second burst needs to be timed taking into account the rate at which the initial flow is disappearing down the drain and how long it takes the water to make it from the valve, thorugh the bowl lip, and into the bowl to aid the flow.  Effectiveness is also enhanced if you can rapidly open the valve to the optimal position - the point where maximum flow is obtained, yet the valve does not escape the suction.    The best technique and timing can only be determined through experience.

 

Sometimes so little water is used to accomplish a clean flush that the fill valve that replenishes the water in the tank doesn't run long enough to refill the bowl to it's "normal" level.  In these cases, a small press on the flush valve before using the stool will fill the bowl to the top of the siphon so that the next flush is vigorous. 

 

The range over which you have control varies widely from toilet to toilet.  One thing it depends on is the lever ratio of the flush lever to the flush valve (often adjustable by moving the point at which the chain attaches to the lever).  If you have trouble controlling the flush, it might help to move the chain closer to the pivot point of the lever.

 

This technique is especially effective on older large-tank toilets.  Often only half as much water is needed when actively flushing.  It is also particularly useful on toilets that swirl and swirl, never seeming to get to the final act of flushing.

 

I actively, rather than passively, flush all the gravity-fed toilets I use.  Most of the time I can get a swifter, more powerful flow going by actively controlling the flush valve.  Sometimes I miss - I may press too far and lose control or don't get the valve flowing swiftly soon enough to promote a full flush.  But, with practice there are very few toilets I haven't been able to master.  And, I've saved hundreds of gallons by applying this technique over my lifetime.

 

I challenge you to do the same.