How Long Does an Average Toilet Last in a Home?

Theoretically, a toilet can last until its porcelain cracks, which could be 50 years or more. That doesn’t mean that you as a homeowner want it to last that long, however. A number of factors may influence you to replace your toilet. These factors include environmental sensitivity, economics and personal taste.

Eco-Friendliness

Older toilets use as much as six gallons in a single flush. That means that a single person who uses the toilet five times a day is going to waste approximately 30 gallons of water unnecessarily.

The new standard set by the federal government dictates that toilets should use no more than 1.6 gallons in a single flush. A number of low-flow toilets are on the market today.

These include the following:
  • Composting toilets
  • Sink/toilet combos
  • WaterSense-certified toilets
  • Dual-flush toilets

WaterSense is an EPA program that assesses the efficiency of water-using equipment much the same way that ENERGY STAR programs evaluate electrical efficiency. A WaterSense logo on a toilet indicates that the device uses only 1.28 gallons per flush.

Dual-flush toilets have options that allow you to select how much water you want to use with each flush. Composting toilets use no water at all and aren’t practical for most urban and suburban settings since most cities and towns have ordinances that require dwellings to have flush toilets and connections to existing sewer systems. Sink/toilet combos store the water you’ve used for washing and use it to flush.

Economics

Homeowners pay for water. By installing a WaterSense-certified toilet in your home, you may be able to save more than 12,000 gallons of water per year, which will translate into a significant reduction on your water bill.

Personal Tastes

No amount of polishing or cleaning can disguise the fact that your aging toilet is never going to look as good as it did when you first purchased it. According to research, people spend approximately one hour every day in their bathrooms. That’s a lot of time. So, if you don’t like the way your toilet looks, replace it.

Puyallup Heating & Air Conditioning has been helping homeowners throughout Puyallup, WA, and other parts of the southern Puget Sound region upgrade their bathroom fixtures since 1946. We also offer a wide variety of heating and cooling system services, including repairs, maintenance, and installations. Call us today to set up an appointment.

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