Q: Dear Jim: I hear water running in my toilets sometimes, but I want to keep my old toilets that flush well. Are there toilet kits available that I can install myself to reduce the water usage per flush? Do they also save energy? - Don R..

A: Dear Don: Flushing of toilets is the major water consumption activity in most homes and typically accounts for 33 percent of the total water usage. This can cost the typical family up to $200 per year. If you have toilet leakage problems that allow the water to continually run, the annual water usage expense can be substantially greater.

People don't often realize that excessive toilet water usage can also increase their energy bills. During the winter, the incoming water that fills the toilet tank is cold. As it rests in the tank, it draws heat from the bathroom air as the water warms to room temperature. This heat drawn from the indoor air requires the furnace or heat pump to run a little longer.

If you air-condition during the summer, there is a slight energy savings from the cooling effect of the water. Unfortunately, the incoming water temperature is warmer during the summer so the benefits are less than the energy costs during the winter. Also, a cold toilet tank during the summer often sweats and may damage the floor beneath it.

Many designs of do-it-yourself water-saving kits (prices start at only $5) are available. Combining the water savings and the energy bill savings from installing these kits in your toilets can total up to $100 per year.

Most of these kits also include new flapper valves, so installing one also often eliminates the water running problem. Most of them can be installed in about five minutes.

The basic types of water-saving flush kits are: dual-flush handles, flapper valves, water dams, and diverters. Many of the kits are adjustable so you can vary the volume of water per flush. You probably won't be able to get it as low as the 1.6 gallons per flush on a new toilet, but your old toilet should flush well with 40 to 50 percent less water usage than now.

Dual-flush kits are one of the best methods to significantly reduce the water usage of any old toilet while still maintaining an effective flushing action. These kits are particularly effective because they provide two different water volume flushes: 1) a low-

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water usage flush for liquid wastes and 2) a standard-volume flush for solid wastes. The simplest designs have only five parts to install.

One type of do-it-yourself dual-flush kit uses a single flush handle in place of the old handle and several different pieces inside the toilet tank. For a water-saving flush for liquids, you push the handle down as always. For a full-volume flush for solid wastes, you lift the handle. A simple flushing instructions label is included and it attaches under the handle.

Another dual-flush design uses two separate handles in place of the existing handle. One nests inside the other so it looks fairly standard. For a water-saving flush, you push the longer handle down. For a full-volume flush, you push the shorter handle down.

Inside the toilet tank, both designs work the same way. The water-saving flush only partially lifts the flapper, so it closes quickly allowing less water to flow out. The full flush lifts the flapper the standard amount.

There are many designs of water-saving flapper valve kits. With most flapper valve designs, air trapped inside of them holds them open as the toilet tank empties. The water-saving ones allow the trapped air to empty quicker so the flapper closes sooner than normal before the tank totally empties.

You can fine-tune some of the flapper kits to get an effective flush with the least water usage. The required water usage varies with different toilet designs. These flappers have a tiny adjustable hole at the bottom. By varying the hole size, the trapped air and the flush water volume can be controlled.

Water dams fit in the bottom of the toilet tank and spring out to seal against the sides. They effectively reduce the water volume in the tank without decreasing the water height or the flush pressure. Diverter kits divert some of the bowl water to the tank after each flush to save water.

Write for (instantly download - www.dulley.com) Update Bulletin No. 546 - buyer's guide of eight water-saving flush kit manufacturers listing design types, water savings, installation instructions, toilet troubleshooting, and water-saving guides. Please include $3.00 and a business-size SASE. James Dulley, Illinois Country Living, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244.

James Dulley is a mechanical engineer who writes on a wide variety of energy and utility topics. His column appears in a large number of daily newspapers.

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