The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in your home. So, it makes sense that you want the best toilet you can have. How do you know what’s best for you and your family with so many options out there? To understand your options truly, you need to know how they work. Have you ever wondered how do toilets work? In today’s post, we’ll fill you in on everything you need to know. After you learn everything there is to know about how toilets work, you will be able to make a well-informed decision.
So, How Do Toilets Work?
When we look at toilets, there are some basic functions that they all have. Of course, they all flush and get rid of waste for us, but really, how do they work? Well, to understand how toilets work, you need to look first at what kind of toilet we’re talking about. For starters, we’ll explain how the most common type of toilet works: the gravity-fed toilet.
Gravity-Powered Toilets
Arguably the most-used model of toilet, the gravity-fed toilet is quite simple in its function. As the name suggests, this toilet is primarily powered by the force of gravity. Inside the fill tank of the toilet, there is a valve. When you push down on the handle, this valve opens up and allows water to drain out of the tank and into the bowl. As this water flows into the bowl, the force pushes the waste down the drain, and a siphoning force is generated below. At the base of every toilet is the drain line, and when water enters, the line acts as a siphon to pull the wastewater through.
After emptying the tank, the water supply kicks on to fill it back up via the fill tube. As the tank fills, a float acts as a monitor to tell the water when to cut off. Also, there’s an overflow tube in the tank that prevents the fill tank from overflowing.
Pressure-Assisted Toilets
Aside from gravity-powered toilets, there are pressure-assisted toilets. These toilets also use the power of gravity to flush waste but with the help of compressed air. These powerful toilets use significantly less water than gravity-fed toilets. A gravity-powered toilet uses about 1.6 gallons per flush. Pressure-assisted toilets, on the other hand, use about 1.1 gallons per flush. With a pressure-assisted toilet, you will see an increase in power as compared to a gravity-powered toilet.
So, instead of a tank full of water, there’s a sealed-off air tank. As water fills the tank, the air inside is compressed. The tank releases the compressed water and air into the bowl to create a forceful flush when you flush the toilet. Oftentimes, you will find pressure-assisted toilets in commercial restrooms, but there’s no reason why you’re home can’t have one. You’ll save money and headaches with a pressure-assisted toilet. The main benefits of a pressure-assisted toilet are efficiency and maintenance. These toilets use significantly less water and flush much farther than gravity toilets. That means you won’t need your sewer line cleaned out as much.
Give Us A Call
So, you asked how do toilets work? Now, you know. If you’re looking to upgrade or replace your current toilet, give us a call today!