To flush or not to flush ?

consultant31

DKLS wrote: »

Urrgghhhh I flush at every visit day or night, I can understand if your on a water meter that you would want to conserve water.

What would the incentive be to not flush as frequently for me who just pays monthly water rates.

Edit: I am not trying to be flippant or provoke an angry response, just would like feedback as to what the environmental benefits are of reducing water consumption, I must admit I do use a lot of water, 1 shower and 1 bath a day, wash the car once or twice a week, partial water cganges on my fishtank, couple of loads of washing a week etc etc.

I can't believe you don't know how water-poor the world is - don't you watch TV documentaries or read anything about environmental issues?

Only 2% of the worlds water is available as fresh water and the earth's water supply is decreasing.

Lifestyle changes, population growth and climate change are placing increasing demands on our water supplies. There are more households with a single occupant, and greater use of appliances like power showers and dishwashers.

There is a very small margin between what is available and what is being consumed (per person) and the gap is closing.

It may not affect you now, but the future is a different matter and we should all be doing our bit for water conservation.

lovefool

If just pee, I tend to hold down the flush just slightly which on my loo allows a bit of water in to rinse it through - day and night,, but then I don't share my loo with anyone.

Water, energy, food, plastic, clothes etc are very very precious - even though at the moment they are all pretty cheap.

halia

no flush at night unless stinky poo, during the day I dont' flush wee but DH flushes after each visit daytimes.

water saving and noise! loo is on other side of wall to my light sleeping toddler!

At someone else's house I flush.

charlieheard

Have a look at Interflush - I've posted about them before. I first came across them when they were recommended in Which? magazine and I ended up fitting a couple. They just flush as long as you're pressing down on the handle and stop when you let go. They're better than a rock/brick/hippo in that you can flush the whole cistern full if necessary (for those stubborn bu****s :rolleyes:), but can flush a small fraction when that's all that's needed. They are better than modern dual-flush systems, as they only use what you need and there is much less chance of them leaking (Interlush uses the existing siphon rather than the valves and washers of dual-flush - did you know that 1 in 5 valves leaks in the US?) They are also guaranteed for life, so they'll replace any parts that ever fail.

For those on water meters, they can pay for themselves in a few months. We're on a borehole, but use two to cut down on our water-softening costs and for green-ness. They also solve the arguments over "yellow" vs "brown" flushing as you can choose how much water you need. I should add that I've nothing to do with them except as a satisfied customer.

antenna wrote: »

If i stay in someone else's house overnight i always pee in the sink

There are two types of men - those that have peed in the sink and those that lie about it

harryhound

squashy wrote: »

Apparently the Romans used to wash their clothes in urine!

1. Used in the process of fulling cloth well after the Romans.

2. Making gunpowder.

3. Used as a mordant for setting dyes.

4. Valuable fertilizer.

5. Dressing wounds.

6. Saving lives in "The trenches".

7. Extracting hormones in traditional Chinese medicine.

I believe the expression "spending a penny" did not originally refer to paying for access to a toilet BUT to wasting a product that could be sold if collected in a reasonable quantity.

Here are a few links:

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/aa01/aa012101.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulling

http://www.amazon.com/Gee-Whiz-Its-all-About/dp/product-description/067006064X

http://www.fratfiles.com/essays/71200.html


Harry.

PS. The problem with flushing a toilet in a strange house during the night, is not just the bathroom noise but the risk that a veritable symphony of plumbing sounds will break out all over the house and in the loft.

I tend to let the yellow mellow, perhaps covering the surface with a single sheet of toilet paper.

thanksalot

moonrakerz wrote: »

Toilet bowls DO stain.

The urea in urine is usually slightly acid when excreted, with a pH of around 6, when left (in the toilet bowl, for example) it decays and actually becomes alkaline, to a pH of 9 or more.
Both acids and alkaline will attack the ceramic or enamel in a toilet bowl - and will stain it over time, as well as spoiling the surface.

Fantastic.
A pH of 6 is about as weak as any acid gets.
Then according to you it goes to 9. In what time I wonder...
Well, be aware that at pH7 it is neutral.
So if the first person's pee is still in the bowl, the second one neutralises it!
One excellent reason for not flushing...:rotfl:

Sue-UU

lovefool wrote: »

Water, energy, food, plastic, clothes etc are very very precious - even though at the moment they are all pretty cheap.

Well, if it is now, then it isn't going to be for long and that's a fact!:D

PrinceGaz

I flush after peeing, and of course after a no. 2, but that is only because I don't think I can have a water meter fitted else I'd be much more conservative in water usage.

I live in a housing-association property which consists of five flats in one house so I'm guessing any water meter would have to monitor all usage by everyone in the house instead of just what I use. I use very little water and know I could save with a meter but unfortunately probably can't have one.

consultant31

My elderly Mum has just had a water meter fitted and her monthly bill has reduced from £47 to £12 :T . The only annoying thing about that is the fact that she didn't have one fitted years ago!

For anyone who doesn't know - if you decide it's no cheaper for you to have a meter, it can be removed for free up to 12 months after the installation - so you have nothing to lose by trying them.

Sue-UU

Thanks so much for passing that information on consultant31, I really do appreciate knowing it as I wasn't aware of the fact that they will take it out if it failed to be less. We use ours so sparingly for the good of the World that it just doesn't make sense that we should be paying out all that they charge ...and if it's over the odds - why do so!

Thanks very much indeed.

Sue