Is A Gravity Flush Toilet Worth Buying: The Unseen Downside You Need To Know

It won't take you long to realize that choosing a new toilet for your bathroom is not as straightforward as you may have expected at first. Not only are there countless designs and installation methods to choose from, but the flushing systems themselves can vary, each with its unique advantages and disadvantages. One you'll likely come across time and time again is the gravity flush toilet, one of the most common and time-tested systems in modern households. The key downside of gravity flush toilets is that they are often less powerful and water-efficient than some of the other common flushing systems. However, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives; gravity flush toilets are still considered a worthy choice for a modern bathroom, and often preferred over other flush systems.

How gravity flush toilets work is fairly self-explanatory: they essentially maximize gravity. What this means is that when the flush lever or button is activated, the flush valve in the tank is lifted and opened, and water flows into the toilet bowl, simply using gravity for its downward movement. This process culminates in a siphoning effect, which clears waste by pushing the water through the pipes and finally into the sewage system.

One of the key downsides of gravity flush systems is their reduced power. This means that they use less water and a lighter force during each flush. Unfortunately, they often require a greater volume of water to actually be effective, occasionally needing more than one flush to remove all solid waste. You would think using less water for flushing would be a good thing, but if it leads to multiple rounds of flushing, it defeats the purpose. It's thus not the most eco-friendly toilet option on the market, with the greater water volume possibly leading to higher water bills at the end of the month.

Additionally, a gravity flush toilet may be prone to clogging due to this lack of efficiency, which is partly why commercial settings tend to opt for more powerful flushing systems. Generally speaking, gravity flush toilets are perfectly capable of handling waste for a single household, but if you're worried about clogging issues and foresee dealing with a high volume and frequency of waste, you may want to look into other options, like a pressure-assisted toilet.

Regardless of their disadvantages, plumbers tend to recommend gravity flush toilets for their advantages, which include their affordable upfront cost and easy installation process, followed by simple, low-cost repairs. It's largely the system's straightforward mechanics that facilitate these upsides. Plus, because these toilets are so common, you'll easily find replacement parts in stores, as well as solutions to standard problems.

These toilets also tend to be quiet in operation, which can be a particularly strong advantage in a household with varied sleeping schedules. If one family member is on the night shift and sleeping through the afternoon, flushing the toilet in the daytime won't wake them up and ruin their sleep quality. One lesser-known advantage? Even if your toilet handle breaks, you can still flush the toilet with a broken handle. Just make sure to check if the water conditions in your area are compatible with the gravity flush system before proceeding with your purchase and installation.