Are you fed up with your current toilet flushing system? Is the flushing system noisy and clogged many times? You don’t have to worry anymore as you’re in the right place. In this article, we will highlight and discuss some of the best toilet flush systems on the market.
Toilet flush systems vary in the power they deliver, the amount of water they use, and the level of noise they produce. Some are water-efficient toilets, while others are not. A toilet with a unique flushing system will also prevent things like clogging. Before we look at the different types of toilet flush systems, it’s vital to understand how a toilet functions.
Our recommended top 3 toilet flushing systems:
| Flush type | Pros | Cons |
| Gravity toilet flushing |
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| Dual flush operation |
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| Tornado flush |
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How does a toilet work?
A toilet is normally made up of two parts: a tank and a bowl. Some toilets have a tank and bowl incorporated into one unit. The tank is usually installed on the bowl for water to flow easily from tank to bowl via gravity.
The toilet bowl is installed on the drainpipe with the help of bolts and mounted firmly on the floor using a toilet flange. Next, a wax ring is a setup between the toilet and the flange to form a tight seal.
A toilet flush starts with pushing down the handle on the left side or a button on top of the toilet tank. Next, a chain connected to the handle lifts off the toilet flapper from the flush valve opening. Later on, water flows from the tank to the bowl through the flush valve. So a faulty toilet tank may cause water leakage.
What is the flushing mechanism of a toilet?
When you release the handle, the flapper seals the flush valve enabling the tank to refill in preparation for the next flush. The fill valve refills the tank. During flushing, water is released from the tank to the bowl with force. The force formed inside the toilet bowl creates a siphon effect in the toilet trap that clears waste. As a result, the debris in the bowl is sucked into the drainpipe.
Related article: Possible Causes of Toilet Whistling With Easy Fix
Different types of toilet flush systems
Picking a toilet with the right flushing system is crucial. The more powerful and effective a flushing system is, the better. Here are the different types of toilet flushing mechanisms on the market.
Gravity toilet flushing system (most common)
This is the most popular type of flushing system on the market. Many bathrooms feature toilets with a gravity flushing system, such as American Standard Titan, Kohler Santa Rosa, Toto Legato high-efficiency toilet, etc. Besides, all the other flushing systems borrow from the gravity flushing system. The gravity flush uses the natural force of gravity to flush a toilet.
The gravity flush system works by water moving from the tank to the bowl through gravity. Gravity forms a force inside the bowl that makes the toilet trap siphon out the waste. Since the water from the tank has excess pressure, it overpowers all the waste and water in the bowl and pushes them into the drainpipe.
Powerful pressure-assisted flush system
A pressure-assisted flush system is one of the noisiest flushing systems on the market. This system combines a gravity flushing system with compressed air. This system is typically utilized where gravity flush toilets cannot work effectively on their own. Some of the pressure-assisted toilets are Kohler Highline and Kohler Wellworth Toilets.
These toilets typically have an extra plastic tank inside the main tank, which is normally referred to as a pressure vessel. The incoming water from the
Single flush system
Most toilets, including American Standard Champion 4 and Kohler Veil smart Toilets, come with a single flush system. The toilet uses the same amount of water in a single flush system, whether getting rid of solids or liquids. These toilets are normally fitted with a trip lever handle set up on the side or front of the toilet.
The toilet handle is usually linked to a lift chair that’s also linked to the flapper. Hence, if you push the toilet handle down, the chain lifts the flapper off the flush valve opening enabling the water to flow down to the bowl.
Dual flush: Used in standard flush toilets
This is the most preferred toilet at the moment. The dual flush system has two flushing options: partial flush and full flush. A partial flush is ideal for removing liquids, while a full flush removes solids as it uses more water.
Unlike most toilets, dual flush toilets usually feature a button on top of that toilet tank. There’s a button for a partial flush and another for a full flush. However, some dual flush toilets still use a handle mechanism to flush partially or fully.
The most significant advantage of dual flush toilets is that they save a lot of water. You only use the proper flush, depending on the type of waste. Most people are replacing traditional toilets with dual flush toilets.
How does the Double-Cyclone flush system work?
Double-Cyclone flush system is a technology found in Toto toilets alone. This system is very effective and powerful. Water enters the bowl via two nozzles located at the top of the bowl facing sideways. After that, water whirls in the bowl like a cyclone, which effectively cleans, rinses and flushes the toilet. The Toto Ultramax II and Toto Neorest 700H toilets are the most reliable toilet as both have Double-Cyclone flush system.
The cyclone is formed as a result of the direction in which the water enters the bowl. The nozzles that face sideways enable the water to hit the bowl’s surface, thus, forming a vortex that cleans the bowl.
Is Double-Vortex flush system good?
Double-Vortex flush system is an American Standard toilet technology. It works almost in a similar way to Toto’s double-cyclone flush system.
When you flush the toilet, water enters the bowl through two nozzles at the top of the bowl, which face sideways and form a whirlpool in the bowl. Even though most water comes through the two nozzles, some water is channeled towards the trapway with the double-vortex action.
How effective is Tornado flush system?
Tornado flush system is an advanced flushing system offered by Toto. It’s an improved version of the double-cyclone flush system. Instead of having two nozzles, this system comes with three nozzles located sideways around the top of the bowl. The Toto Drake II two-piece toilet comes with a powerful tornado flushing mechanism.
This flushing system is more powerful and effective than the double-cyclone flush system. On top of that, it’s quieter, which makes it ideal for homes. Furthermore, this system gets rid of germs and stains inside the bowl much more effortlessly. It’s easy to keep clean.
Tower-style class five flush system
This type of flushing system is a technology invented by Kohler. Also known as the canister flush system, this system utilizes a canister toilet flapper, which is usually installed in the center of the toilet tank and linked to the flush handle.
Related article: Know The Exact Reason for Brown Water in Your Toilet
The tower flush system works differently from the flapper-style system. This system lifts wholly, enabling water to flow into the bowl from a 360 degrees angle. As a result, the water can flow into the bowl faster, hence, forming a powerful flush. A good example of the tower-style flush system can be found in Kohler models with Kohler’s Class Five flushing mechanism.
Rear flush system- Only for Upflush toilets
Last but not least, we’ve got the rear flush system. This system is not used in standard toilets. Instead, it can be found in Upflush or macerating toilets. Toilets with a rear flush system usually have a different toilet bowl from traditional toilets.
This kind of flush system has more to do with the size of the toilet than the flushing itself. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most potent and effective flushing systems. It’s widespread in Europe and offers more power than traditional toilets. Besides, these toilets can even be installed in compact bathrooms.
What is the best flush system?
The best flush system depends on your needs and how the bathroom is set up. An excellent flush system should get rid of waste very efficiently and quickly. Therefore, it needs to be powerful. Besides, the ideal flush system also varies according to how frequently the toilet is visited. If the toilet is busy, you will need a very powerful commercial-grade toilet flush system.
Apart from looking for a powerful flush system, the level of noise the system produces is crucial. Some toilet flushing systems are noisy and are a nuisance to use in the middle of the night. Most pressurized toilets are noisy. However, the gravity flush system is the best because of its power and effectiveness.
How to fix the toilet flush system?
How to improve the toilet flush?
It is prevalent that your toilet flush will stop working or get damaged someday. Your Commode needs extra care than the traditional toilets as it has a more complex structure. There are many reasons behind the disableness of the toilet flush, just like the minerals in the water and the iron substances easily can jam the entire functioning of the toilet flush. Here I will depict some unique and infallible tips to improve the flush condition.
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Clear Stubborn Clogs
Sometimes clogs badly disrupt the normal functioning of the toilet, and it becomes obstructed. Try the most basic ideas to remove the clogs. Fill a bucket with water and forcefully apply the water to the toilet bowl. The force may swap away all the waste. If it does not work, then replicate the process several times. You can use a plunger in case the waste refuses to go down through the pipe.
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Clean Rims with Extra Care
The most sensitive part of your toilet is the rims that catch stains easily. Apply pure water and rinse the rims with a scrubber. Apply a small amount of toilet cleaner if the stain is massive.
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Vinegar comes to the Rescue
Vinegar is a natural cleaner that can be used to clean almost every household chore. Take a particular amount of vinegar and baking soda, mix them decently and pour them into the toilet. Apply hot water for flushing; it supposedly washes away the waste when you hear a gurgling sound.
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Replace the damaged pipe
If none of the above tricks improves the toilet flush, then the time has come to change the pipe. The problem may have risen and needs professional inspection. Seek help from a professional plumber and allow him to handle the problem.
Summary
With so many types of toilet flush systems on the market, finding a suitable self-cleaning toilet with the right flush system is crucial. Some flush systems are not effective and will require several flushes to get rid of waste. Other flush systems will make a lot of noise and deny you the privacy that you need or even wake up your young ones in the middle of the night.
Therefore, when picking a flush system, consider one with an effective flush and quiet operation. That’s among the reasons why many homeowners prefer toilets with a gravity flush system.
Hi, I am Jose S. Franz. Currently, I am working as a professional plumber, and our team offers various plumbing services at an affordable price. After my college education, I completed a vocational certification course in plumbing systems and worked with several construction companies. Since then, I have fixed lots of different toilet models, from older to the latest versions. So I have more than 22 years of experience installing plumbing systems and toilets in both residential and commercial buildings.
On a Kohler toilet with a Fluid Master 400model flush valve, and an Aqua Piston 3 inch round flush valve, how do you replace the 3 inch round flush valve? Can you just replace the cylinder, or do you have to replace the base that the cylinder goes on to?