Dual Flush Toilet Which Button to Push? – All Explained

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Paulk Webb

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Freddie J. Hagopian

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dual flush toilet which button to push

New bathrooms are often equipped with water-saving dual flush toilets. Instead of one, you’ll get two buttons to push. So, on a dual flush toilet which button to push?

Push the larger button after you take a dump. It will release a huge amount of water to clean the toilet more intensively. If you’re only taking a pee, choose the smaller button that releases a lower volume of water.

Continue reading to learn the dual flush toilet meaning, its mechanism, and which button to use below.

What is a Dual Flush Toilet?

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A dual flush toilet looks exactly like a regular toilet, but the main difference is that it uses two buttons for flushing. The larger button is used for flushing solid wastes while the smaller button is for liquid wastes. Unlike regular toilets, a dual-flush unit uses different volumes of water to flush the wastes separately.

This helps you save water in the long run.

In some models, the dual-flush toilet comes with a handle to release a full or half flush. You should pull the handle up to save water and push down on it to flush solid waste. Seemingly, the trap underneath the dual-flush toilet is bigger than the regular units to get rid of the solid wastes more easily.

Read more: Dual flush vs single flush toilet: what is the difference?

How Does a Dual Flush Toilet Work?

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The dual flush toilet mechanism uses two controls to regulate the release of water for flushing wastes. As shown in the dual-flush toilet mechanism diagram above, the top or smaller button releases a smaller amount of water to flush paper and liquid wastes. The bottom or larger button releases twice as much water to wash away solid wastes.

As an example, the Kohler dual flush toilet uses only 0.6 gallon for flushing liquid and 1.6 gallons for solid waste.

There’s no siphoning action for dual-flush toilets. Instead, they use a larger trap to push the waste down the drain. As a result, this kind of toilet uses less water to clean the bowl.

What Are the Advantages of Dual Flush Toilets?

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This two button toilet flusher can provide many benefits to you and the environment. Here are some of them.

  • Saves Water: When you use a dual flush toilet, you help the environment save water. The dual-flush unit only uses less than a gallon to flush liquid wastes.
  • Saves Money: Since you’ll be using less water with this type of unit, you also cut down the costs of your water bills to save money for other purchases.
  • Flexibility: Having a toilet with two buttons gives you the flexibility to choose how much water to use for flushing. You can use a half-flush or a full-flush as necessary.
  • Easy To Maintain: These toilets use a larger trap rather than a siphon to dispose of the waste. This means no dealing with long tubes and clearing toilet clogs.

What Are the Different Types of Dual Flush Toilet Button?

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A dual flush typically has a small and large button. Let’s identify the difference between these two types of toilet flush buttons.

  • Large Button: This button operates the full flush. It uses about 1.6 to 2.4 gallons of water to move solid wastes. Mostly, this button has a full circle or water droplets to indicate a full flush.
  • Small Button: The small button, which is the short flush button, uses less water to clean the bowl after peeing. To be precise, this button can release between 0.8 to 1.05 gallons of water. You can find this button as a half circle or a small raindrop on the toilet.

What Happens if I Push Both Buttons on a Dual Flush Toilet?

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When you push both the small and large buttons at the same time, the toilet will release more water and pressure. It doesn’t harm the toilet, but it will waste a lot of water.

You can turn this accident into an advantage.

Use high pressure to clean the dirt in the corners of your toilet. If you’re taking a large dump, you can push both buttons to flush it more efficiently. Sometimes, the larger button might not be enough to clean the toilet completely.

How to Use and Care for a Dual Flush Toilet

A dual flush is a toilet with buttons on top. To use, you simply have to choose what button to press after doing your business.

Here are other tips for using a dual-flush model.

  • Make sure that you check the bowl after every flush. If you still see some remaining waste, press the large button again.
  • Before you press the button to flush, close the toilet seat to prevent any elements from spilling over your floor.
  • Keep your toilet bowl clean. Scrub the corners and around the rim with a cleaner. Avoid using bleach because it’s going to damage the parts.
  • Be careful not to exert too much pressure when pressing the buttons to avoid damaging them.
  • Refer to your manufacturer’s dual flush button instructions for proper use.

Troubleshooting Dual Flush Toilets

Like any other toilet, the dual flush can face many problems along the way. Here are the common problems of dual flush units and how to fix them.

  • Noisy When Filling The Tank: This is the common issue of all Delta dual flush toilet units. To fix this, check the water pressure and try to reduce it. You can also try to clean the valve head of any debris that could block it.
  • Takes Too Long To Fill: Check the water shut-off valve. Water can’t flow into the tank when this valve is closed. You also want to clean the valve to remove any obstructions for proper water flow.
  • Dual Flush Toilet Button Not Working: When your unit is suffering from push button toilet flush problems, check the valve inside the tank.

Make sure that the flush valve chain is still connected to the flush ball or lever. If the valve is alright, consider a 2 button toilet flush replacement because the pushing rods must have gotten damaged.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I adjust my dual flush button?

To adjust a dual flush toilet, open the tank and turn it upside down. Find the white threaded rod which activates the full flush. Turn that rod counterclockwise to adjust its water flow.

Once done, return the lid and try to flush the toilet. If you’re not yet satisfied with the performance, try to adjust the white threaded rod again.

Is it better to flush a toilet with a button or lever?

Using a button is better than a lever to flush the toilet. A button is easier to adjust because you only need to turn the threaded rod underneath. It’s also easier to sanitize the buttons because they’re smaller and more compact.

Most toilets that use buttons provide the benefits of a dual flush mechanism. You can save water when you use the smaller button to flush the toilet. The only downside is that these toilets are more expensive than those that use levers.

Conclusion

At this point, you should know when you flush toilet which button to push. It’s easy to operate a modern dual-flush unit, plus you help save the environment by conserving water. Each time you flush, you can use no more than ten liters of water.

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Read more: Push button toilet vs handle flush: which is better?

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