ShareThisQ: Hello, Ed, I enjoy your column, but recently spotted a spelling error. In talking about new toilets, you mentioned a "duel"-flush toilet. The correct spelling should have been "dual" as in "two," not meaning "fighting." Now that I helped you, please help me. What exactly is a dual-flush toilet? -- Robert in Ohio.A: Yes, since there is no internal flushing conflict involved with this type of toilet, I'll make sure I call it a dual-flush toilet from now on, and I'm sorry for the spelling error. However, when I wrote that column, I was fighting mad about the amount of water being wasted in most of our homes across the country, and some part of my feelings must have slipped through. I had just been notified by a reliable source that about 51 percent of American households are still using older toilets that flush with over 1.6 gallons per flush. And, about 35 percent of all water used in an average home goes right down the toilet. This is a staggering amount of water being wasted for no reason at all.If you replace an old water-guzzling toilet with a new 1.3 GPF high-efficiency toilet (HET), you can expect to save 6,000 to 10,000 gallons of water per year, per toilet!I know that most people are reluctant to change because they feel that a lot more water is going to give them a stronger flush, and when 1.6 GPF toilets first came out in the 1990s, that was the case. But, nowadays, new types of HETs can actually deliver stronger flushes with less water, and a dual-flush toilet is just such a toilet. Like the name says, a dual flush works with two buttons. One button delivers a strong, full flush at 1.6 gallons for big jobs, and the second button gives you a strong half-flush option for small jobs. Bottom line: Switching to a new high-efficiency dual-flush toilet will let you keep your full flush and you will save a lot of water. And, I'll duel it out with anyone on that point.Q: My son recently moved into a home with a fiberglass/acrylic bathtub. The color is the old harvest gold (yuk!), and he would like to change the color. Since budget is a major concern, I was wondering if there is a paint that he can buy and apply himself. -- Ben in New MexicoA: Resurfacing fiberglass tubs is a lot like repainting a fiberglass boat. The good news is that there are marine gel-coat paint products that may be used for your type of tub. The bad news is that, in my opinion, this is a job for professionals only. I have never personally seen a do-it-yourself paint job on a bathtub that looked good. Just like fine wall plasterwork, refinishing plumbing fixtures is an art form, in my book.I would not attempt it myself -- and with that in mind, I cannot recommend it for your son. The best advice I can give is to call in a professional to first see if the tub can be refinished, and then get in writing an estimate for the complete job.This is not an emergency and there is no reason the tub cannot be used while your son saves up for the project. And who knows? Once you see the price, the color may not look that bad anymore.(Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For information visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande(at)hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com.)
Dual-flush toilets ... Refinishing a fiberglass tub
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