What Is a Pressure-Assisted Toilet? Benefits and Considerations

A power flush toilet, also known as a power-assisted toilet, can be a good choice for both residential homes and commercial businesses where the toilets are used many times a day, making them prone to clogging. Pressure-assisted toilets are both efficient and more powerful than most less efficient standard or even the newer and more efficient gravity-flow toilets that lack the power necessary to fully flush waste. If you regularly have problems with flushing power, a pressure-assisted toilet may be the right option.

This style of toilet has an airtight plastic tank inside the porcelain tank where the water is stored. The toilet uses both water and pressurized air to increase the velocity of the flushing water. It generates a powerful flush, while only using about 1.1 to 1.4 GPF. Additionally, the increased velocity of the water helps to break up any larger waste so the toilet doesn't require a larger trapway to function effectively. Pressure-assisted toilets have heavy-duty components and toilets can last up to 30 years if well-maintained. Read on to find out more about pressure-assisted toilets, how they work, and why these powerful bathroom fixtures are beneficial.

How Pressure-Assisted Toilets Work

A typical residential toilet will have a large porcelain tank that fills with water and a bowl that acts as both a seat for the user and a water-filled collection point. When the toilet is flushed, a flapper lifts off of the flush valve, allowing gravity to force the water from the tank down into the bowl and push any waste into the drainpipe. A pressure-assisted toilet has an airtight plastic tank inside the large porcelain tank to improve the flushing power.

The airtight plastic tank fills with water between flushes and it's designed to trap air inside the tank, increasing the air pressure as more water fills the tank. When the toilet is ready to flush, it uses the built-up air pressure to explosively force the water from the tank into the bowl at a much higher velocity than a gravity-flow toilet. Despite the increased power, these toilets actually use less water per flush than a gravity-flow toilet and don't require a larger trapway because larger waste is broken up by the force and velocity of the water.

Benefits of Power Flush Toilets

Reduce Water Consumption

Pressure-assisted toilets typically save a household about 0.2 to 0.5 gallons per flush, or 4,000 gallons per year, reducing the cost of water bills and promoting water conservation efforts. On average, newer gravity-flow toilets will use about 1.6 GPF, which is still more than what a pressure-assisted toilet uses per flush.

By increasing the velocity of the water, pressure-assisted toilets will typically only use about 1.1 to 1.4 GPF. Standard toilets also push waste about 40 feet down the drain line but the velocity of pressure-assisted toilets pushes contents up to 60 feet to better displace waste.

Avoid Clogs With Pressure-Assisted Flushing Power

Enhanced flushing power reduces the need for second or third flushes to clear waste from the toilet bowl. Instead of relying on gravity and centrifugal force to push waste out of the toilet bowl, the built-up air pressure in the tank blasts water into the toilet bowl for an effective flush.

The high-velocity flush also breaks up large pieces of waste, preventing clogs in the toilet and further down the drain line. This nearly eliminates the use of a plunger, drain snake, or harsh drain-cleaning chemicals that can do lasting damage to your plumbing system.

Reduce Cleaning Frequency and Condensation Problems

Pressure-assisted toilets require less cleaning than gravity-flow toilets because the strong force of the flush removes more debris from the inside of the toilet bowl. In addition, the water level in the toilet bowl of a pressure-assisted toilet is higher than the water level in a gravity-flow toilet which helps keep the sides of the bowl clean during use.

Condensation is less of an issue with power flush toilets because the water is stored inside an airtight plastic tank instead of directly inside the porcelain tank. Porcelain is susceptible to temperature changes and will frequently sweat during the warmer months of the year. With a pressure-assisted toilet, the plastic tank holds the water so it doesn't touch the sides of the porcelain and condensation cannot form on the outside of the toilet tank.

Problems With Pressure-Assisted Toilets

You should also take into consideration the cost and other issues of installing a power flush toilet.

• Cost: This increased flushing power comes at quite a literal cost. While gravity-flow toilets can be purchased for around $100 to $300, pressure-assisted toilets typically cost around $500 to $700.
• Noise: The noise produced by flushing a pressure-assisted toilet may sound explosive and much louder than that of a standard gravity-flow toilet.
• Maintenance and repairs: Power flush toilets are not as common as standard gravity-flow toilets, so it's much more difficult to find parts for repairs.

Whether you feel like the benefits outweigh the shortcomings or that pressure-assisted toilets aren't for you, it's hard to deny why they are a popular choice for anyone looking to save on water bills or reduce the frequency of clogs at home.