Window or toilet

I have a problem, I have about 250 budgeted for repairs to my house this month and need to replace two things - both for the purposes of making my bills less. No, this isn't my homework and I'm not interested in intergroup warfare - I'm curious what you all think.

I have an opinion on the matter, but lack of experience tells me to get a second opinion.

So I have two things in mind, both approximately 200 bucks. I could replace my circa 1970's toilet with a nice new efficient 1.6gal flusher (fully glazed, 2 1/8" opening, made in the US) or I could replace the 96x48" window in my living room with an off the shelf Lowe's Pella to replace the single pane aluminum sliding window made in 1960 and leaking like the Titanic.

The way I figure it the toilet has a couple things going for it - it will reduce my water bill, improve the flushing performance, and it will reduce the load on my drain field (always a concern where 30 consecutive days of rain is not unheard of). The window has a few things going for it in that it will reduce the heat loss in the winter, it will allow me to open the windows in the summer and cool off the room, and it will improve the exterior look of the house.

Now I suspect I spend far far more in heating bills than water- in fact I know I do - about 20 bucks a month for water and about 200 bucks a month in the winter on heating. So the way I figure it, replace the window and save about 50 bucks a month in heating costs, assuming a very substantial improvement in heating costs and insulation (there's some rough calcs that I've already done to arrive at 50 bucks saving).

I don't know really. I kind of want to replace the toilet so that I can see how its done, but then I have 3 windows left to replace in the house, the big living room one, a bedroom window I can't get to easily, and a small basement window I don't really care about. The way I figure it, replace the windows and be done with that project for another 5 to 10 years.

Reply to
Eigenvector
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Hi, If the windows is leaking and it causes water damage? You can reduce water conumption on the toilet simply adjusting the flost or putting a brick(s) in the water tank. You said windows leaks like Titanic!

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Definitely get a new window. No coin flip needed.

Reply to
greg2468

Well I meant air, not water. If it was a matter of leaking water - this wouldn't even be a question. No there's a fair breeze through the window corners when it's cold outside.

As to a brick in the tank, I might just try that, although I wonder if it will reduce the flushing performance of the toilet? I'm looking at the toilet because even at the normal 3?? gal per flush it still requires a second on occasion. Totally unacceptable to me, it always gets the brown trouts down of course, its just the TP that stays in.

Reply to
Eigenvector

I had a similar problem. I woke up one morning and I had to both Shit and Piss. Both were equally important but I only had one toilet. I had to pick and choose which one was more important and which one would save me the most money. I sat on the edge of my bed most of the day trying to decide which one to do, when suddenly someone knocked real loudly on my door and scared the shit out of me. There was shit all over my bed. I angerly went to the door and found it was a door to door salesman. That pissed me off so much that the urine ran down my legs.

The moral of this story is this: Toss a coin, and do one or the other, but do something or you'll end up s*****ng in your own bed or pissing down your legs while some door to door salesman walks away with your money.

Now get off the internet, find a penny and flip it........ Heads are for the toilet, tails are for the window.

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I am the Songer of Sings

Reply to
bingo

Dude...... It's the middle of SUMMER. How the f**k can it be cold outside?

Reply to
michaelhampton

There's your answer

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

This is a no brainer...replace that nasty, water wasting old john! And after you do, would you send the old one to me? Please?

Reply to
dadiOH

Do the window. The toilet is over rated.

You will only get by with the 1.6 when there are no solids in the bowl. You will use almost 3 gallons when you have a full load. Also your older pipes may not work properly with the reduced water flow.

Reply to
Colbyt

I forgot about that. I think the windows may qualify for the Federal energy tax credit. The have to meet some certification level to qualify.

Reply to
Colbyt

Get a window, and a closet auger. Ream out the drain in the toilet, and see if that helps.

The better window will help save on the HVAC bill, and may free up some money to buy a toilet later. I doubt the water savings will pay for a window.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

You can get an 8 foot by 4 foot double glazed Pella window for 200 bucks? Are you sure you're not missing a zero?

Reply to
DT

Eigenvector wrote: ..

In most the brick will not save any water because under most conditions they don't empty that far. Then there s the problem that bricks don't like being in water an most will start to fall apart after a while.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

While there could be somewhere that the cost of power is extremely low and water very high that may be different, most any place in the world would favor the window.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Eigenvector wrote: ...

I doubt if it will improve performance, the old one made up for less ideal engineering with lots of water.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

I would get the new window. Then repair the toilet. Serach for instructions on how to clean the toilet with Muratic Acid. Worked wonders on mine.

Reply to
scott21230

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[snip]

  1. Replace the window as the first priority -- It's value to the house is the most evident -- especially if you put the house on the market (assuming your price of 0 is accurate -- that seems low for an insulated or dual pane window).

  2. Check at places like Habitat's resale store or other charity resale locations for a low-volume efficient flush toilet. You can afford to wait until the right one shows up because your present one is still working.
Reply to
JimR

1970s toilet isn't that bad- try to do #2 at work, and only flush every other time for #1, and you can match the savings from the first year of a low-flush. (I think one of the desert states had a poster a few years back- 'if it's brown, flush it down- if it's yellow, let it mellow'.)The window is a no-brainer- if you can see stubbed-out-cigar smoke moving on a breezy day, the payback for it will be less than a couple years on fuel bills.

aem sends....

Reply to
aemeijers

I suppose you shouldn't use one of the cheap bricks that are always shedding. You get bits of clay everywhere.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

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