Go with the flow: Tips on toilets and leaking pipes

Q: Hi, Ed. I really enjoy your columns, especially when the topic is water conservation. We are thinking of installing a new toilet to replace our old water-guzzling 3.5-gallon toilet. Are there any professional reviews of the new dual-flush toilets available so we can have some help in choosing the right one for us? We want to save water, but we also want to make sure we get waste-removal effectiveness, low water use, low noise level and a good price. Thanks for your advice.

— Bill in Nevada

First, we need to catch up any of our readers who may not have heard about dual-flush toilets. Dual-flush toilets are very popular in Europe and other areas around the world where water conservation has been going on for years. Recently, the United States has become much more conscious about water conservation, and in doing so we have discovered the dual-flush toilet.

These toilets are very cool, and basically, just like the name says, they have two flushing options: a half flush (a little less than a gallon) and a full flush (1.6 gallons). They qualify for "high-efficiency toilet"(HET) status. Such toilets may qualify for rebates of up to $200 from some water departments Basically, the drier your area, the more money you may get for the rebate. Being in Nevada, like they say in Vegas, you may hit the jackpot for water-saving credits!

Speaking of saving, replacing an old 3.5-GPF toilet with a new HET could result in saving up to 15,000 gallons of water per year for an average family of four.

Now, for the second part of the answer to your question.

If you're looking for guidance when buying a new HET, the government has set up a pretty good program. The Environmental Protection Agency's "Water Sense" program (http://www.epa.gov/watersense/) partners with many major toilet manufacturers. The EPA tests toilets for maximum flushing power and water-saving potential. If a toilet passes the test, it gets the "EPA Water Sense"label.

Simply put, just look for or ask for a high-efficiency single-flush or (in your case) dual-flush toilet that has earned the EPA Water Sense label and use that for your guideline in buying a new toilet.

Q: We moved into our home over 30 years ago and the homes in our neighborhood are all built on slab foundations with copper piping for the plumbing. Now all of a sudden, in many of my neighbors' homes and my home included, we are getting tiny pinhole leaks right where the pipes come through the concrete slab. How can we fix this and what can be causing the problem?

— David in Texas

A: This does not sound good. I have seen this in many older homes. Nowadays, in just about every area I know of, if a copper pipe is installed through a concrete slab, the newer codes require that the pipe be "sleeved" to prevent it from possible corrosion. Concrete is not friendly to copper pipes and, over time, if there is not a barrier between the copper and the concrete, the result is usually the breakdown of the copper pipe. I have even seen older copper pipes fall off right at the concrete line, so you need to address this problem right away before something lets loose.

Usually the concrete needs to be broken around the pipe, the section of bad pipe replaced and "sleeved," and then fresh concrete poured around the pipe sleeve. However, there may be new options available in your area to seal the pipes from the inside, but you need to contact your local building inspector for permit requirements and all repair options available to you. Good luck!

Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known 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@hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.