(NEWS CENTER)- This week's "angie's list" report is all about... Potty talk. That's right... We're talking toilets. They make some really fancy ones now-a-days... And the new models conserve a lot more water than the old ones.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 required all new toilets to be low-flow or low-flush, restricting their water usage to 1.6 gallons per flush instead of what used to be the average of 3.5 gallons per flush.

Plumbing Showroom Manager Mary Wright says, "A low-flush toilet would be anything from 1.6 all the way to down to 1.28. You have dual flush toilets now that are .9 to 1.28. A dual flush toilet usually has two buttons or two types of levers on it that would be for your liquids and your waste. Those are becoming more and more popular."

But beyond the common trait of efficiency... if you haven't shopped for a toilet in awhile... you'll probably be astounded by the number of bells and whistles that are offered.

Angie Hicks says, "Your options are really endless. Toilets have become very sophisticated over the years. You can find a very basic toilet for a few hundred dollars all the way up to thousands of dollars for the state of the art toilet."

Homeowners can choose between a one or two piece toilet...

A round or elongated bowl...

Different heights...

And more...

Wright says, "Different toilets like heated seats or washlets or have open and shut lids that are automatic - all those features are very desirable, they are not necessary but at the end of the day they are quite a nice feature to have those because they can actually save a lot of time. They have dryers built onto them. They have deodorizers. So the dryer function alone saves on toilet paper usage."

Although an experienced do-it-yourselfer may be able to install a new toilet, most homeowners would probably be better off hiring a licensed plumber.

A poor installation job can lead to leaks under the flooring.

Angie's List says a plumber typically requires an hour or two to install a toilet.

You can expect to pay between $125 and $260 for the installation.

That price can fluctuate depending on several factors including whether you want the plumber to haul away your old toilet... and if your plumbing components are in good condition.

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