There are countless types and styles of toilets on the market today. Dual flush and Eco-Friendly toilets offer low water consumption, while a pressure toilet will help move out waste from the oldest pipes or from below street level. The design of the toilet should compliment the space as well, with one piece toilets used in modern bathrooms, and toilets with decorative lids and foot prints for the more traditional bath. Learning what’s available, and the differences between them, will help the consumer make the right choice.
Flushing Systems
There are many different types of flushing systems on the market today. Choosing the right one means taking a look at the needs of the user and the home.
Gravity fed toilets are among the oldest on the market. When toilets were first brought into the home, large quantities of water were used, together with gravity to push the waste through the pipes. As water conservation acts came into being, gravity fed toilets began to be used less frequently. They are the right choice, however, for some older homes without properly located stack lines.
Siphon jet toilets were used to replace gravity fed toilets in newer homes. These toilets take advantage of the stack line, running to 2’ above the roof line, to move the waste. Air is expelled ahead of the waste into the stack line, which causes a vacuum effect, sucking the waste out. This is the standard toilet flush system for most homes. It can sometimes combine with gravity features for a more efficient flush.
Pressure assisted toilets use up 50lbs of street water pressure to push waste out. The toilets work well in basements, where waste must travel upward.
Dual Flush toilets use less water for liquid waste, and the standard amount of water for solid waste. This gives users a choice of which flush to use and can save hundreds of gallons a water a year.
Eco-Friendly toilets, such as Toto’s E-Max, use 1.28 gallons of water to flush the toilet, rather than the standard 1.6 gallons of water. While not a large savings with each flush, this low consumption toilet will add up to big savings for the homeowner and the environment over a lifetime of use.
Design Features
The style of the toilet is as important to the design of the bathroom, as the flushing system is to the user and home. Toilets are available in many different styles and colors, suitable to any design. One piece toilets, which have no separation between the tank and bowl, are often modern or transitional in style. Two piece toilets will often have more decorative elements to them, making them more suitable to traditional bathrooms.
Skirted toilets, and toilets with concealed trapways, are becoming more common as well. These toilets have smooth sides, making for a cleaner appearance, and an easier time cleaning the toilet itself.
Advances in glaze technology mean that toilets are typically easier to keep clean overall, as well, and heated and bidet style toilet seats are available for multi-function style and design.
Wall hung toilets are great choices for modern homes, or homes where it's difficult to get the correct pitch through the floor for a floor mounted toilet. These toilets rely on a carrier in the wall, so be sure to check with plumber before installing.
Considerations
When purchasing a toilet, it’s also important to keep size in mind as well. Elongated toilets are often more comfortable, but may not fit into small bathrooms, making a round front bowl a better choice. Comfort, or universal, height toilets are 17” from floor to rim, rather than the standard 15”, making them closer to chair height, and therefore easier to use.
Be sure to measure the toilet’s rough-in before purchasing as well. The rough-in is the measurement from the finished wall behind the toilet, not including any baseboard, to the center of the bolt cap on the floor. Not all toilets are available in all rough-ins so be sure to measure and ask to see toilets in that size to avoid potential complications.
When style and function are taken together, the toilet will fit seamlessly into the design, into the home, and into the user’s life.
 |
 |
