A bidet, or a toilet bidet combo, can be a hygienic, paper-saving element of any bathroom. Learning about the options available, may help homeowners make the decision that is right for them.
What is a Bidet?
A bidet is a low mounted, porcelain plumbing fixture. Its primary use is to clean the user’s bottom and genitalia, and is frequently used in the place of toilet paper. In some households, the bidet can also be used as a foot bath.
Toilet bidet combo options are also available in the form of a heated toilet seat, which contains a spray wand, with optional drying features. Some toilets will have these options included, while others will need the seat purchased separately.
How to Use a Bidet or Bidet Toilet Seat
The word bidet is derived from the French word for pony, giving an indication to its use. To use, straddle the fixture, seated over its bowl and facing the wall. There are two styles of bidet and bidet faucets. The first mounts the faucet in front of the user and has an angled head which sprays water toward the user. The second is mounted below the user and sprays upward.
Bidet toilet seats come in many varieties. Some will have controls mounted on the arm of the seat, while others are powered by remote control. If the seat allows for temperature control, or has drying features, these will be controlled from the arm or remote. When activated, a wand will move out from the seat and spray the user from below.
Bidet toilet seats are available in multiple combinations, with heating, drying and unique user profile programming options, and can be fitted to most standard toilets. Both round front, and elongated front seats are available, to suit all users.
Incorporating a Bidet into Bathroom Design
When deciding between a separate bidet, and a toilet bidet combo, space is often a consideration. Toilets and bidets each need a minimum of 30” of space in which to sit to pass most building codes. NKBA and other guidelines recommend 36”, to give greater comfort for the user.
This is measured from the center of the fixture to a minimum of 15” out on either side. No other surface can come within that boundary, meaning that a minimum of 60” is needed to fit a toilet and bidet side by side, and 72” is preferable.
For small bathrooms, or bathrooms with a separate toilet compartment, a bidet toilet seat may be a better fit. The bidet toilet seat is not an options for users hoping o use the bidet as a foot bath, so where space is ample, this option can be preferred.
Bidet toilet seats can usually be added to an existing toilet with little alteration. A GFCI outlet will be required near the toilet for heating elements to be included and a “T” off shoot to the water supply to power both the toilet and the bidet seat.
Many bidets will come in matching styles to toilets, making the incorporating of the bidet into the bathroom style easier. Many bathroom faucets will also have matching options for the bidet as well, to help preserve the design.
Using a bidet can be a great experience for those concerned with hygiene, or those conserving paper. Pricing is typically comparable between the bidet and the bidet toilet seat, when factors such as installation are taken into account. Check with plumbing retailers to see what designs are available, and begin enhancing the bathroom experience today.
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