There Are Many Types Of Toilets Available Today
— Some, like porcelain, will last a lifetime. But, how do you choose a new one? If you are in the market for a new toilet, some considerations are:
Space Available
The classic round bowl toilet extends into the bathroom about 2” less than the newer elongated bowl shape. Both are the same width. Choose the round shape if the space is small or if you want a more traditional look.
Upgrade from Standard
The standard toilet seat is 15” off the floor. Families with kids may prefer this height in a toilet.
The “comfort” toilet seat is 17” to 19” off the floor, similar to that of a chair. This height is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It may be a good choice for those with knees that don’t bend like they once did, or for taller people.
There is much discussion on the relationship between colon health and lower seated toilets. The more we squat, the more we use our leg muscles and the easier on our bodies.
Preferred Pricing
There are high-functioning toilets with heated seats, warm water sprays and dryers that eliminate the need for toilet paper. Added features include a deodorizer for the user and another for the room.
The standard and least expensive toilet is the round bowl with separate but matching seat and tank. One advantage of these is the readily available parts if the toilet needs to be fixed.
Easy Cleaning
A Lowboy is a one piece toilet where the bowl and tank are fused together. This design eliminates the small crevices that are often hard to clean. Lowboys are popular with architecturally designed homes. Repair parts for a Lowboy are more expensive because they are an uncommon toilet.
A wall mounted toilet is attached to the wall and doesn’t rest on the floor. This means the floor under the toilet is easier to mop. It’s a nice feature if you have a household where someone misses the toilet bowl at times.
Some high end toilets have a self-cleaning feature. Water is sprayed around the bowl, dried, and then UV rays zap and destroy any leftover waste. Another option is the Tornado flush which rinses the bowl as it empties, all in one powerful flushing action.
Easy Listening
The soft closing seat and lid is a nice feature. Just give the toilet seat or lid a little ‘push’ and it will slowly close without a sound. This is great if you have a household where the seat goes up and down all day, depending on gender, or when kids let the seat or lid fall. The seat and lid can also be removed for cleaning and put back on without tools.
Water Saving
Before the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 1992, a toilet used about 3 gallons of water in each flush. This Act set the uniform water efficiency and conservation standards and created a huge change in toilets. It required any toilet manufactured after 1994 use a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush. Many toilet manufacturers met the Acts requirements but failed at a design that successfully emptied the toilet bowl at first flush. Improvements were made over time so that today’s low flush toilets are much more successful.
Dual flush buttons give the user the choice of flushing with a little water for #1, or with a lot of water for #2. (By the way, the origin of going “#1” and “#2” has not been successfully traced.)
Raymark Plumbing & Sewer Recommends
Our experienced plumbers carry Toto brand toilets on their trucks, in round, elongated, and ADA compliant styles. Toto toilets work well with low water volume, and their glazed toilet bowl trap helps assist waste to exit the bowl in one water-saving flush.
Many sewer lines have problems with low water toilets since the sewer pipe becomes rough over time and less water means waste isn’t moving through as designed. Toto does not pay us to say they are the best at eliminating waste from the toilet bowl and pushing it through to the sewer line, due to their smooth design.
Of course, we can order and install any type of toilet. Buying a toilet from a big box store may be more economical, but the quality is better through us and through our supply houses. And when we supply your toilet, it is under Raymark Plumbing & Sewer warranty.
Call Raymark Plumbing & Sewer at (206) 440-9077 for all of your toilet needs. We are happy to help you choose a new toilet.
