When we talk about bathrooms, the thing we overlook the most is the toilet. Toilets are the most used equipment in the bathroom. When buying a toilet, they are certain things you need to keep in mind, and no, we are not just talking about the brand. Toilets come in many styles and all with different specifications. As we are quite unaware of the criteria on which we should buy a toilet, we don’t care about it much. Well, lucky for you, we are here to guide you through the many aspects you need to look out for to find the best toilets.
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Things you Need to look for When Buying a Toilet
Just by looking out for these 10 crucial features, you can have the best toilet. Let’s get started!
Toilet Type
Mainly, there are two types of toilets. The first is the gravity-feed toilet. These toilets have a flush system that uses gravity, we mean, the water fills up the tank and goes down the toilet to flush it. These toilets have a high thrust capacity, provided the valves are more than 2 inches, they are also cheaper. It also makes lesser noise, but make sure you buy a quality product.
The second is the pressure-assisted toilet. These toilets compress air in their flush tanks, and as soon as you flush, it loses the water in a powerful thrust, making sure that no waste is left behind. It also reduces the chances of clogs in your pipeline. It has a few disadvantages though; it is expensive, and it requires high pressure to work and it makes a lot of noise as well.
Toilet Piece
Don’t be confused, whenever you go to buy toilets, the first thing they are going to ask is that do you want one-piece or two-piece toilet? A one-piece toilet has both the tank and the bottom connected, they are smaller in size and have a smaller capacity as compared to two-piece toilets. Two-piece toilets require more space, as the tank and seat are separated. They have a larger capacity to store water, but they take a little longer to flush and refill.
Toilet Bowl
Like toilet pieces, toilet bowls also come in two types, either round or elongated. Is there a lot of difference between the two? Well, elongated bowls considered to have more space than a round bowl seat. They also are larger than round bowls, which could be a disadvantage if you have limited space. Usually, in your homes, you have the round bowl seat as they are the standard toilet bowls shape.
Seat Height
The most important thing to consider when buying a toilet is its height. if you are household with many members, all must vary in their height and thus, finding the toilet with the perfect distance from the bottom to the rim becomes a hassle. In standard toilets, the height is around 10- 14 inches, but this is not considered comfortable for all, especially for the disabled and the elderly. If you have both at your household, then we suggest buying a toilet with more height, around 17 – 20 inches.
Flush System
Another thing that people need to look into is the flushing system of the toilet. Due to the advancement of technology, newer systems of flush are available. Some toilets still come with the standard handle at the corner of the toilet to flush, while some have a button at the top of the tank. Some toilets come without flappers which means that it is more efficient in preventing leaks.
There are also toilets with the dual flush system, this system allows partial flushing for liquid waste and a complete flush for solid waste. This helps in saving a lot of water.
Water-Saving
Bathrooms are the place where we waste the most water, especially the toilet. A toilet uses around 1.6 gallons of water per flush. If you want to find a toilet that saves water or uses less per flush, then it is important that you read the specification of the toilet and how much water it uses. Some newer models have reduced the water up to 1.2 gallons per flush.
Valves
Its time to dig a little deeper into our investigation. It is important that we know the parts being used in the toilet. One such example is the valve. Both the inlet and outlet valve have a height and connection. It is believed that an inlet valve of 3 inches is best for toilets, while the valves themselves use a compression connection or a solder connection. They are easier to maintain in case of any damage.
Noise and Coating
One thing that people never tend to overlook is the noise level of the toilet, especially if they live in a small house. If your toilet is noisy, people around the house will be aware of each flush, and you don’t want that. It has been researched that gravity toilets produce lesser noise than pressure-assisted toilets.
Many toilets now come with an inner coating, which helps reduce the waste from sticking to the inner wall and thus, also reduces smell. This is a bonus and something you should look for.
Installation
How much space do you have? This should be the first thing you should consider. How much space can you give to your toilet, and who is going to install it? Find a toilet that fits your space and is also easy to assemble, in case you are doing it yourself.
Supply Line
The water supply line to your toilet should be made with flexible stainless steel, instead of a rigid copper wire, which they usually come with. With such a small change, you will reduce leaking and have easy repairs in the future.
You can find a toilet suited to your style and needs by following these tips. It is also crucial that you look for a branded product for higher quality because a toilet is something that is used regularly and shouldn’t be compromised.
