The
homeowner's guide to toilet-buying
If you're thinking about
renovating your bathroom, chances are the toilet
is the last thing that comes to mind as an
object of interest. Toilets - and everything
that they're used for - are subjects that few
people want to deal with, but choosing the right
one can make bathroom time more pleasant for
everyone in the home.
Before you take the plunge
into installing a new toilet in your home, it's
wise to take a minute and read up about what
kind of toilet would suit you best.
Choose your
throne
There
is actually a
wide variety of styles to choose from when
installing a toilet in your home. As an
immediate consideration, it's important to
invest some money into your toilet, no matter
what style you choose.
While you can find cheap
toilets, they'll always cost you more in
plumbing in the long run than a good quality
toilet and professional installation will cost
you in the short-term.
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Size and shape. The first things to be aware of are heights and bowl sizes. While most toilet seats are about 17 inches tall, you can get a 19-inch tall seat for a bit of added comfort (or if you have long legs). Toilet bowls are typically either round or elongated - generally, elongated bowls provide a more comfortable experience, but they do take up more space.
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Style. Once you've decided on a height and bowl shape, it's time to choose the style. The most common styles are two-piece toilets - your standard toilet where the tank and seat are separate from one another - and one-piece toilets, in which both the tank and seat are part of the same piece of furniture. While one-piece toilets are sleeker and more modern, they're also more expensive and difficult to transport.
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Type. Other than these options, there are a variety of more niche toilets styles available. These include in-wall toilets, in which the tank is built into the wall behind the toilet. While this is probably the most aesthetically pleasing toilet style, it also tends to be more expensive than others and requires the help of professionals to install.
Understand flushing systems and pressure
options
Any
good toilet should be capable of flushing
down (almost) whatever goes into it.
Fortunately, modifications to low-pressure
toilet designs over the years have resulted in
even the eco-friendliest low-pressure toilets
being able to get rid of almost anything that
enters the bowl.
Additionally, many eco-friendly low-pressure toilets come with federal rebates, which allows homeowners to save some money on low-impact ones. Two-pressure toilets - which provide options for how much pressure should be allocated to a flush - are also a great way for homeowners to be a little eco-friendlier.o:p>
There are two basic types
of flushing systems: gravity-feed and
pressure-assisted models. Gravity-feed toilets
use gravity to flush and are typically fairly
quiet. On the other hand, pressure-assisted
models are more capable of flushing down debris
and keeping the bowl clean, but they're also
oftentimes much louder than gravity-feed models.
Choose whichever fits your home and lifestyle
best.
AAt the end of the day, it's
worth taking some time and researching what type
of toilet you want in your home. Resources like
Consumer Reports offer comprehensive
pressure testing, allowing homeowners to see
what toilets will give them the best bang for
their buck.
If you're interested in
installing a new toilet but don't quite know
where to start, why not give our team here at
Delta Mechanical a call? For over 30 years,
we've been providing high-quality plumbing
services to our customers. To learn more about
what Delta Mechanical can do for you, click
here.