In recent years, regulation changes regarding the amount of water that toilets can
use for the flushing of toilets has caused some concern for home owners. In the
past, it was common for a toilet to use 3 to 7 gallons of water per flush.
Federal law now requires that a toilet not use more than 1.6 gallons per flush.
The great reduction in water usage, while bringing definite benefits to the environment,
has caused many home owners to need to make repeated calls to plumbers to repair
toilets that failed to function properly.
Newer models of toilets, though, have come a long way in providing good flushing
systems while still meeting the requirements set by the new regulations governing
water usage. In fact, some of the toilets have new flushing systems that actually
work better than did the older models that were guilty of wasting so much water
with each flush. There are now many options for home owners who seek to meet the
regulations, but at the same time not to lose proper functionality for their flushing
systems.
Toilet Styles
Toilets come in many designs, providing many options for home owners to choose from.
Each bathroom's setup is slightly different, and finding the toilet that is the
right fit will make the whole bathroom more useful and easier to maintain. Most
of the differences in the various styles of toilets have little to do with functionality,
and more to do with finding the best fit for the toilet inside the bathroom's available
floor space.
Corner
Toilets
Corner toilets have a triangular shaped tank that fits nicely into a corner in the
bathroom. This design is intended as a space-saver. It can come with a round-front
seat or an elongated seat.
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Round-front Toilets
Round-front toilets are the most common type, also called a standard toilet. The
front of the toilet's bowl is round. When replacing the seat on a toilet, it is
important to make sure to get the right seat to match the bowl. Round-front toilets
and elongated toilets use different sizes of seats.
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Elongated Toilets
On an elongated toilet, the bowl is longer, the front end of the toilet's bowl protruding
2 inches further than does its round-fronted counterpart. The advantages of an elongated
toilet are several, making it the toilet of choice for many home owners. The elongated
bowl makes for a more comfortable seat, and it also allows for a larger water surface
area. This means that the flushing system will be more powerful, while using less
water. In addition, it has a more elegant look than the round-front toilet.
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One-piece Construction Toilets
One-piece construction toilets have the base of the tank connected to the area behind
the
seat, forming a single unit. The design is meant to save space in smaller bathrooms,
but it also offers the further advantage of being easier to clean, with fewer crevices
than the two-piece construction toilets. One-piece construction toilets can come
with an elongated or a round-front bowl. The one-piece construction design for toilets
is slightly more costly than comparable toilets with a two-piece construction design.
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One-piece construction toilets are popular with some people who have disabilities.
The one-piece design means that the tank is lower than a two-piece construction
toilet's tank, making the flushing handle easier to reach. Because of the lower
height, it can be more accessible for users who suffer from certain disabilities.
Wall-mounted Toilets
Wall-mounted toilets are another model intended to save space. The wall-mounted
toilet is attached to the wall, with the tank being built into in the wall. The
absence of the tank in the bathroom makes for much more space, making this a popular
choice for home owners who have very little floor space in their bathrooms.
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Combination
Bidet-Toilet
For home owners who prefer bathrooms with a posh European style, Toto manufactures
a combination bidet-toilet. It is a stylish unit, and has a lower tank than most
toilets. It is a one-piece construction style of unit.
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Toilet Features to Consider
Pressure-Assisted Flush
The pressure-assisted flush system has been designed with federal regulations on
water usage in mind. With the mandate requiring lower water amounts be used per
flush, a problem arose of how to make a system as effective as earlier toilet flushing
systems in ridding the bowl of waste. The pressure-assisted flush system uses pressurized
air to help the toilet force water into the bowl and down the drain. It is very
effective in helping to save water, but many users complain of the noise generated
by the pressure-assisted flushing system. The noise, which many users in the past
accused of frightening small children, is much greater than that of the traditional
gravity flush systems. However, many of the newer toilets with pressure-assisted
flush now operate more quietly than the early models did.
The advantage of the pressure-assisted flush system lies in its savings on water
bills. Some home owners report saving about $100 per year on water bills by using
these lower water-usage flushing systems.
Some pressure-assisted toilets need to be plugged into an AC power supply, so would
need to be situated near a power socket when installed. The buyer should take this
into consideration before choosing a toilet with an electrically powered pressure-assisted
flushing system.
Dual Flush Toilets
Dual flush system toilets have the ability to flush at full or half strength. On
the top of the tank, there are two buttons, one for full flush, and the other for
half flush. The half flush option only uses 0.8 gallons of water per flush. It is
designed to save water.
Macerators and Pumps
A macerator with a pump is an excellent solution for toilets that are placed in
low-lying areas, even those that may lie below the sewer line. A macerator can be
attached to the toilet bowl, and usually to several other bathroom appliances too.
The macerator and pump will eliminate all of the waste water from the bathroom appliances.
The pump and macerator rest on the floor underneath the tank, in the gap between
the foot of the toilet and the wall. Saniflo manufactures several options for the
home owner looking for a toilet with macerator and pump. Several of Saniflo's units
are excellent water-saving models.
High Tank with Pull Chain
Some toilets have a separate tank that is placed high, with an attached pull chain
dangling to within the users reach for flushing. These models are a sure way to
create an antique feel to the bathroom. They can be found with round-front or elongated
designs.
Price Range
Toilet prices begin at prices below $150. There is a wide range of prices available,
with some toilets selling for thousands of dollars. It should not be difficult for
any home owner to find a suitable toilet for each of the bathrooms in the home,
and to find it in a suitable price range.
Corner Toilets
Corner toilets range in price from $250 to $500. Eljer is the main manufacturer
of corner toilets.
A replacement tank costs about $150 for a corner toilet on a two-piece construction
unit.
Round-front Toilets
Being the most common type of toilets, round-front toilets can be found for very
affordable prices. American Standard manufactures a model that sells for as low
as $125. Many models sell for below $200. Prices can range up to $500, but most
of the round-front toilets sell in the price range of $150 to $300.
Elongated Toilets
Elongated toilets begin in the price range of $220. American Standard and Toto both
have models priced between $200 and $300. The majority of elongated toilets sell
for prices between $300 and $500.
Elongated toilets with attached macerators or grinder pumps sell for prices over
$800. Saniflo's elongated toilet with macerator and pump sells for just over $800.
The models that come with an attached grinder pump sells for prices between $930
and $990.
One-piece Construction Toilets
One-piece construction toilets are more expensive, in general, than two-piece construction
toilets. Prices for one-piece construction toilets begin at just over $300, for
units such as Kohler's Rialto and American Standard's Champion one- piece construction
toilets.
The majority of one-piece construction toilets sell for prices between $400 and
$500. Kohler, Toto, Eljer, Plymouth, and American Standard all sell one-piece construction
toilets in this price range.
Saniflo manufactures a one-piece construction toilet with a macerator located inside
the base of the unit. It sells for just under $700.
Many one-piece construction toilets are priced over $1,000. Most of the more costly
units are made with a more elegant design, such as the designs manufactured by Wasauna.
Kohler also sells a unit priced over $1,000. This design is made to have a more
powerful flushing system in a small design.
Wall-mounted Toilets
Wall-mounted toilets are generally priced over $600, with some selling for prices
over $800. However, Porcher manufactures a unit that sells for less than $250. Duravit
sells several models of wall-mounted toilets. Most of Duravit's wall-mounted toilets
sell for prices over $1,000, though there are a few models that sell for just under
$1,000.
Combination Bidet-Toilet
There are several bidets to choose from, all costing around $1,000 or more. Toto
manufactures two combination bidet-toilet units, one selling for $3,200, and the
other for $5,200. Both of these combination bidet-toilet units sold by Toto come
with remote control features.
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