You and your family have been settled into your home for years, but nothing is unchanging. You’ve been telling your significant other for the last year that you need to replace your toilet in the upstairs bathroom, but it hasn’t seemed like a priority. It’s the same one that was had been there for years with the previous owner, and you know that it’s nearing the end of its journey. Just the other day, the handle fell off of the toilet as little Tommy tried to flush it, and that was the last straw.

It’s now time to finally replace your toilet. But where do you start?

Believe it or not, the options today are plenty. In fact, there are so many designs with added technology that you may start to feel overwhelmed. So we put together this handy guide to help you figure out what will work best for you and your family by asking you the right questions:

• How do you want your new toilet to look?
• How do you want your new toilet to function?
• How high-tech would you like your new toilet?

 

 

How Do You Want Your New Toilet to Look?

For many, design is just as important as function. There are many different sleek options available, but the most important features come down to bowl height and bowl shape.

Do you want it higher or lower?

A standard toilet sits at about 15” high, which is comfortable for most adults. But for some, this height can be a little low. A Comfort Height toilet sits 2 inches higher and may be more convenient for the elderly or taller individuals to get up.

But if you have small children in the home and have a separate bathroom for them, you may want to decide if a shorter toilet is the right way to go.

What kind of shape do you want?

Your current toilet probably has a round bowl, and you may want to continue to stick with that shape for your family. They fit well in smaller bathrooms, they’re reasonably priced, they’re great for potty training if you have young children, and they’re generally comfortable for the average person.

But they don’t always do well for people with different needs. If you’re a larger/taller person, desire more powerful flushing, or just want a more modern look, look into elongated models

 

 

How Do You Want Your New Toilet to Function?

Most toilets that you’ve come across are what are referred to as gravity flush style. In simple terms, that means the toilet flushes by using gravity rather than using mechanical assistance. There’s a rubber flap that opens up when you depress the handle which lets gravity do all the work.

But this isn’t the only option you have.

Do you want more pressure?

If so, you may want to consider a pressure-assisted toilet. If you’re not sure what those are, think about the ones you see in public bathrooms. While they’re more common in those settings, there are versions that are available for home installation.

Benefits: 

• They stay cleaner for longer.
• You’re less likely to experience clogs.

Negatives:

• They do cost more than standard gravity flush options.
• They can be significantly louder.

Do you want something a little more environmentally friendly?

Then you may want to look into dual flush toilets. This style has a combination of gravity flush and pressure-assisted system. It allows you to use the gravity flush for liquid waste to save on water or the pressure-assisted for solid waste so you don’t have to fear clogs. 

Benefits: 

• You conserve more water.
• They can help lower your utility bill but only by a small margin.

Negatives:

• You have to make sure you know which button is which, or you’ll end up flushing twice and using excess water instead of saving.
• Maintenance can be a little more costly.
• It may require more frequent cleaning.

Do you want to save yourself from germs?

While germs don’t even come to mind for some people when looking for a replacement toilet, to others it’s at the top of their list of priorities. If it’s important to you, you may want to replace your toilet with one that uses touchless flushing.

Some models have the touchless design built-in, but if you find a model you prefer that’s not touchless, you can more often than not modify it with a touchless system.

This type of system allows you to flush by waving your hand over a sensor instead of touching a handle that many others have touched. This can be a benefit for those worried about germs as well as those who have trouble with traditional handles (e.g.: someone with arthritis or an elderly member of the family with minimal muscle strength).

Benefits:

• Interaction with fewer germs.

Negatives:

• They run on electric, so you won’t be able to flush during a power outage.

How High-Tech Would You Like Your New Toilet?

With the advancement of technology, everything has more options now – including your bathroom appliances. 

If that’s something that interests you, there are many new possibilities: temperature-controlled seating for those cold, Cleveland winters; attached bidets and driers; self-cleaning toilets to check something off of your long list of chores; LED lights; and even remote controls.

These add-ons aren’t for everyone, but you should consider if any of them are important to you as you begin your journey to replace your toilet.

Once you’ve come to a decision and found the right appliance for your family, give Killeen Plumbing a call to help with installation.