Let’s face it, out of everything in our homes, the toilet get a lot of use. That’s why you’ll want to consider comfort and functionality when choosing a toilet.
Toilet Style
Toilets are available in a limited number of styles. One-piece and two-piece toilets are the most common when choosing a toilet.
Two-Piece Toilets
Two-piece toilets have separate tanks and bowls. The two pieces are fastened/bolted together, and the seams are sealed. Two-piece toilets are typically more efficient and last longer than one-piece toilets. They can be harder to fix because the bolts holding the two pieces together can become stuck. They can also be more difficult to clean.
One-Piece Toilets
One-piece toilets are made from a single piece of material. This eliminates the seam between the tank and the bowl. One-piece toilets are easier to install and maintain. They are also easier to clean. One-piece toilets takes up less space than two-piece toilets. They also sit lower to the ground.
Wall Mounted Toilets
These toilets are more common in commercial settings. That being said, they can be used in residential bathrooms—especially smaller ones because they take up less space. Using a wall mounted toilet can save as much as a square foot of floor space. With wall mounted toilets, the bowl and flush plate are mounted to the wall. The tank is hidden behind the wall. Because the tank is behind the drywall, fixing a problem with the tank may involve removing the drywall.
Smart Toilets
Controlled by a remote or touchscreen, smart toilets can have many features. They can have special features such as heated seats, automated flushes, bidets and warm air dryers, self-cleaning wands, and deodorizing seats. They are also very expensive—costing much more than a regular toilet.
Toilet Type
Toilets are available in several different types.
Gravity Fed Toilets
Gravity fed toilets use gravity to flush down the waste. When the water is released from the tank, it moves through the bowl and it creates a siphon action that sucks the waste down through the trapway.
Pressure Assisted Toilets
Pressure assisted toilets are emptied using a powerful flushing action. A system of pressurized air forces water from the tank and into the bowl. The pressurized air is more powerful than the gravity fed toilets. They are also more efficient, and clogs are less common.
Dual-Flush Toilet
Dual-flush toilets are for saving water. They have half-flush and full-flush features and are a mix of gravity fed and pressure assisted. A half-flush is gravity fed while a full flush is pressure assisted.
Double Cyclone Toilet
A double cyclone is new technology. It uses a minimal amount of water to provide a more efficient flush. Water is sprayed out of two nozzles along the toilet rim (opposed to holes). This creates more force than in other types of flushes.
Power Assisted Toilets
Power assisted toilets use a small electric motor to introduce air pressure into the sealed tank.
Flushing Type
When choosing a toilet, consider your flushing needs.
Single Flush
Single flush toilets only have one flush setting. Meaning the same pressure is released with each flush. This is the most popular type of flush and is available in an array of designs.
Double Flush Toilets
Double flush toilets have two flush settings—half and full. Half-flush is meant for liquid waste. And full-flush is meant for solid waste. Double-flush toilets are more efficient than single-flush. They are also more expensive and less common.
Touchless Flush
Touchless flushes are commonly seen in public restrooms. A sensor (usually a motion sensor) automatically flushes the toilet when it detects that you are done using it. The chief benefit of these is cleanliness since you do not have to touch the flushing mechanism.
Toilet Design Options
Toilets—regardless of style, type, or flush type—are available with a wide array of design options to think about when choosing a toilet.
- Color—most toilets are white or off white, but they are also available in different colors.
- Dimensions—toilets come in a variety of lengths, heights, and widths. Toilet height affects comfort.
- Bowl shape—toilets come in three main shapes: elongated, compact elongated, and round. Elongated bowls are oval and provide extra seat space. Round bowls are round and take up less space. Compact elongated are a combination of round and elongated.
- Toilet seat—toilet seats are available in several colors and materials (plastic, polypropylene, cushioned vinyl, real wood, and composite wood). They can also come with special features such as heated seats, deodorizing seats (eliminate odors), and antimicrobial seats (inhibit growth from bacteria and fungi and reduce mold and mildew).
- Flush handle locations—the handle can be on the top of the tank, to the left or right side of the tank, or on the wall. Toilets can also be touchless or flushed by a remote.
- Bidet—many toilets feature built in bidets or bidets than can be added on. Bidets are more of a luxury in the United States, but they are common in other parts of the world. Bidets save on toilet paper and help with hygiene.
If you are considering remodeling your bathroom, give us a call at Shakespeare Home Improvement Co. Shakespeare offers beautiful bathroom remodeling designs to fit your personal style.