Terms To Know When Shopping For a Toilet

What You Need to Know When Buying a Toilet

A one-piece toilet offers an overall more efficient design. Photo courtesy of Bigliang.

According to the American Water Works Association, in a home that is equipped with a standard toilet 3.5 gallon per flush toilet, the average person will use 20.1 gallons of water per day. That’s 27,300 gallons a year. If you switch from a toilet that uses 3.5 gpf to one that uses 1.6 gpf, a consumer would cut their usage by 14,800 gallons per year, using 12,500 gallons. That’s how much water you conserve in a year when you’re using almost two gallons less per flush.

Although you may be concerned about the performance of what is called a low flow toilet, the fact is they have improved a lot since they were first introduced in 1994 and people complained about their lack of efficiency and performance.

Larry Gillis, president of John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning in Woburn, MA, who has over 30 years in the plumbing industry notes, “It’s true that early on low flow or low flush toilets got a bad reputation and for good reason. Many models performed poorly. But today these models have greatly improved. The main thing to do is to shop around and compare statistics on performance.”

If you’re in the market for a new toilet, here are some key terms to consider and understand prior to making your purchase and how choosing a low flow toilet that conserves on various levels can possibly be the right way to go.

Rough in Measurement

The rough-in measurement is the distance from the wall located behind the toilet to the receptacle’s floor drain. Your new toilet should have the same rough-in measurement as the original. Although the standard is 12 inches, there are also 10-inch and 14-inch models. You can figure out the rough-in measurement on an existing toilet by measuring from the wall to the middle of the bolts on the base of the toilet.

Dual-flush and GPF

As mentioned above, gpf stands for gallons per flush. This is the measurement for how much water is used during each flush. New toilets use less water and that’s a good reason to purchase a new one. There are high efficiency toilets that use just 1.28 gpf. Plus there are dual-flush toilets that will flush solid waste using 1.6 gpf and about 1.0 gpf for liquid waste. On dual flush toilets, there’s a second control for this water-saving feature. Concerns about the lower amount of water used in these models include developing odors and the need to clean these toilets more often.

One-piece or Two-piece

There’s something to be said for the one-piece toilet that has the bowl and tank as one unit. With a two-piece toilet, which is cheaper, the tank and bowl are separate units that are connected. That means there’s some space between the two elements that has to be cleaned. Also, the two-piece can develop leaks between the two units, which cannot happen with one-piece models.

The Seat

Everyone knows what the toilet seat is. But not everyone knows that two-piece models don’t come with a seat, whereas one-piece do. Remember that when figuring in cost. Prices vary on seats but plan on somewhere around $25.00 to $30.00.

Flush Performance

A toilet’s performance is measured in grams of waste removed per flush. Flush performance is based on three factors—flush valve size, outlet size and waste removal.

Bill Trombly Jr., who is a third generation owner of the family-owned Bill Trombly Plumbing and Heating located in Manchester, NH, observes, “Good flush performance is probably the most important factor when buying a toilet. Compare specifics regarding various models. Toilets with higher grams of waste per flush removed are usually better performers. The absolute minimum is 250 grams per flush, but you really want at least 350 per flush. That’s now the minimum for high efficiency toilets.”

Trombly notes that consumers should be especially attentive to models that are water-efficient. Some of these toilets may be efficient in how much water they use per flush, but they aren’t very efficient at ridding the bowl of waste. If a model takes two flushes to perform properly, it is not a good choice.

Pressure Assisted vs Gravity

Pressure assisted toilets use a gush of compressed air during the flush. These toilets, which can be very efficient, require that minimum water pressure be at 25 psi. When considering this type of toilet, it’s necessary to measure a home’s pressure, which can be done with an inexpensive gauge bought at a hardware store. Most homes do not use these toilets due to a few reasons—they are more expensive than gravity toilets, they are very loud and the home does not have the proper pressure needed. A gravity toilet is the type you probably presently use in your home, which utilizes what Sir Isaac Newton discovered so many years ago—the earth’s natural gravity—to help complete the flush.

Round Bowl or Elongated Bowl

A two-piece toilet featuring an elongated bowl. The elongated bowl offers more comfort. Photo courtesy of Einur Amikishvlev.

Round bowls fit better in tight spaces, but elongated bowls are more comfortable and are recommended by the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) for those with disabilities and for senior citizens. An elongated model is 2 inches longer and costs about the same as a round bowl.

Rim Height

The normal rim height for a toilet, which is measured from the floor to the bowl’s rim, is between 14 and 15 inches. Higher rim heights, which are usually between 18 and 19 inches, are usually easier to use for adults although smaller children will struggle with them. The taller rims are recommended by the ADA.

Toilet Cost

Toilets range in cost from under $100 to $700!  Do you need a $700 toilet? Gillis counsels that you can purchase a good toilet for much less, noting, “There are many models in the price range of $150 to $200 that will do the job well. Sometimes you end up paying for features you don’t want or need. And color adds price to a toilet. White is the least expensive. These are things to consider of you’re on a budget.”

Getting it Done for the Right Price

In determining what is right for you, remember that although energy efficient models may cost more in upfront costs, they can save you a lot of money over the years if you pay for your water. A family of four can conserve 60,000 gallons per year or more with a high efficiency model.

Trombly says that the biggest stumbling block for people when it comes to purchasing a toilet is that they don’t educate themselves. “It’s important to understand the basics concerning how a toilet performs and how they are rated. The three things to consider when purchasing a toilet are performance, comfort and style.”

It is essential to make an informed decision and take time to compare brands and models before making your choice. There are a lot of factors that come into play when purchasing a new toilet.