If you are looking for a new toilet, hopefully it’s because you’re remodeling a bathroom or building a new home. Otherwise it probably means that your current one has been a pain in the butt (yes, pun intended)! That’s why it’s so important to make sure you choose the right one. There’s a lot to consider, from how much water it saves – to how beautiful it looks. Luckily, there have been many recent innovations giving you a ton of options to choose from! Here are criteria that we suggest you consider when deciding what to buy:
Dimensions
The height and size of the toilet is extremely important to make sure it works with the space and flow of your bathroom. It sounds obvious, but people forget how important this is!
Also, don’t forget to measure the “rough-in” which is the distance from the wall to the bolts on the base. If you’re replacing your current toilet, stick with a rough-in that is the same as what you have already. And elongated bowls can sometimes allow for more comfort, but the size of the bowl could get in the way of cabinet doors and drawers. Some even hang on the wall, which takes up less space and is so much easier to clean – they look almost as sleek as a Portland Loo!
Flushing System
There are all sorts of flushing systems, and some will affect your water use, while others will clean your bowl better than others. In any case, we encourage you to review the different types and see what kind of flush makes the most sense for your space. Don’t just look at the type of system either, look at online ratings of specific toilet flushing performances. And you may also want a dual-flush system – which has two buttons to choose from so that you can use less water for liquid waste than you do for the sold. The dual-flush is available with a few different flush systems, including dual-flush and gravity or pressure systems too!
Water Use
Low flow toilets are made better than they were in the past, famous for having to flush twice and not really saving much water at all. New design improvements allow for larger trapways to prevent clogging and flushing valves that create a more powerful rush of water. The pressure-assist toilet is one of those that is more water-efficient than the gravity or flipper flush tank systems. That’s because they release water with great velocity, which cleans the bowl better. It can be a bit more spendy, however, and definitely a bit noisier, so make sure to look at the various ways that they could potentially save water.
Cost
Toilets will typically range from $100 to over $2000, depending upon the technology and innovations that are included! A typical gravity flush model base starts at around $100, pressure-flush toilets start at closer to $200, and a fancy intelligent designed bidet can run you $10,000! As with most things, it may be worth paying a bit more if it has the features and quality that you want. You could get things like anti-bacterial coatings, efficient flushing, and completely hands-free toilets that talk to you too! [check out some of the benefits of The Portland Loo here]. Keep in mind that your utility company may offer rebates or discounts for highly efficient models and associated water conservation, so make sure to research what might be available to you.
Cleaning System
If you do decide to go with a bidet, you’ll want to research which is best for your space. And you don’t have to spend $10K, or even $2K! There are options to install a stand-alone bidet fixture to your existing toilet, or a ‘washlet’ which will spritz water from the seat and clean similarly to a bidet. You can even attach a water sprayer to your toilet bowl for less than $100.
Appearance & Features
There are some really elegant looks and curves in some of the toilet designs available [5 reasons we love the Portland Loo]. Plus some sit up high, and some are more round while others are elongated. But stay away from colored toilets – they can make a house harder to sell. And be aware of how replaceable the parts are in some of the fancier versions. We are proud to say that when we designed the Portland Loo, we took these and many other factors into consideration in order to keep the city clean and crime-free.
If you’re looking for a bathroom solution for your schools, parks, transit stations, or other city areas, contact us to get pricing and find out more about the Portland Loo.
