Toilets | Water Closets

Toilets and water closets two of the same. 

Toilets are the biggest users of water in the home to any plumbing fixture. An average existing toilet uses anywhere from 5-7 gallons per flush. Today’s new toilets will use only 1.4 to 1.6 gallons of water per flush. I have written 2 free reports for your benefit. How to install a toilet, and How to choose a toilet. I have over 15 years of experience and by you reading these to reports you will gain some of my insight in this field. Check out both reports before buying a toilet or hiring a plumber. Even if you do not install your own toilet still read the report How to install a toilet, just to understand the process and to make sure that the plumber you hire does not rip you off.

The most common toilet I install for my clients is a two piece white water closet.

Depending on the decor of your bathroom you will be able to find almost any color you wish. Most people stick with white because white is a nice clean color (Or maybe that is just today’s style, and tomorrow will be something different). The other plumbing fixtures in your bathroom is your bathroom sink, bathroom faucets, bath tub, shower, and bath/shower faucets.

The common parts of your toilet are the bowl, the tank, fill valve or ball cock, flapper, handle or lever, spud, spud washer, tank bolts, toilet bolts, toilet bolt caps, wax seal, tank lid, seat, supply tube and supply valve.

The biggest cause for problems is the flapper. Flappers can last anywhere from 3 years all the way down to only 6 months. These are the largest causes of water waste in North America. On average 1 out of every four toilets leaks, leaking up to 100,000 gallons of water per year. Costing homeowners up to $500.00 per year. OUCH!! And this will be generally through the flapper. Sometimes this leaking can be through the fill valve. Which is the second most common problem with toilets. The third most common problem would be the wax seal leaking. This does not waste water, but can cause considerable damage if left unattended. When a wax seal leaks you will either see water around the base of the toilet, or see water on the floor or ceiling of the floor below.

When you purchase a new toilet you will also need to purchase a new wax seal, t-bolts, and supply tube.

If you are handicapped or you are getting arthritis you may want to get an ADA approved toilet. These toilets will sit a little higher than your standard toilet. They sit at 17 inches off the floor. Where as a regular toilet can sit anywhere from 13 inches to 15 inches from the floor. You would not think that 2 to 4 inches would matter much, but the ones I have installed for my clients they say make all the difference in the world.

Thanks for reading my article on toliets.