Choosing Your New Bathroom Toilet

When it comes to choosing a toilet you may think it will be an easy decision but there are now more choices than ever with different bowls, tanks and a large variety of toilet seats.

One of the big decisions to make is if you want a one piece toilet or two piece design, although the one piece designs tend to be a little more expensive they do come with a couple of benefits. For example they are easier to clean and are said by many to be a more energy efficient toilet. With the two piece toilet design, the tank and the bowl are purchased separately. You need to be sure that you purchase all necessary parts, as they are not included, keep in mind that the seat does not come with the two piece design.

When considering toilet bowls, you have two basic options: round and elongated. Round bowls are space saving and have a wider variety of seats available to match your bathroom's decor. Elongated bowls are designed to optimize comfort. For the handicapped or the elderly, you will be able to purchase a disability compliant toilet bowl, this is a taller bowl especially designed for easy access and increased comfort. The U-bend is an important element of the toilet that is often overlooked, the U-bend is the curved tubing found at the side of the toilet. Larger or glazed U-bends decrease the possibilities of your toilet getting blocked.

You then need to decide what kind of flush valve your going to use, this controls the force of the flush. The flush valve is located in the center of the tank, releasing the water each time the toilet is flushed forcing the waste away. So, the larger the valve, the more water is pushed out of the tank. Toilet flush levers are what activate the flush valve. You will need to decide if you want this positioned on the side, front or top of the tank.

There are two pressure systems available. The pressure assisted flush system means that pressurized air is pushed into the bowl with each flush, thereby reducing the chance of clogging. However, this system is expensive and requires higher maintenance, not to mention its noise level. The gravity flush system uses the weight of the water to create pressure when flushing. This system is the more common, the more economical and generally requires the least amount of maintenance.

Keep in mind that most toilets do not come with seats. Depending upon the shape of your toilet, round or elongated, you will choose a seat to match. There are also a variety of materials available: oak, wood composition, vinyl, plastic or polypropylene, to name a few. There is also now a large selection of novelty toilet seats to choose between.

When you have choosen your new toilet you need to decide if your going to fit it yourself, which you may be able to do if you are confident with the tools you will have to use and fitting plumbing. If not you will have to get a professional to fit it for you to avoid things such as leaking.