What’s the Best Type of Toilet?

Whether you’re remodeling your bathroom, refreshing tired decor, or getting a toilet replacement because the one you’ve got is old and dilapidated, you may be surprised — and a bit daunted — by the number of choices available right now. Once you’ve taken into account the toilet type, the flush system, the style, and many other options, you’re likely to find that it’s only slightly less challenging than buying an SUV. Don’t worry, Ace Plumbing is here to help.

Common Toilet Types

There are more kinds of toilets available than you may realize.

Gravity Fed Toilets

These are the toilets with which most of us are familiar, since they’ve been around the longest. Here, a water tank depressurizes the toilet’s trapway, pulling water and waste from the bowl to the trapway and refilling the bowl from the toilet tank.

Pressure-Assisted Toilet

Pressure-assisted toilets combine gravity with air pressure, resulting in a more powerful flush. These toilets are a bit noisier when they flush, but they’re also less likely to clog, making them ideal for higher-traffic areas like public restrooms or for those with big families.

Dual Flush Toilet

Dual flush toilets combine the features of both gravity fed and pressure-assisted toilets. The advantage here is the ability to choose the strength and flow of the flush, using a lower-consumption gravity assisted flush for liquid waste and a more powerful pressure-assisted flush for solid waste.

Dual Cyclone Toilet

A newer high-efficiency option is the dual cyclone toilet. These also operate at somewhat higher pressure, and derive some of their power from the fact that they use nozzles on the underside of the rim to move waste.

Waterless Toilet

These aren’t as common in traditional homes, and they’re somewhat outside our purview, but waterless toilets still deserve mention. Some work with chemicals and require occasional pumping or cleaning. Others are composting toilets that rely on natural bacteria in much the same way a septic tank would. They’re often found in RVs, but they’re also increasingly a fixture of tiny houses and other off-grid homes.

Other Considerations

Of course, choosing the flush mechanism is only one item on your to-do list. You should also consider the following:

• Bowl Height: Toilets are made in a variety of heights, usually ranging from 10 to 18 inches. Taller toilets tend to be more accommodating to those with disabilities or mobility issues.
• Bowl Shape: The traditional round bowl remains the standard in many homes, but elongated bowls are also common. Here, consider the amount of space in your bathroom, since elongated bowls can present an obstacle in some smaller bathrooms.
• Construction: Not all toilets are built the same. Back-to-wall toilets are the “classic” design; close coupled designs are a single, streamlined unit; wall-hung toilets dispense with the pedestal and tank as you know them and look right at home among late-modern decor.

Toilet Tech and Additional Features

Smart home technology isn’t just for lights and thermostats anymore. Even the humble toilet has gone high-tech. Smart toilets can include features like warming seats or bidets for comfort, LED lighting for visibility, and features that self-clean or manage water use. Some homeowners love them, but you should be aware that their installation is more complex than usual and is best handled by a plumbing professional.

Contact Ace Plumbing serves the Sacramento, Folsom, and Rocklin areas, from plumbing fixture installations to emergency plumbing service for complex problems. Need help? Call 916-455-4548 24/7!