What’s the Best Kind of Toilet For Your Home?

What’s one of the most used appliances in our homes? Toilets, of course! Nowadays, there are a wide range of options when it comes to the design and functionality of toilets. From different colors and heights, to varied flushing capabilities and modern features like bidets and heated seats, the possibilities for your porcelain throne are endless.

Whether you’re interested in replacing an old toilet, or you’re remodeling a bathroom or adding a water closet to your home, investing in and maintaining a quality toilet can save a lot of money on your water bill and in plumbing costs down the road.

Whatever brought you on your journey to find the perfect toilet, we’re here to help you choose the system that will perform the best for your home and your lifestyle.

Types of Flushing

Any quality commode should have enough flushing power to swiftly remove waste and toilet paper. When shopping for a toilet, take a look at the product packaging for a flush performance score indicated by a number.

The flush performance rating system classifies toilets from low to high based on their ability to flush down solid waste and resist clogging. The higher the rating, the better the waste removal. You can also easily search for the rating on hardware websites or by searching the model you’re interested in followed by the key words “flushing performance”.

Different toilets use different types of flushing systems. Here are the most common types of flushing systems you’ll come across in your toilet search:

Single Flush

Single flush toilets are the most common types of toilets found in homes because they’re typically inexpensive and easy to repair. This style of toilet uses the force of gravity to create a strong funnel during flushing. Gravity systems create pressure by releasing water from the tank into the toilet bowl, forcing all of the contents in the trapway through the drain and into the sewer line.

Maintenance on toilets that have gravity flushing systems is usually quite low. There are less mechanical components to the toilet itself because it uses natural water pressure and gravity to get the job done. Therefore, there are less pieces that can break and overall, less things that can go wrong.

While they are a standard option and have many benefits, single flush toilets also typically use more water and are less cost effective over time than other options.

Dual Flush

Dual flush toilets use different strengths of flushing for solid and liquid waste. Due to their water-saving mechanisms, it’s common to see these types of toilets in public restrooms where many toilets are present and a lot of water is used.

With dual flush models, you generally either push a handle up or down, or press one of two buttons on the top of the tank depending on the type of waste in the bowl. These toilets use a larger, trapway design to minimize clogging and use less water than a single flush toilet. Dual flush toilets save water by using 1.1 gallon partial flushes for liquid waste and 1.6 gallon full flushes for solid waste.

Like single flush toilets, dual-flush toilets also use a gravity system to produce a strong flush when users are finished with their business.

Pressure Assisted

Pressure assisted toilets use the flushing power of siphoned air to create a much stronger flush than a single or dual-flush toilet. They create a more forceful flush by using a special mechanism in the tank, resulting in a siphon jet action that quickly and efficiently removes waste. This system rarely results in a second flush, let alone a clog.

Typically found in public restrooms for their efficiency, these toilets are quite loud and rarely found in homes. However, with the development of quiet-flush technology, more and more homeowners are opting for pressure assisted toilets.

Toilet Design Functions to Consider

Flushing capability is one of the most important functions of a quality toilet, but there are many other cosmetic and additional features to consider when choosing a new porcelain throne.

For example, electing for a wall mounted toilet over a standard standing toilet is mostly an aesthetic choice. A wall mounted toilet looks sleek and modern in a bathroom because there is no visible tank, and it emerges directly from the wall.

However, installing one of these toilets can be expensive and require expert plumbing compared to a more standard model. To some, the looks of a toilet can trump other factors such as the time they take to install, price, etc.

Other toilet variables to consider are:

• Flush noise level
• Design of the seat and lid (does the lid close slowly or slam shut?)
• Heated seats for cold winters or basement bathrooms
• Bidet attachments or the ability to easily install a bidet if desired
• Ease of cleaning and maintenance

All of these features and functions are important to think about when determining which toilet will fit your specific needs.

Call the Toilet Experts

Overall, when shopping for a new toilet, investing in something that is high-performing and high-quality is crucial. You want to get as many trouble-free and comfortable years out of an appliance as you can, so spending a little more time on the front end by conducting research to find the right toilet for your home is worth it.

Whatever kind of commode you choose, Lenox Plumbing has you covered. We are more than happy to help you install wall-mounted toilets, bidets, pressure-assisted toilets, or whatever other toilet to-dos you need a hand with. Give us a call or fill out a contact form on our website for any of your toilet and plumbing needs.