When you’re renovating a bathroom in your Hamilton home, there are so many choices involved in the renovation and fixtures to choose from, including vanities, finishes, flooring and so on. To add to that mountain of choices is the kind of toilet you want to have in the finished bathroom. Many people don’t give a lot of thought into the kind of toilet they want to have, but toilets are an essential component of any bathroom, so you might as well take the time to make sure you get the right one for you. Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a new toilet.
Two-Piece vs. One-Piece Toilets
There are two main kinds of toilets: one-piece and two-piece. Two-piece toilets are the most common type with a separate tank and bowl, and they come in large variety of styles so you can find almost anything you want to suit your needs.
One-piece toilets have the tank and the bowl moulded together to form a single unit. With these kinds of toilets, the tank will usually sit lower on the bowl than the two-piece ones, which makes them ideal for small spaces where you don’t have much room. It’s important to note that with the one-piece units, if something breaks on it, you will have to replace the whole thing.
Single vs. Dual Flush Toilets
With a single flush toilet, you will get a consistent flush every single time, and the levers are typically found on the side of the front of the toilet tank. A dual flush toilet works slightly differently: you can choose between a lighter flush or a full flush to help save a bit on your water bill. With the dual flush toilets, there is typically a button located on the top of the toilet tank with two parts: one for a light flush and one for a full flush.
Toilet Bowl Shape
You have two options when it comes to the shape of the bowl: round or elongated. Round toilet bowls are usually smaller in size, so they are fantastic for smaller bathrooms or powder rooms. On the other hand, elongated bowls are about two inches longer than round ones, and they offer more thigh support and comfort for most adults.
In some stores, you can purchase a compact elongated bowl which offers the comforts of the elongated toilet but takes up much less space, so it will fit in smaller bathrooms. If your toilet is near a door (including a cabinet door or shower door), you’ll want to ensure the bowl does not jut out too far and block the swing of the door.
Toilet height
For many years, toilets only came in one height, but now you can purchase toilets in two heights: standard and comfort height. Standard height toilets are usually between 14 and 16 inches off the ground, whereas comfort height will be 16 inches and above.
For people of average or below average height, a standard toilet is usually just fine. But for those who are a little taller, they may find that a higher toilet is much more comfortable. The comfort height ones can also be beneficial for those people who have knee or back problems as they’re a little easier to stand up from.
Toilet seats that are higher up are also helpful for seniors to get on and off of as our range of motion becomes limited as we get older. Thus, if you are buying a toilet in your mid sixties, it’s worth considering your toilet seat height and how it may affect you in the next fifteen years.
Knowing that there are so many options out there for a toilet, it’s important that you pick one that suits your lifestyle and what works best for the people in your home. Even if you are not completely renovating a bathroom in your Hamilton home, you can easily replace an old toilet with one that is much more efficient and suits your family’s needs.
Contact Wentworth Plumbing today
If you require a new toilet installation in Hamilton or help installing your toilet or any other element of your plumbing, we are here to help. Contact us today.