What to consider when buying a new toilet, Pippin Brothers, Lawton, OK
April 27, 2012

Though it is never a popular conversation topic, your toilet is one of the most used appliances in your home. And even with its long lifespan, you may eventually have to find and install a new toilet.

Whether your toilet has stopped working completely or you are looking to upgrade to a more efficient toilet, here are several things to consider when selecting a new toilet for your Lawton area home.

Gallons Per Flush (gpf)
Just as the name suggests, the gpf number measures the amount of water that is used each time the toilet is flushed. Similar to mpg (miles per gallon) for vehicles, gpf is a measure of the efficiency of the toilet.

According to current U.S. law, all new toilets must use 1.6 gpf or less. Considering older models used as much as 6 gpf, this is a vast improvement. And since one person flushes the toilet between 5 and 7 times per day, the water savings quickly adds up, especially in larger households.

Related Terms:

  • High-Efficiency Toilet (HET) – These toilets are certified as high efficiency because they use 20% less water than the current federal limit. Today’s HETs use 1.3 gpf or less.
  • EPA WaterSense Certified – Toilets with the WaterSense certification are HETs that have passed independent testing and meet rigorous performance and efficiency criteria.

Dual-Flush
When selecting a new toilet, you may run into a more recent trend in toilets: dual-flush. These toilets have separate flush modes for solid waste and liquid waste. The main flush mode uses 1.6 gpf or less while the liquid waste flush mode uses less than a gallon.

Dual flush toilets have been popular in Europe, Asia and Australia for a while but are now also gaining momentum in the United States, due to their water-saving capabilities.

Design and Appearance
While the most important aspects of selecting a new toilet are its efficiency and performance, you may find the most difficult part to be narrowing down your choices of colors, designs, and shapes. Your options range from pure aesthetic preferences like color to comfort decisions like seat height and shape.

Some of the different toilet options include:

  • Height – The standard toilet is 14-15 inches from the floor to the seat. Toilets marketed as “Comfort Height” have seats 17-19 inches from the floor, which is about the same height as the average chair.
  • Seat Shape – While the exact dimensions may differ slightly, the two main choices of seat shapes are bowl or elongated. It really is all personal preference here. However, if you are replacing a bowl toilet with an elongated one, measure the area to make sure the new toilet will fit.
  • One-piece or two-piece – Toilets come in both one-piece and two-piece models. The difference is mostly aesthetic, although a two-piece toilet can be easier to transport and some people say one-pieces are easier to clean.

The choices you are presented with when selecting a new toilet can be overwhelming. By focusing on these factors, you can find the most economical toilet for you and your home.

Pippin Brothers is the plumbing, heating, and cooling resource for all of Lawton and the surrounding counties. Since 1978 we have been providing outstanding customer care through the pursuit of quality and excellence.

Schedule a plumbing service online or contact us today.