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10 Tips: Don't flush money when buying a toilet

Many people find themselves in the market for a toilet because of a remodel or plumbing disaster. But even if this most functional of purchases is not on your radar screen, you might want to consider investing in one anyway:

By Laura T. Coffey, Times Correspondent
Published November 11, 2007

Many people find themselves in the market for a toilet because of a remodel or plumbing disaster. But even if this most functional of purchases is not on your radar screen, you might want to consider investing in one anyway:

1 Your water savings could be substantial. Were the toilets in your home installed before 1994? New commodes could make a dent in your water bill. Since 1994, Congress has mandated that new toilets can use a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush, as opposed to 3.5 gallons in the past. If you have older toilets and a family of four, you may be using 11,000 more gallons of water than necessary each year.

2 Added comfort may become a need instead of a want. Many aging baby boomers and wheelchair-bound individuals could benefit from a seat height of 17 inches, as opposed to the industry standard of 14 to 15 inches. More models are becoming available at 17 inches high.

3 Analyze your situation. If you have a toilet that was made after 1994, you might be able to fix it rather than replace it. A flapper valve for a gravity toilet costs about $5, and a fill valve costs about $15. Neither part is too difficult to install.

4 Think about location, location, location. Reflect on the location of your bathroom. A quiet toilet may be your biggest priority. If so, vacuum-assisted and gravity toilets tend to be the quietest. Pressure-assisted toilets flush with a loud "whoosh" sound, but they do tend to work better than vacuum-assisted and gravity models.

5 Check your water pressure. If you're leaning toward buying a pressure-assisted toilet, check to see whether your home has the necessary water pressure. Connect a gauge that costs about $10 to an outdoor spigot. Make sure you have a little more than 25 pounds per square inch of pressure to power the toilet.

6 Don't become too fixated on price. When shopping, a higher price tag may not indicate superior performance. Many toilets in the $200 to $300 range will work just fine.

7 Decide whether you want two pieces or one. Most toilets you'll see have two separate pieces: a tank and a bowl. You can buy a stylish one-piece model, but expect to pay more for it. You may want to splurge if you routinely dread cleaning the grime that develops in the seam between the tank and the bowl in two-piece models.

8 Be careful with colors. It's a free country, and you certainly have the right to buy a pale peach or a baby blue toilet. Just bear in mind how dated this might make your bathroom appear as the years go by.

9 Put some thought into the shape you want. If you have a small bathroom, a round bowl may be best because it takes up the least amount of space. But if you have some room to spare in your bathroom, you might want to opt for an elongated bowl with a more spacious seat.

10 Hire a pro. Are you exceptionally handy? Then you may be able to install your toilet with ease. If not, hire a plumber who is bonded and who carries workers' compensation insurance.

Laura T. Coffey laura@tentips.org

Sources: Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org); eHow (www.ehow.com); ARA Content (www.aracontent.com); U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program (www.eere.energy.gov)

[Last modified November 9, 2007, 22:30:09]