When It's Time To Purchase a New Family Throne

It’s a scary thing when your once dependable family “throne”, or “porcelain God” shows the first signs of refusal for the job it was hired to do.

It happened to me recently. 

The problem seemed to evolve over several weeks.  One morning, after taking a shower, I realized all the water in the toilet tank seemed to drain all by itself while leaving water in the toilet bowl.  But, there was no leak.  I was confused as to where the water was going.  Luckily one of my neighbors is a plumber.   While I was fretting that it might be time to purchase a new set of toilets for the house, Dan determined I just needed a $7 replacement and 10 minutes to complete the job.  I was of course relieved, but that begged the question, how do you buy a toilet?  What do you do?  What do you ask?  What are the necessary considerations when it’s time to replace the “throne”?

Although it’s arguably the most used feature in the whole house, most of us never think about what makes one toilet different from another.  When buying a new car, we all know for example, the difference between a Ford Mustang and a Chevrolet Camaro, but we don’t necessarily know about the features available when buying a toilet….or perhaps what questions to ask when considering the purchase of a new family “throne”. 

When I was thinking that I might have to investigate the possibilities of a replacement toilet, I learned that models range from very basic equipment to a truly royal flush. 

There’s truly a lot to consider, but to keep this column short, here are some very basic considerations:

1.        Choose from traditional two-piece toilets (from $80) that have tank and bowl bolted together, low-profile one-piece toilets (from $200), and easy-to-clean wall-mount tankless ones (from $250).

2.       Pick your throne with comfort and space in mind.  Narrow spaces favor round bowls, but elongated bowls provide another 2 inches of support.  Seat heights (believe it or not) range from 10 inches for kids to the standard 14 to 15 inches for adults and the wheelchair accessible 17 to 18 inches.

3.       Choose a flush action.  All new toilets use 1.6 gallons of water to flush.  Affordable gravity-fed toilets (typical in most homes) run water from the tank into the bowl to create a siphon that drains waste.  Pressure-assisted toilets (add $100) use compressed air to propel water and expel water with noisy turbo-like force (think airplane).

4.       Look for extras like built-in pump to boost water pressure, and a 3-inch flush valve and 2 inch trap-way to clear the bowl quicker.

I learned too, assuming money is no object, that you can treat yourself to heated toilet seats, deodorizer fans and bidet-style spray and dry devices.  Even self-closing lids reduce noise and arguments. 

Luckily, I was able to skate away with a $7 fix, but if something happens in the future requiring a replacement of the household thrones at my house, I know a little more than I did a month ago about the questions to ask and what to consider when making my next toilet purchase. 

Sara Hibbard is a licensed Realtor in the state of Georgia.   Sara specializes in assisting home buyers relocating to the Atlanta metro area, first time buyers, Active Adults and Investors.  Call Sara with your many real estate related questions at 404-660-2481.  E-mail her at Sara@SaraHibbard.com or visit her website at www.SaraHibbard.com.  Sara Hibbard is Glad Georgia Real Estate Is On Your Mind!