| Replacing and Repairing Toilets |
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By Jim Fredrick
Anchorage Daily News With a minimum of "handiness" and a few simple parts, available at any hardware store, you can conceivably keep a toilet operating properly nearly forever. Having said that, it is also true that millions of new toilets are sold every year as replacements for existing fixtures. Why? There are two main reasons -- well, three, if you consider that some are replaced because the owner is too lazy or uncoordinated to replace the flapper or adjust the ballcock/fill level control. The other two: a bathroom facelift in which the fixture colors change, or problems with leakage that require removal of the toilet to correct. In the latter, the toilet may be working fine, but another part of the system has leaked and caused damage to the flooring or other structures below. Whether you're replacing a toilet for aesthetic considerations (the old blue stool just won't do in the new mauve and taupe color scheme) or for functional reasons (perhaps you actually broke an essential piece or it can't be fixed), there are lots of choices beyond the basic sub-$100 unit. First, if you haven't been in the toilet market for several years, today's models of residential toilets are restricted to no more than 1.6 gallons per flush. This federal regulation is designed to conserve water. Whether that is important where you live is not an issue any longer. Only low-flow toilets are available. This presents a problem however, that often is related to the quality of the unit. In the old days, a toilet that used 3.5 gallons of water per flush pretty much completely cleared the bowl every time it was flushed, regardless of its design. Sadly, that is no longer true. Many folks have pointed out the false economy of toilets that require multiple flushes to accomplish what formerly could be done in one. For those on septic systems, the benefit of putting fewer gallons of water in your septic tank or leach field (if you indeed achieve the one-flush goal) may outweigh the negatives. While you consider the color and shape of your new water closet, also consider the operating mechanism, if you want some assurance of consistent one-touch operation. Not surprisingly, more reliable operations come with a higher price tag. Gravity flush toilets are the most closely related to their 3.5-gallon-per flush ancestors. The weight of the water entering the bowl creates the flush. Different water inlets and bowl shapes result in some models working better than others. Ask your plumber which works better, or look at Consumer Reports and see how different brands measure up. Many high-end gravity-flush toilets made by manufacturers such as Kohler, American Standard and others offer silent operation, low profiles and designer colors not seen in the past. Pressure-assisted toilets use the pressure in the household water-supply system to force the flush. Instead of the porcelain tank depending only on gravity to do its work, an enclosed pressure tank inside the conventional-looking porcelain tank fills and is pressurized at whatever level the household water system is at. While the increased force of the water does a very thorough job of evacuating the bowl and keeping it clean, the whooshing sound of the sudden rush of water is louder than gravity units, although the sound only lasts a second or two. I have replaced two of my home's toilets with these units and have never had a problem with them. The upside of this mechanism is that there are virtually no moving parts. So, if you are not particularly fond of reaching into that cold water in the tank to adjust the flapper, or showering in cold water when the downstairs toilet has run all night, then I'd recommend the pressure unit. Expect to pay $250 to $300 for this type. Beyond the operating system of your new toilet, there are also virtually hundreds of design and color options that will satisfy your decorating needs. I mentioned low-profile units earlier, but there are also toilets with traditional lines -- higher tanks with interesting curves and molded flairs. Beyond a wide range of decorator color choices, there are even units that mimic pottery designs, with geometric, floral or other designs fired right in the porcelain. As I said, these architectural features come at a price, but when the average full-bath remodeling tab is running $5,000 to $10,000, a $500 toilet is not a huge consideration. (Jim Fredrick is on the board of directors of the Anchorage Home Builders Association. He has lived in Alaska for 30 years, and worked in home remodeling for more than 20 years.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)
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