NEED A NEW TOILET

GOOD LORD , what a subject, also bear in mind that i am fairly new to this forum and not sure what the heck i am doing. also my sponser BRIAN (bczoom) said don't worry none of these guys are to bright either
but any how i need to buy a new toilet, and good gosh there are so may out there, i went to a local plumbing shop, where i knew the prices might be a bit higher but it seemed like they could not be bothered with me, so went to a big box store HD where they had a bout 50 on display, only thing was they were on the sencond rack and you really could not see them. my question is , i have a septic system and my old toilet is a 3 gallon flush, all the new ones are 1.6 gal flush will that be ok ? did not realize that in the last 30 years they had so many different ways to take a dump. round , elongated, high, low , super high. super low. power flush, jet flush. actully just trying to get namesbrand that you guys are familar with. and of couse models, which could be a chore as AMERICAN STANTARD has 7 pages of models.
did i make a problem for you BRIAN?

I have AS, Eljer and Kohler at my place and the Kohler wins hands down!

Big Dog said:

I have AS, Eljer and Kohler at my place and the Kohler wins hands down!

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tell me why, this the kind of info i am looking for

More comforatable (oval design) and nicer all around designs and colors......

In eight years it's never failed, the others have all had problems with their internals including bad sealing and bad mechanics.

I can get Eljer stuff really cheap too! I live 10 miles from one of they're plants with friends that work there. I bought an Eljer for my basement at a third of the retail price and we always catch it running water after a flush. Mechanics are easily fixed with new guts tho!

Our AS is a round design and I hate it, the most uncomfortable of the bunch.... .......it's in the powder room which I seldom use, just for the guest........

BTW...You will pay more for the Kohler but it's worth it in my book! Kohler is the master bedroom crown, also have one upstairs for the boy (s).

Good Luck..........

We have American Standard low flush in the new bathroom, Kohler in the old baths. One Kohler is the one piece low profile design. Don't even consider a one piece, since everything internal is special and expensive, when you can finally get it. The other Kohler is a 2 piece 3 GPF toilet and it has never been a problem. Great fit and finish. The newest is a American Standard and the porcelain hasn't stood up well to our acidic water conditions. It has stains and etching of the porcelain at the water line and there is no remedy for this. The elongated is more comfortable, and for older people, the higher toilets are also easier to get onto and off of. The power flush toilets are noisier than the standard flush. The only good thing about the American Standard is that they have developed a clog remover with the second flush. Don't know how it works, but it always does. I hate white toilets, but they seem to be the easiest to clean when it comes to hard water problems. The last thing that you need to know is the rough out dimension. This is the dimension from the wall to the center of the outlet on the floor. Toilets come in 8", 10", 12", & 14" rough out. The 12" is the most standard. Also purchase a "thick" wax gasket and you shouldn't have any floor leaks. Some of the new wax rings even have a "tube" that goes part way into the pipe to eliminate leaks.

Junkman said:

Also purchase a "thick" wax gasket and you shouldn't have any floor leaks. Some of the new wax rings even have a "tube" that goes part way into the pipe to eliminate leaks.

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Wouldn't hurt to double the wax gasket either!

Do you have dual flush toilets in the US. Here they are compulsory.

Vin, we have them here, what I hate is when you press the short flush and it doesnt go down so you have to wait for the water to refill before you can go at the long flush

Frank, I've got 2 American Standard and 1 Kohler and 1 Eljer. I don't know why.

What I can tell you all of the better grades of toilets work well and all the cheaper grades are horrible. Just my observation.

I prefer the pressure assist models of toilets, I think if the law is going to require you to use the damn low flush (1.6 gallon units) then you are stuck trying to engineer a solution to a problem. Most toilets that work without pressure assist can be divided into 2 types.
1) Those will a small bowl capacity and larger tank capacity or
2) Those with a larger relative bowl capacity and smaller tank capacity.

Type 1 above has a great chance of leaving 'skid' marks in the bowl, and therefore requiring multiple flushes, which of course, negates the concept of water saving!
Type 2 above often does not flush out all the debris, and therefore requiring multiple flushes, which of course, negates the concept of water saving!

The pressure assist models resolve those problems but are far more costly. A basic unit is double the price. If your budget can handle the added cost of a pressure assist (I've not priced them lately but they used to start at about $225 for a basic unit, $300 for an elongated oval bowl in white or tan) then I would opt for the pressure assist.

All styles can be had in just about any shape or color or design you could dream of, all mine are elongated rather than round bowl and all brands offer both styles, I've got several colors and never found color to be an issue with any brand.

As with tractors, go to the stores and sit on a few and see what you like best

I used to watch a TV show called "Married With Children" and on that show they did an episode about the low-flush 1.6 gallon toilets. That episode belongs in the TV hall of fame.

I installed the 1.6 elongated bowl Kohlers in all three of our bathrooms. works on the first flush every time. Paid $100 each in 1999.

Cityboy said:

I installed the 1.6 elongated bowl Kohlers in all three of our bathrooms. works on the first flush every time. Paid $100 each in 1999.

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Let me stop by after eating a bowl of granola to test out one of those things, I can drop a load so large my pants fit better after I'm done.

Thanks for all the excellent tips and comments, looks like i need to do a bit more looking at the web sites, kind of , like the kohler so far from persuing teir web site. I went to HD(home depot and you can't sit on them as they are on the 2nd shelf, 8 ft in the air. i complained to the guy, but it was a case of me being ticked that you really could not see them.

The low flush is mandated by the Federal Government, however our neighbors to the North have more common sense in this situation and have never seen fit to follow in our mistaken foot steps. Go to Canada and buy one there. They don't use as much water as the old ones, but more than our new ones. Also, don't forget to purchase the insulated tank. It keeps the tank from sweating in the summer and you can not add the insulation later on. The retro kits just don't work.... Junk..

JUNKMAN don't know if it would be worth the hassel to try and get one from canada, i have thought of it, and canada is not to far but i don't know the problems getting it across the border.

frank_f15 said:

JUNKMAN don't know if it would be worth the hassel to try and get one from canada, i have thought of it, and canada is not to far but i don't know the problems getting it across the border.

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Just buy a potted plant while you are up there too. Tell the customs agent that it is just a new planter for the plant you bought.

B_Skurka said:

Let me stop by after eating a bowl of granola to test out one of those things, I can drop a load so large my pants fit better after I'm done.

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Holy shit Batman!

did not realize buying a new toilet was going to be so complicted and time consuming, but i want the best that will work with the 1.6 gpf, am leaning towards the kohler , elongated, 2 piece, with the claas5 flushing tech. sure wish there was someplace i could actually see them and try them (well not actually try them ) but sit on it.

What a concept! You can test out matresses before you by them, why not toilets? You could take Bob with you and he could drop one of his chalupa grande's for the ultimate flush test

A guy I work with installed the American Standard Champion at his house. This is the toilet that can flush 29 golf balls at once. There supposedly isn't a loaf made that this toilet can't slice.

I would have trouble passing one golf ball, so I can't see how 29 would get in there all at once..

DaveNay said:

This is the toilet that can flush 29 golf balls at once. There supposedly isn't a loaf made that this toilet can't slice.

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When my golf balls don't stick to the porcelain I'll buy one.......

Frank, just one more thing to look at.

My brother is having a new house built (he moves in this weekend if all goes well). On the advice of his builder and his plumber, he is putting in a brand of toilet called: TOTO

I'd never heard of the brand, but then again its been a couple years since I went toilet shopping. But he said both the plumber and the contractor swear by this brand as being the best brand on the market, and it does not require the pressure assist to work properly.

Just another thought. I honestly have no clue how well it works or doesn't work. Like I said, he's not in the house yet.

I believe that they are made in Kansas and Dorthy is the office manage. The plant manager is a lion to work for and the credit manager is a tin man without a heart.

BOB; beleive it or not, the first place i went to s( the ones that did not seem interested) sold that toilet, told me was the best but did not deem it necessary to tell me why? they had no liteture on it, but i have heard of it a few times, it was a bit pricy, but if it works well, that is all i am really interested in. think i will see if i can find them on line.

well after numerous good replies, and much reading on the net finally found a terlit(ARCHIE SPEAK) i bought a KOHLER , elongated, comfort height (17") with the 21/8 glazed trap and with the 3" flapper . found a distributor that had a showroom, went and looked at it, and they acturlly had one hooked up. seemd to work ok (although they would not let me try it) this plsace was amazing . did not know there where that many options to Releiving ones self. bought at 12 pm and they delivered by 3:30. now all i have to do is install it when i have the time.
toilet complete with all hardware= $220.00
upgraded seat= 38.00

with tax for our wonderful state total was $280.00

the only thing I was not crazy aout was the water level in the bowl, but they all seemd low, also did not seem like a lot of water to flush with.

If anybody wants to come and install it , you can be the first to use it

Did you remember to get the insulated tank. It is about a $20 option that is well worth the money. Just don't over tighten anything, because you only get one chance..... after that, it is cracked. Also, before you set the toilet, check the bottom where it sits on the floor to make sure that it is flat. I made the mistake of not checking this and it wobbled on the tile floor. Seems that the bottom wasn't flat and had a high spot........ Junk....

JUNKMAN, did not get insulated tank, back when i had well water and it was always cold 55 deg i installed a temp reg. valve that i have set to mix cold and hot water to the tank at 68 deg. a turn of 2 valves and the problem i s solved , now that i have city water i need to use this function only afew weeks in the spring when the water is cold and the humidity is high, once the water in the lake warms up , it is not necessary, seems complicated, but it is not, besides, insulated tank will only stop the tank from sweating, when used a lot the bowl will still sweat, with my system of warmer water, nothing sweats.

frank_f15 said:

the only thing I was not crazy aout was the water level in the bowl, but they all seemd low

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Frank,
On most toilets, the low water level is due to the improper routing of a water line.
There's a water line that comes out horizontally. It's supposed to point the water into the tube that the flapper is connected to in the middle of the tank. Many people just let it flow into the tank and don't route it down that tube.

I know that Brian, but it seems the low water in the bowl is due to the 1.6 gal flush, does not take as long to fill tank and therefore the water in the bowl will have less time to fill bowl, seems like most of the new ones are like that.. but will be very happy for you to come and install it and set it up properly god i love when i can get someone else to do the work

OK Frank, next time I'm at your house, I'll put it in.

I didn't say it since Junk had already mentioned it, but if I were still in your area, I probably would have made the trip to Canada.