How to choose a new toilet is a question we are often asked as licenced plumbers.
We are plumbers based in Canberra, Australia. However, regardless of where you live, we always recommend that you try to buy a toilet suite that is made in or near the country that you live in. If you can’t find a locally made toilet suite, purchase your toilet from a nationally recognised plumbing merchant. Buying locally will be of benefit whenever you need spare parts. Most manufacturers and plumbing merchants have good websites that will help you make your choice.
If you are choosing a new toilet for a new installation the choice is easy and endless.
If you are choosing a new toilet as a replacement for an old existing toilet, the first step is to determine what type of toilet bowl and toilet cistern you currently have. Changing the location of stop valves and drain pipes is very expensive. Therefore, it is important to try to match, as close as possible to, your existing toilet bowl and toilet cistern.
Following are the things that you will need to know before making your selection.
Is your toilet bowl a P trap toilet bowl; where the toilet outlet is parallel to the floor, and connects to a drain pipe at the back of the toilet, in the wall?
Is your toilet a skewed P trap toilet bowl; where the outlet is parallel to the floor, but connects to a drain pipe at one side of the toilet, in the wall? Is the skew to the left or to the right?
Is it an S trap toilet bowl; where the toilet outlet connects to the drain pipe in the floor? How far is the centre of the drain pipe from the wall directly behind the toilet bowl? Use a tape measure to get an accurate distance.
Is the stop valve for the water in the toilet cistern or is it to the side of the toilet bowl on the wall behind the toilet? For either, you will need an accurate measurement off the floor and the distance from the centre of the toilet suite.
Is the toilet cistern concealed in the wall; where only the flush buttons appear? Or is the toilet cistern visible at the back of the toilet bowl? It is extremely expensive to change the location of your existing toilet cistern.
With this information you are ready to go online and start shopping for a new toilet for your home or work.
If you are in Canberra we can supply and install the following toilet suite brands Caroma Toilets, Porch Toilet Suites, Solus Toilet Suites, Jacob Delafon Toilets Suites, Roca Toilet Suites, American Standard Toilet Suites, Axa Toilet Suites, Kado Lux Toilet Suites, Adesso Toilet Suites, Clark Toilet Suite, Dorf Toilets Suites, Raymor Toilets Suites, Stylus toilets Suites. When required, we recommend Caroma toilet suites over all other brands. Click here to find out why.