Toilet bowl recommendations

[szeik]

Hi,

My dad's toilet in his condo keeps getting clogged. He's elderly and it is becoming a big problem for me and my siblings. We don't live so close and it is a real mess to clean up after an overflow.

His toilet is old and it looks like it has a narrow opening in the bottom.

My sister wants to get a super flush toilet. I don't know anything about them so I wanted to get some feedback here.

Are the super flush toilets good? I think our problem might be solved just as well by purchasing a toilet bowl with a bigger outlet at the bottom. I think that part is called the trap.

I would appreciate any advice on the type of toilet that will best solve our problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

Thanks in advance, Steve

[John Grabowski]

*Never had a problem with my Toto Drake which is ADA compliant.

The Washlet Bidet Seat is great for those with limited abilities.

[Jim Elbrecht]

becoming a big problem for me and my siblings. We don't live so close and it is a real mess to clean up after an overflow.

so I wanted to get some feedback here.

Some certainly are-- my brother-in-law got the one that they advertise swallowing golf balls several years ago. If something makes *him* happy, you can be sure it works *way* beyond expectations.

While you're replacing the toilet- pay attention to how high the seat is. It is easy for a full 'abled' person to sit on a high one-- but near impossible for someone with the slightest bit of mobility problems to get up from a low one.

Jim

[HeyBub]

Right. 18" is the recommended height (instead of the legacy 14").

I suspect that any modern toilet would be a dramatic improvement. Toilets today vary on cosmetic details, not so much on function.

[Art Todesco]

becoming a big problem for me and my siblings. We don't live so close and it is a real mess to clean up after an overflow.

so I wanted to get some feedback here.

well by purchasing a toilet bowl with a bigger outlet at the bottom. I think that part is called the trap.

problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

I built a new house 4 years ago and put in Kohler Cimarrons. The seating surface is higher than normal, plus the seat and cover go down softly, which is nice. Also, they have a larger drain opening for less clogs. I have never had either of them not flush, no matter how hard I try (hey, I'm an engineer, so I test things!) The only negative is that you get so used of just flipping the soft drop seat, you go to friend's house and you forget and B A N G .... oops, I forgot again.

[Ed Pawlowski]

becoming a big problem for me and my siblings. We don't live so close and it is a real mess to clean up after an overflow.

so I wanted to get some feedback here.

well by purchasing a toilet bowl with a bigger outlet at the bottom. I think that part is called the trap.

problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

At work we have a few Kolher that were installed about 6 years ago when we did renovations. They work well, never had a clog. They are also the higher ones that are easier to get up from, especially for older people. You want an 18" high with the long bowl.

[dadiOH]

The easiest thing is to tell him to flush more often. And to hold the handle down when he flushes.

I'm not trying to be facetious, just advising that both the above help tremendously. The effect of multiple flushes is obvious; that for holding the handle down is that doing so may continue to add water to the bowl, thus aiding in the flushing of the contents. Not all toilet designs will benefit from that, though.

Note that doing either of the above turns one into a scoff-law, defying the intent of the National Energy Policy Act of 1992. Personally, I don't care.

I am also not suggesting that you not replace the toilet. If you do, I agree that a "chair height" (18") would be better. Here are a couple of pretty good links to help you decide...

[Stormin Mormon]

I knew a woman who had that problem. Went to go attend to nature. Her adult daughter found her, hours later, when she got home from work. Mom was sitting ont he toilet, and didn't have the strength to stand back up.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

While you're replacing the toilet- pay attention to how high the seat is. It is easy for a full 'abled' person to sit on a high one-- but near impossible for someone with the slightest bit of mobility problems to get up from a low one.

Jim

[Robert Neville]

problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

I'd suggest you avoid accedotal recommendations and download the MaP report from this site:

Toilets rated 800 or higher are what you are looking for - 1000 is best. I don't think the acronym MaP is copyrighted, so do not go to a local store and assume the number on a box is accurate. Get the specific brand and models you are interested from the report.

[George]

becoming a big problem for me and my siblings. We don't live so close and it is a real mess to clean up after an overflow.

them so I wanted to get some feedback here.

as well by purchasing a toilet bowl with a bigger outlet at the bottom. I think that part is called the trap.

problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

I always wondered why toilets were designed with such a low seat height. I just measured out typical wood kitchen chairs and the seat is 17 1/2" high.

[Harry K]

I recommend my solution. Wife disabled, I put up grab bars and railings everywhere I could. The bgreatest one was a grab bar just short of armslength in front of the throne about shoulder heitht when sitting. First time I used I was wishing I had put one there 30 years ago. Amazing eaze of getting uop.

Harry K

[sms]

problem. Brand names and model numbers appreciated if you have them.

I have a toilet that's rated >=1000 on that site. It clogs often.

I'd look at specific design features rather than a score. Most important is the trapway diameter

[Tim Watts]

On Saturday 02 February 2013 10:33 [e-mail] wrote in alt.home.repair:

Yes - it is the trap.

I can't give you any make/model advice as I'm a brit and I suspect you're not.

However, I fitted a new loo 3 years ago - to all new drains and mine *never* blocks.

I attribute this to a number of factors:

1) I got lucky with the brand - it's got a nice smooth wide trap and outlet;

2) It's a high level cistern - in the UK, we are limited to < 1 gallon flush and low level cisterns can't hack it anymore. The high level takes a little water and makes it count;

3) I searched *very* hard and found a WC pan connector that was a full 110mm (4") right through and jointed nicely with the 110mm drain pipe. Most pan connectors seem to be more like 3.5" or even less. Worse still are those horrible flexi connectors (I know sometimes they are all that will fit..).

[Tim Watts]

On Saturday 02 February 2013 16:29 Harry K wrote in alt.home.repair:

My loo is set into an "alcove" at one end of a mostly small L-shaped bathroom - which means that I have an external corner to the right of the loo and a door frame to the immediate left - giving a couple of impromptu hand holds.

I'm only 45 but recovering from a hernia operation last year, those hand holds where bloody useful for a couple of weeks!

It's hard to appreciate how it feels to be old and weak until it happens, or you get a short reminder like I did.

+1 to hand holds, if the person in question might need them.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I think some of it has to do with the way the body works. I saw something recently that women often have difficulty using the higher seats and should put a step stool in front so they can bring their knees up a bit.

We had some short oriental women working for us and they would stand on the seat and squat. I've also seen toilets that were little more than a tray at floor level. At least they had hand rails to hold on to. It was in a public toilet and they gave you a ration of tissue too.

[Han]

Ed Pawlowski wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That's the type they had in a camping on Lahe Garda when I was there as a kid circa 1960. We went there 2 years in a row. The second year the German visitors had complained about the toilets so much they were replaced with for us "normal" thrones.

[John Grabowski]

*I am very surprised that your Drakes clog. I never had a clog with mine. It does have one pecularity in that the handle must be held down for a few seconds to get the full 1.6 gallon flush.

.

[Ed Pawlowski]

But could it be designed that way? Tap to get rid of liquid only and save even more water. Hold down if you have to remove solids.

[John Grabowski]

*I'm sure it was designed that way, it just took a few flushes in the beginning to realize that.

[George]

You are describing a typical older "oriental" toilet. First time I saw them was in Japan. The usual toilet in anything but the most modern construction was set in the floor with a raised rim.