Professional Toilet Installation in Houston
Commode, loo, water closet, outhouse, and lavatory are just some of the many names we’ve given in the English language to the toilet. Made of porcelain and sitting approximately 15 inches off the ground. The flushable toilet may have been around for just over four hundred years. Still, it’s safe to say at Nick’s Plumbing Service we’ve fixed more than that since we opened our doors for business in 1979.
Who invented the flush toilet?
Queen Elizabeth I’s godson, Sir John Harington, first described a modern flushable toilet in 1596. His device included a 2-foot deep oval bowl waterproofed with wax, resin, and pitch fed by water from a cistern located upstairs.
To flush his revolutionary invention required 7.5 gallons of water. This was an incredible amount of water in that day and age. Harington added up to 20 people could use his device in between flushes.
Did you know that the installation of a new toilet will not only improve the look of your home but can also save you money? Toilets made today are far more efficient than those made as recently as 10 or 15 years ago, thanks to improved water conservation technology.
How does a toilet work?
When you flush your toilet, the tank is refilled through a fill tube, lifting a float that will shut off the incoming water flow once it reaches a certain level. At the same time, a flapper connected to the float by a chain seals off the tank from the toilet bowl.
How much does it cost to install a toilet?
The parts required to install a toilet can range in price from $150-$10,000. The price of a toilet will cost, on average, $160-$550. The price can be higher than $550 if you have a wall mount or own an electronic toilet.
Why you should leave your toilet installation to a professional
You don’t have to call the plumber every time you encounter a plumbing problem. There are things you can repair yourself, providing you have the necessary tools on hand. But there are specific jobs you should never undertake yourself, including installing a new toilet.
Installation requires professional training.
If you think installing a new toilet only requires you to measure the distance from the wall to the bolts on the bathroom floor, you’re in for a surprise. It is a far more complicated job that calls on a plumber’s professional training. Remember, you’re not just attempting something you’ve not done before, but you’re risking damage to your bathroom, your plumbing system, and your new toilet.
A new leaking toilet
Imagine if you’ve struggled with installing your new toilet only to realize a few days later that it’s started to leak. Finding the source of the leak is difficult, primarily if your toilet is located on the second floor. After a few days, you might see water accumulating on the ceiling of the first floor. If your new toilet is used often, soon you’ll notice dark stains forming on the ceiling located directly underneath it. You may start to regret ever installing the toilet yourself.
Mold Growth
If you’ve not been able to locate the source of your leak, a damp and dark space will soon start growing mold. You will need to call someone such as Nick’s Plumbing Service to locate the leak and reinstall or replace your toilet.
Additionally, you’re going to need to call in a remediation specialist who can help deal with the mold growing in your home. Mold will worsen allergies, causes respiratory problems, and make those suffering from existing medical conditions such as asthma much worse.
Take the risk out of installing a new toilet and call Nick’s Plumbing Service.
What should I consider before installing a toilet?
Though we don’t recommend installing a new toilet yourself, at Nick’s Plumbing Service, we suggest you begin your search by taking measurements.
Take Measurements
Starting from the wall behind the toilet, measure to the center bolts at the toilet’s base. If the toilet you’re replacing has four bolts, measure to the center of the back bolts. This measurement is called the rough-in measurement. For a standard toilet, the rough-in measurement should be between 11 and 13 inches. You will need to keep this measurement handy when you go to purchase your new toilet for installation.
Your Utility Bill
The American bathroom uses nearly half of a home’s average water usage, with toilets alone accounting for about 25-30% of the water usage. The older seven-gallon tanks can use upwards of 13,000 gallons of water per year. But if you invest in a newer toilet such as a 1.28-gallon tank now, your average consumption could drop to 2,300 gallons.
Choose Toilet Type
You have two toilet types to choose from, either a one-piece or two-piece model. The one-piece model features a tank and bowl that are one unit. By comparison, the two-piece model is more common in America. The tank and bowl are separate units and are less expensive.
Efficiency & Performance
You’ve probably never noticed, but there are two types of toilet flushing: gravity and pressure. Toilets that operate with a gravity-fed system can generate as little as 10 PSI. Still, they have higher risk clogging since they aren’t able to push waste as effectively. By comparison, pressure units are noisier and can generate 25 PSI of water pressure. They use less water, yet cost a great deal more to install.
Choose your Design Style
Bowl Shape
Elongated bowl fronts offer a deeper-seating area and will fit in most residential bathrooms. Compact-elongated toilets have a somewhat shorter seat and take up less space. This can be ideal if your bathroom is tight on space. But they are still extremely comfortable. Round-front toilets require the least amount of space and are the top choice when space is at a premium.
Seat Height
Toilets that are of standard height are roughly 17 inches above the floor. Chair-height toilets are slightly taller at about 19 inches above the floor. This makes them much easier to use for people who have mobility issues, including older people. There are also custom height toilets that mount on the wall. These can be set at varying heights ranging from 15 inches to 28 inches from the floor.
Flush Handle Locations
The majority of toilets on the market today have a water-saving feature as compared to older toilets. Yet there are still several options to choose from.
The single flush toilets use about 1.5 gallons per use. This is the most common toilet in North America, and as such, if you decide to order this type, you will have the most choice in terms of design, shape, and colors.
The dual flush has a two-stage level mechanism. This offers a full flush for solid waste, which uses about 1.5 gallons of water or a lighter flush for liquid waste, using approximately 0.6 gallons of water.
The touchless flush models of toilets have a battery-powered sensor that initiates the flush when your hand passes over its sensor eye.
What are the signs I need to install a new toilet?
One of the most important systems you need to maintain in your home is your plumbing. If your toilet doesn’t work correctly or appears to be damaged, it can be extremely frustrating. The following just a few of the many signs you might need to install a new toilet.
- Constant clogging
A clogged toilet is an inconvenience. While it isn’t uncommon if it starts to happen regularly, that could indicate a more significant issue. If you begin to experience clogs more than once a week, or on the other end of the spectrum if the clogs seem random and odd, you should probably replace your toilet.
- Numerous Repairs
Your toilet should not be an appliance that needs constant repairs. If you find yourself always calling us at Nick’s Plumbing Service to repair this or that with the toilet, then maybe it’s time to take a look at installing a new toilet.
- Cracks in the porcelain
If you start to notice puddles of water around the base of the toilet, there’s a good sign that there may be cracks in the porcelain. Yes, the toilet may work just fine. Still, leaks can waste a tremendous amount of water. Even, it can also damage your flooring, including tile, carpeting hardwood, and your furniture.
- Wobbling
Do you have to be very careful when you sit down on your toilet? Does your toilet wobble? The solution may be a simple problem of loose screws. Give us a call at Nick’s Plumbing Service, and we can come out to tighten them. But that wobbling could be a sign of a much bigger problem. The floor beneath the toilet could very well be rotting away due to water damage. Therefore, if you notice wobbling, call us first; we’ll check it out.
- Inefficient Flushing
If you find that your water bills are incredibly high, take a look at one of your biggest water-wasters: your toilet. By installing a new water-efficient toilet can help you keep your bills down. The average toilet uses three to five gallons of water with each flush. Comparatively, a low-flush toilet uses about two gallons for every flush. You’ll notice this change if you have an extensive family.
- Built-up Mineral Deposits
In areas with hard water, minerals can often build in the inlet holes and siphon tube. This type of buildup prevents the water from flowing efficiently, making the toilet ineffective. There are situations where you can manually chip away at these deposits. But more often than not, the easiest thing to do is simply install a new toilet. That’s when you need to call Nick’s Plumbing Service. We’ll help install your new appliance.
New Toilet Installation
Every household needs at least one solid operating toilet. The basic rule of thumb in the plumbing world is that a toilet can last up to 50 years. But installing a new toilet will be more than necessary after 25 years thanks to regular wear and tear, damage and less than stellar water pressure. At Nick’s Plumbing Service, we’ve installed many toilets in our over 40 years. Just because a toilet can last over half a century doesn’t mean that it should. Take good care of your appliance, and when you’re ready to install a new one for whatever reason, contact us, we’ll be there to help.
