Wake up in the morning, then go to the bathroom to freshen up. Do you know how much time a person spends in a year in this place? Statistics say a person spends almost 73–78 hours in the bathroom annually. So you know the importance of a bathroom in your life. But with the development of science, toilets are also being upgraded. Many types of toilets are available on the market now. If you want to install one, you will get confused easily. Because all toilet types are different in many ways, like material, shape, flush, style, etc., you need to know some of their basic features to choose the right one.
| Based on Structural Shape | Bowl Design Types | Different Flushing Systems | Materials |
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What is a toilet?
I know your cat can think of a home without a toilet, but you cannot. Now let’s see what the bathroom is and why it’s so essential in your house. A toilet is a place where you can throw away human waste. And this toilet flushes it down into the sewerage system. I know you start your day in the bathroom every day. And this portion keeps our waste and throws it down. If you don’t have a toilet, you use nature as a toilet. And this is not only unhygienic but also bad for our environment. So, a bathroom is a must in every home. Do you know that adding an attached bathroom to the bedroom can raise the apartment rent by about 20%? It is an essential part of every house.
Toilet material and working process:
The toilet is a pervasive part of every household. So its material is also essential. Porcelain is mainly used to make toilets for families, hotels, or restaurants. You know, ceramic is very easy to clean and also hygienic. That’s why porcelain is the first choice of every homeowner. Then a stainless steel toilet came. This kind of toilet is mainly used in prisons. This is very hard to break and is also perfect for prison. This type of toilet can also be found on airplanes. Because they are lighter than ceramic ones, there is another type of washroom you see some of the time. These are plastic toilets. This is mainly a portable toilet. You can quickly move it here and there. So these are the materials primarily used to make a toilet.
A toilet builds up with some small parts.
- Toilet bowl: to collect human waste,
- Waste pipe: used to throw the debris from the bowl into the waste tank.
- Water tank: store water for cleaning up the dirty toilet bowl,
- Flush: Create a force or pressure to clean the toilet bowl with water.
- S-Trap: this trap is used to store some water at the bottom of the toilet bowl. So that the toilet keeps germ free and the horrible odor from waste doesn’t come back.
This is the central part of every toilet. But nowadays, many bathrooms come with many different features. And modern science also upgrades the toilet day by day—that’s why many types of washrooms are available on the market. And many people don’t know about them.
What are the three types of traditional toilets most commonly used in the USA?
First, we will talk about the basic toilet. This type of toilet is widespread everywhere. There are some small changes you can find in this type of toilet. Let’s see some basic bathroom detailing:
Gravity flush toilets
The most common toilet nowadays is a gravity toilet. This type of toilet is famous for its water-saving mode. It uses only 1.28 gallons of water per flush. The water uses gravitational force to clean the waste from the bowl and throw it into the water drain. This type of toilet is prevalent now. And you need a minimum space to install a gravity jet toilet. On a budget, you can find this type of bathroom cheap or expensive. But you face some problems while using it. The first one is a loud flush sound, and the second one is a smelly restroom.
Dual flush toilet
Nowadays, science has developed the toilet day by day to make it eco-friendly, just like the dual flush is the best example of all of that. A regular toilet uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush. But in this kind of toilet, you get two buttons. One is for cleaning the water-type waste, and the other is to remove the solid waste from the toilet bowl. And this flush uses 1.28 gallons per flush. That’s why it’s very eco-friendly. This is the most common type of toilet now.
Pressure-assisted toilet
When a toilet uses pressure to clean the toilet bowl, it is called a pressure-assisted toilet. There is an additional tank attached to the main toilet tank. This extra tank creates extra air pressure to flush the toilet. And that’s why it needs less water than a regular toilet. This additional pressure mainly accounts for the high toilet recommendation. And washing the toilet is easy and comfortable. As a result, this toilet saved some money on water bills.
Toilets that are made for specific purposes
The classification depends on many things. Let us see some special kinds of toilets and also their variety:
Up-flush toilet
This is also a prevalent type of toilet nowadays. You don’t need to upgrade your old plumbing system for this toilet. There is a grinding pump attached at the bottom of the bathroom. This pump shreds the toilet tank’s waste tank and then flushes it upwards. A narrow pipe is used to throw the waste into the sewage system and then reach into the septic tank.
Composite toilet
This toilet uses sunlight and wind to make compost from human waste, just like a substance. That’s a straightforward toilet, and it also breaks down human waste with the help of natural processes and makes it compost. This kind of waterless toilet is also known as a dehydrating toilet. This toilet dehydrates human waste without water and saves the planet from water debris. There is a small chamber of compost attached to the bottom of the bathroom, and it collects the trash. If you don’t like a water tank or septic tank with your toilet, this waterless toilet is perfect. These toilets are very eco-friendly because the compost in the bathroom is ideal for soil and saves water from waste. This toilet is also very budget-friendly. So it saves water, enhances the quality of the earth, and saves money.
Urinal toilet
This type of toilet is commonly found in restaurants. But if you love this type of bathroom, you can also install a urinal in your washroom. If you have a massive space in your toilet, you can add a urinal used only for urine. Some urinals have a flush system, and some don’t. So choose your preference.
Portable toilet
Do you love hiking and camping in the jungle? Then I think you are familiar with this portable washroom. These toilets are very lightweight, so anyone can easily carry them on a long trip. Using this toilet is safe for your health and good for the environment.
Squatting position toilet
This type of toilet comes with an extra stool. This stool helps you raise your knees to your hips and act like a squat. This type of toilet is handy because medical science says this stool allows you to move your colon into the ideal place to use the washroom without straining.
Some Modern Types of Toilets
Let’s see some special restrooms which come with some extraordinary features:
Double Cyclone toilet: the double cyclone toilet is a new addition to the market. And it also uses less water because it uses the force of water to clean the waste from the bowl. It just flushes the debris with the same force as a full flush. The toilet uses dual jet streamers to clean the dirt off the toilet. But it uses as minimum water as it can.
Tankless toilet: Can you imagine a bathroom without a water tank? I know you don’t. But yes, there are plenty of tankless toilets you find in the market. A direct water line is just attached to the natural waterline. There is no tank attached to the wall. So removing or cleaning it is no bigger issue for tankless toilets. So if you have less space in your washroom, you can attach this kind of toilet. But keep in mind that it took more water than the regular one.
Smart toilet: the most famous one is an intelligent toilet. How many companies have launched this type of toilet? Many smart parts came with this toilet. Like:
- self-cleaning
- seat warming technology
- temperature adjustable water
- deodorizer
- Bluetooth
- Speaker
- Remote control
Types of toilets based on bowl design
Bathrooms are designed in different forms. And a uniquely shaped toilet enhances the beauty of your washroom. Some other shaped toilets also come with some extra features. Like:
This toilet has an attached bowl and a water tank. That makes it a one-piece toilet. The most important part of this toilet is that it’s straightforward to install. That means you can easily install this toilet yourself as a DIY project. That’s why it’s effortless to clean and also maintain. With that, these are very budget-friendly. So if you have a low budget, this is the best type of toilet for your restroom.
This type is the most found toilet in the world. It came in two parts. That means the water tank and toilet bowl are separate. This two-piece toilet is very budget-friendly, but you need a professional to install it in your washroom. But this kind of toilet is very affordable with outstanding durability. But there are two sections, so some edge is created between these two portions. That’s why it is very tough to clean those places. But it has some prone, which leads to dirt into it.
Need a modern-looking washroom? Then I’ll suggest you attach a wall-mounted toilet there. These are the most aesthetic toilets nowadays. It just changes the total look of your restroom. A minimalist, versatile, wall-hung bathroom took less space than regular toilets. There is no attachment to the ground, so it’s easy to clean up under the toilet quickly. These are tankless commodes. A hidden tank is attached inside the wall. Sometimes it’s tough to clean up the water tank there.
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High-level toilet
Do you love adding some ancient touch to your washroom? Then a high-level toilet is the best choice for you. This type of toilet is famous for its ethnic look and Victorian style. Metal flush pipe with chained flush handle and wooden seat enhance the royalty look of your washroom. But in this era, many engineers try to develop this toilet with some extra features and make it more comfortable for you.
How is a toilet constructed?
Yes, toilet design matters now. People want to match their toilets with their well-furnished homes. Some bathrooms are designed so cleverly that they enhance their capability. Like:
Tank design:
Mostly, you can see a square-sized water tank on the market—a wide rectangle with a round corner water tank primarily found in every house. Alongside is the opposite side of the wall. But some differently shaped tanks are also found nowadays. Some toilets are triangular, which fits right into your corner of the restroom. Some bathrooms come without any water tanks now. Choosing the best style of water tank can make your toilet look modern and aesthetic.
Bowl Design:
You can find many different shapes of toilet bowls on the market. But round bowls are a typical design now. These are common because they take up less space and have a high water capacity. But now there are many shapes of toilets you can find now, like elongated, square, etc. These give a great look into their washroom. As a result, you have a choice.
Color:
Toilets are made mainly of porcelain. And white bathrooms are primarily shared in every home. Because in white, you can easily spot whether the toilet is clean or not. But now you can find various color options in these toiletries. So you can minimize the color with the style of your bathroom.
Seat design:
There are different seat types you can find on the market. Many people love a comfortable seat in the washroom. But mostly, people use hard-type toilet seats because they’re easy to clean and don’t get wet from water. Some toilets have a removable seat that allows you to uninstall it and clean it easily.
Washlet/Bidet Seat: Using toilet paper causes clogs and harms the environment. Keep this in mind when the washlet and bidet come. Both are attached to your toilet. The bidet attaches to any side of your toilet, and the washlet links with the bowl. Both use the force of water to clean the human body after using the toilet. So you don’t need to use tissue paper.
3 common types of toilet flush systems
The toilet flushing system can also change the whole toilet’s look. And now, many toilets come with different looks only for their different flush systems. This flush system is used for a good look and saves water bills many times. Let’s see some new and other types of flush handle systems:
Single-flush toilet: We all know we use the bathroom to throw away human liquid and solid waste. This single-flush toilet has only one button. That means one mechanism is used to clean the bowl of this solid or liquid. A standard single flush uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush.
Double flush toilet: These toilets are now very famous for their water-saving method. You can find two buttons at the top of the water tank. One is smaller than the other. The smaller one is used to clean the liquid waste from the bowl, and the other one is for solid waste. By using this, you can save water because this flush uses only 1.28 gallons of water per flush, which is less than the single-flush toilet. So you save some water for the earth and some money from water bills.
Touchless flush: If you don’t like to press the button on the toilet flush, then good news for you. Modern science has just invented a fantastic bathroom for you. This is a touchless toilet. Yes, a toilet without a manual flushing system. A motion sensor is just used to help it flush itself. So you don’t need to worry about cleaning this. This type of washroom is mainly seen in offices or corporate areas.
These are some basic and standard toilets you can find in the market. Now it’s your turn to choose the useful one for you.
What should you look for when buying a new toilet?
You learn about different types of bathrooms there. But you need to take note of some points before buying a new toilet for your bathroom. Firstly, the size of your restroom. If it’s small, then go with a one-piece toilet. If you want to save extra space, you can install a wall-hung toilet. These are very versatile looks and take a minimum length. And if you are tight on a budget, you can also find a single-flush toilet. These are budget-friendly and also easy to install. So you can also save some money there.
If you are an environment lover, I know you want to save some water with each flush. So go with a dual flush toilet. These are easy to use and also save water. This toilet also helps you cut some water bills from the budget. All in all, you get plenty of options now. Just keep this standpoint before you fix the right one for you.
Bottom Line
I think choosing the perfect toilet is very tough. Because all bathrooms come with different features, some of which have great style and colors. It’s totally up to you. Now you will furnish your home. A modern, ethnic, and old-style toilet is available on the market. So it’s totally up to you to choose the right one for your restroom.
Hi, this is Robert Crossan, the owner of this website, has 17 years of experience in the installation, maintenance, and repair of toilets and plumbing systems. After completing the Level 2 Basic Plumbing course in 2005, I started working in both domestic and commercial buildings as a professional plumber. So I can figure out the core difference between different toilet models and brands. It also helped me monitor their work performance and setbacks.