How to Buy a Toilet

Although it's one of the most used fixtures in the bathroom, most of us never think about what makes one toilet different from another-- until it's time to buy one. Models range from very basic equipment to a truly royal flush.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose from traditional two-piece toilets (from $80) that have tank and bowl bolted together, low-profile one-piece toilets (from $200), and easy-to-clean wall-mount tankless ones (from $250).

2. Pick your throne with comfort and space in mind. Narrow spaces favor round bowls, but elongated bowls provide another 2 inches of support. Seat heights range from 10 inches (25 cm) for kids to the standard 14 to 15 inches (35 to 38 cm) for adults and the wheelchair-accessible 17 inches (43 cm).

3. Choose a flush action. All new toilets use 1.6 gallons (6 liters) of water to flush. Affordable gravity-fed toilets run water from the tank into the bowl to create a siphon that drains waste. Pressure-assisted toilets (add $100) use compressed air to propel water and expel waste with noisy turbolike force.

4. Look for extras like a built-in pump to boost water pressure, and a 3-inch (7.5 cm) flush valve and 2-inch (5 cm) trapway to clear the bowl quicker.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat yourself to heated seats, deodorizer fans and bidet-style spray-and-dry devices. Self-closing lids reduce noise and arguments.
• Most toilets bolt to the floor 12 inches (30 cm) from the wall, but some require 10 or 14 inches (25 or 35 cm).

[mcat7]

on 9/9/2007 Closet Flanges, the fitting that secures the comode to the floor on top and attaches to the drainline below, has screw holes to attach the flange to the floor and slots whick retain the bolts that secure the comode down. The retaining bolts that you say are turining may be down below the part of the slot that keeps the bolt head from turning. This is the most likely cause of your problem. Hold the exposed part of the bolt up against the top inside of the slot while loosening the nut. If the comode is broken just slide the nut and bolt to the open end of the slot rem

[jsutton]

on 2/18/2007 Nut frozen to bolt holding toilet to floor, bolt spins with the nut when turned. What's best way to remove nut
Any plumbers out there?
We have a cracked toilet I need to replace. As luck would have it, one of the NUTs on the bolts fastening the toilet to the floor is frozen to the bolt AND the BOLT is just spinning with the NUT when turned.
I'd like advice on how to remove the NUT so I can remove and replace the toilet.
Secondarily, the BOLT spinning isn't good news either, what should I anticipate needs to be done there to secure or replace it.