A toilet is a toilet, right? Actually, no. Whether you’re remodeling your bathroom or building a new one from scratch, choosing your fixtures, like the toilet, is quite an important decision. Perhaps somebody has recommended a rear outlet toilet. It’s always best to do your homework before you buy. What other toilets are there, and what are the pros and cons of a rear outlet toilet?
Rear outlet toilets look more appealing, create more room in the bathroom, and work well in apartment buildings, allowing builders to lessen the space between floor levels because they don’t need to insert pipes below the floor. They are more expensive, though, and often require more maintenance.
Did you know that some toilets have outlets into the sewerage systems from the wall and some from below the floor? Unless you are a plumber, a builder, or a brainy DIY guy or girl, you may never have heard of a rear outlet toilet. Let’s look at the pros and cons of rear outlet toilets to decide if one will suit your bathroom.
Everything You Need To Know About Rear Outlet Toilets
There are two types of toilet outlets. The most common is the floor flushing one that sits directly above the rough-in. It uses connecting pipes to link into the city sewage system and uses gravity to flush the waste through the sewer pipes.
Other names for rear outlet toilets are rear discharge or back flushing toilets. The rear outlet toilet links up with a rough-in built into the bathroom wall instead of the floor. A connection behind the bowl takes the waste out to the sewer lines via the wall.
The Pros Of Rear Outlet Toilets
While back flushing toilets may be less common, there are some excellent reasons to consider buying one when toilet shopping.
Aesthetic Appeal Of Rear Outlet Toilets
You want every room in your house to look as attractive as possible, including the bathroom. Today’s fixtures look far more appealing than old-fashioned bathroom fittings, which looked more functional than pretty.
These toilets are sleeker, with cleaner lines, giving your bathroom a more modern appearance. The contractor can also hide all the pipes and fixtures inside the wall, increasing the aesthetic appeal. Floor flushing toilets often have these fittings exposed, which looks far less appealing.
Rear Outlet Toilets Have Powerful Flushes
Toilets can flush in three ways using siphonic, wash-down, or pressure-assist technology. Let’s take a brief look at each one to clarify the issue of the flushing power.
The siphonic toilet creates a siphon in the trapway, drawing the water out of the bowl first and then the waste. This flushing system doesn’t work well on its own for rear outlet toilets, which is why the manufacturers build pressure-aided devices into them. This gives the rear outlet toilet the extra power to get rid of the waste efficiently.
Wash-down toilets release water very quickly into the bowl, which pushes the waste out first, followed by the water. It carries the waste further down the drain line than siphon flushing toilets.
Pressure-assist flushing technology supports siphonic flushing in a rear outlet toilet. The tank contains a pressurized bladder that creates a significant force when pulling the waste through the system.
Rear outlet toilets always come with pressure-aided devices because traditional siphonic technology can’t eliminate waste efficiently. The added pressure drags the waste down forcefully, so these models will not likely clog easily.
No Need To Redo The Floor With A Rear Outlet Toilet
You won’t need to rip up your bathroom floor to install a back flushing toilet. This is an excellent reason to choose one. A lot more work is involved with installing a floor flushing toilet than a rear outlet one. Doing the plumbing and redoing the bathroom floor is also more expensive than simply making a hole in the wall to fit the rear outlet fixture.
Rear Outlet Toilets Are Versatile
You can install these toilets almost anywhere, including where it is impossible to put floor flushing varieties. If you install one of these toilets in a basement, you will need one with a macerator. A rear outlet toilet is a good solution when there isn’t adequate fall for the waste to drain properly.
Rear Outlet Toilets Are Suitable For Multi-Storey Buildings
These toilets save space in high-rise buildings and sometimes allow the builders to add extra floor levels. They don’t need to design thick floors to incorporate plumbing, making the building more profitable.
The Cons Of Rear Outlet Toilets
All good things have drawbacks, so let’s look at the downside of rear outlet toilets.
Rear Outlet Toilets Are Noisy
These toilets tend to be noisier than standard toilets when they flush. This is because the pressurized water pours forcefully into the bowl. Some people may prefer a quieter flush.
The Connector Is Visible On A Rear Outlet Toilet
One of the drawbacks of these toilets is that you can see the P-trap behind the bowl. This may be unacceptable to people who prefer all the plumbing hidden.
Back Flushing Toilets Are Not As Widely Available
These models are not the standard toilets installed in bathrooms. The demand for them is lower, and consequently, the available range is not as wide. The supply-demand principle plays a role here, making rear outlet toilets more expensive.
Back Flushing Toilets Can Be Unstable
These models are reportedly less stable than floor flushing toilets. They can work themselves loose over time because they are bolted directly to the all. You may need to readjust them periodically.
Back Flushing Toilets Need More Maintenance And Repair
Rear outlet toilets have more working parts and connections than floor flushing models. These toilets leak more often than their floor flushing counterparts, and it can be expensive to diagnose the problem and repair the damage.
Conclusion
High-rise building developers love these toilets because it saves space and money. They may be noisier than you would like and could cost you extra maintenance and money. Rear outlet toilets are more aesthetically pleasing than their floor flushing cousins and much easier to install. You will also not have to rip up your floor when you redo the bathroom.
Now that you have done your homework, you can decide which toilet will be best for your home. Poker rules also apply to sanitaryware: a royal flush is better than a full house, so make sure you choose the best toilet you can afford.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.
