The current/original toilet is 29 years old. I was recently thinking of replacing the seat since the existing seat - which is not the original, if I recall correctly - since the seat has some noticeable degradation along part of the inner bottom edge. But, while I was in a home improvement store yesterday and happened to walk down the aisle where toilets are displayed, I began to wonder whether I should replace the toilet while I put down some new flooring in the bathroom.

My old toilet works fine. I've replaced the flapper and water flow control valve in the tank. As I see it, the only reason to replace the toilet might be to get a toilet with newer flushing system, and, perhaps, lower water consumption.

 

Pulling the old toilet out to replace the floor is a good idea. As long as you are doing that you should install a new toilet to take advantage of water saving features and avoid having to maintain an old one.

You may have to shim the toilet flange to keep it flush with the top of the new floor. Shims for that are available in the plumbing aisle.

 

Thanks. I think I'll be shopping for a new toilet.

 

Take a look at the MaP toilet testing sheet -- there are a few dogs out there.

https://www.map-testing.com/downloads.html

 

There are some different styles, height and shape, along with flushing performance. Would be a pain to switch and introduce a flushing issue. Hang onto the old one for a week or so .

Bud

 

Wow, those lists are VERY long and I don't see any clear way to decipher which models should perhaps be avoided. I may have to rely on reviews posted on the retailer's website.

Thanks for that tip. I'll do it.

 

I was looking at that list myself and also wondered how to pick the good ones. The only thing I could think of is if they made that list then that in itself tells you it's a good one. Not sure though. Never heard of MaP.

 

After reading some buyer reviews on the website of a major home improvement store, I became aware of possible issue regarding the shape of the drain opening in some of the toilets. Becoming aware of this issue was disappointing since it would pertain to a toilet I was thinking of buying.

The issue is that some - I don't know what percentage of toilets this applies to - toilets have an oblong shaped drain opening, as opposed to a round shape. Consequently, if the toilet does get plugged, using a regular toilet plunger will not work because it can't form a seal over an oblong opening. So, the clogging of a toilet with an oblong drain can require the use of various other less effective, and perhaps very messy and time-consuming, ways to get it unclogged.

So, now I'm thinking I need to shop for toilets that have the rounded drain opening, and I'm hoping that does not greatly limit my options for a new toilet.

 

I think I found a plunger that will work on toilets with oblong drain openings: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Korky-Be...9-8A/203765220

 

On the MaP sheet (Maximum Performance) I look at the first number

"MaP Flush Performance Score (grams of waste removed in a single flush)"

A score of 1000 is the best score. I see some Totos as low as 350 but most are higher.