Do You Know How to Choose The Right Toilet For Your Home?

Bathroom Plumbing: There is a Right Way

The needs of homeowners are constantly changing and evolving. Due to these changes, many homeowners are looking into installing commercial toilets inside their houses. While the idea of installing a commercial toilet appeals to many owners due to the tankless feature, these toilets are not intended for residential use.

Installing a commercial toilet in a residential area can lead to malfunction and even damage to your plumbing. Read on to learn why commercial toilets should never be installed in the place of residential toilets and what options you have. And remember! Just because they are louder and stronger, does not mean that commercial toilets don't get clogged toilet issues

Residential VS. Commercial Toilets

residential vs commercial toiletsWhile both residential and commercial toilets appear to be similar, there are key differences that are important to learn. Residential toilets are installed with the correct setup to connect to city sewer piping. They are created to handle a smaller volume of water and waste and function using a suction system to flush.

Residential toilets use tanks to force water and waste through piping. Pipes are often of a smaller diameter. Commercial toilets, on the other hand, are designed to handle more significant amounts of waste and water.

They connect to large industrial piping, and their tankless feature uses a large amount of force and water volume to flush waste through the piping. These are installed with larger diameter piping and use a pump to force water through the bowl for each flush.

Inspect Your Underground Plumbing System First

One of the reasons for differences in residential toilets and commercial toilets comes down to the plumbing systems used. Residential plumbing has smaller piping that connects to the city sewer system. Residential piping is built to handle a smaller volume of water and waste.

underground plumbing

Commercial plumbing, on the other hand, is built to handle high volumes of water and waste. Plumbing for malls and other large building complexes are hooked into the sewage system with much larger piping. Commercial toilets use larger piping that is not available for residential homes. A commercial toilet cannot be installed in a home because the piping available for commercial toilets will not connect properly to piping used in houses.

Why Do Homeowners Opt for Tankless Toilets?

tankless toiletsIf you want the tankless feature of a commercial toilet but live in a residential area, you aren’t out of luck. The good news for you is that there are tankless toilets designed especially for houses. Tankless toilets function as their name implies, without a toilet tank.

By using a specially designed pump and pipe attachments, the tankless toilet is capable of flushing waste through your residential piping using high volume water pressure. These toilets are completely safe for residential use and provide you with all the benefits of a commercial toilet.

Tankless toilets are easy to clean. Without the tank to worry about, you can easily get behind the toilet bowl when moping or scrubbing, improving overall cleanliness and sanitation. Tankless toilets give your bathroom a sleek modern look and are a wonderful space-saving feature.

Plumbers You Can Trust

G.F. Bowman, Inc. has been serving the Cleona and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area for over 50 years. They offer services for all of your plumbing, heating, cooling, and geothermal needs. Priding themselves on going the extra mile for every customer, they’re sure to get every plumbing job done right.

The Unwanted Effects of a Water Plumbing Leak Inside Your Home!

What a Water Leak Can do Inside Your Home

Unfortunately for many homeowners, not all plumbing leaks are going to come in the form of large floods that are easily spotted. While that may sound like a good thing, small leaks can cause just as much damage over time.

In many cases they go unnoticed for weeks and sometimes months, damaging your home and costing you thousands in the process. In this article, you will see some of the essential ways that homeowners can get the upper hand on leak detection.

Plumbing Leaks Can Waste Thousands Of Gallons Of Water Per Year

Plumbing leaks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and most importantly visibility. While a large leak can potentially cause a flood in the home, a small leak can cause just as much damage (if not more) over time. This is why it is crucial to have some understanding of what to look for when you suspect a small plumbing leak may be at work.

Small leaks in a homeowner’s plumbing can waste thousands of gallons of water and cost hundreds of dollars more per year. Not only that, but there are also detrimental health risks to be aware of, as well as potentially costly repairs to damaged fixtures outside of the plumbing itself.

The best defense against small but harmful leaks is to keep an eye on three specific things; water costs, mold, and odor. These three may not seem as though they would be able to indicate a plumbing leak, but they are the most common symptoms of the issue.

Look For Increased Water Costs

The first sign of a plumbing leak is an increase in your water costs. Generally, this will be a noticeable spike in the amount of water consumption per month. When water consumption is elevated without a cause, chances are it could be the toilet.

A toilet is behind almost 40% of a home's water consumption. When a toilet is not working properly, it will continue to run using almost double the amount of water it normally would. If you find this to be the case, a professional is the best bet for a quick and accurate solution.

high water bill

In the meantime, however, you can turn the water valve off when the toilet is not in use. This will keep the toilet from running and wasting precious water down the drain. Just remember to turn the water back on before use, however.

Wet Spots Are Also Mold Spots

Wet spots on the ceiling or walls are most likely on near water pipes that run through the walls. When you detect these spots, it usually means there is a leak in the pipe located in that area. Unfortunately, the leak is not the only issue in this case. The water spots are going to produce different types of mold and mildew that can be harmful to your health.

There are many health concerns associated with exposure to mold. Some of the symptoms include:

  • mold spotsSore and itchy throat.
  • Coughing and wheezing.
  • General increased breathing problems.
  • Increased allergies.
  • Sore, itchy, and watery eyes.
  • Nose bleeds.

There are several other symptoms that can occur; especially when conditions are already present.

Mold Also Causes Musty Odors

Another unfortunate side effect of mold is the musty odor it gives off. This is caused by any time water is left standing while in contact with any porous material. The musty odor will affect the olfactory senses the most; meaning the sense of smell.

While a musty odor can be hard to live with, getting rid of it can also be very difficult. When a musty odor has found its way into clothing or any textiles, washing it several times can help, but usually the item is thrown away.

musty smell

When the musty odor attaches itself to the walls, ceiling, and floor of a home, the homeowner can face costly re-construction to correct the issue.

Luckily, the musty odor, along with the health risks, can all be prevented by being aware of the warning signs of plumbing leaks. If you detect a musty odor in a specific location, call your local experts to investigate the problem.

G.F. Bowman, Inc.

G.F. Bowman, Inc. has been the plumbing and indoor comfort experts for over 50 years in the Cleona, PA area. With a professional plumber on call, there is no problem too big or too small. As community leaders, G.F. Bowman, Inc. is dedicated to the well being of each and every resident.