Crystal Chalets toilet replacements

[Terry]

Thanks.
I'm liking the Maxwell especially for the added height. Most of the condo owneners are now in my age group, and I hear the Advil stories from them for their knees. As good a shape these owners are, time does take it's toll. They sure look better too.

 

[JMac]

I wish I could still go skiing; but I have 2 major hurdles: living in Florida, and my knees.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

This was my day a few weeks ago on a Saturday. The view when you get off the gondola.

The upper mountain was open. Plenty of sightseerers without skis taking the gondola to the top for the view.

 

[Terry]

Hi Terry,
I plan to participate in the toilet replacement project at the Crystal Chalets at Crystal Mountain with two units 505 and 522. I have the following questions.

1.In your forum you said that the toilets would be higher than conventional. Does the toilet come in two different height options? The starting point is obviously dictated by the height of the wall flange and the toilet seat is also a fixed height. If there is an option, however, I would go with the standard height for 505 since it is more comfortable for smaller people. If one needs a high toilet, one should probably not be up there to begin with. Remember that there are a lot of kids up there.

2.What is the advantage of the elongated toilet? Is there an option to go with the standard bowl?

3.Will you be able to give us an installation schedule? I would like to be up there since I want to install tank insulation prior to the tank being filled. I read your blog on the lower condensation, but would like to take the opportunity to insulate the tank anyway.

Regards,
Chris H

Hi Chris,

1. The Gerber on the 4.-1/4" rough has a bowl height of 16". It only comes in this height. It's 1.5" higher than before, but kids should be fine on this.
The American Standard Glenwall is 14-1/2" to top of bowl.

2. The new wall hung bowls only come in elongated. Round bowls are not sold very often anymore, and don't meet ADA requirements. There is less and less reason for round bowls on the market. The elongated bowls are cleaner to use and give men more space.

3. We will be setting up scedules for all the work soon. We plan on being up there for a few days during a work week.

 

[WJcandee]

TO Chris H:

Terry is too nice to tell you this, but if you go with the Glenwall (which is the lower height one of the two), there is 100-percent no need for insulation, because the pressure flush vessel is its own water container, sitting well inside the tank. There is no water touching the china in the tank. No opportunity for condensation. Zero.

And on the Maxwell, in which water does sit in the china tank, it's going to be very unlikely, because the water will rarely vary above room temperature, unless you have quite a few successive flushes. I would worry about impeding the functionality of the toilet by reducing the tank volume, as well. The new 1.28gpf toilets are much more finely-calibrated as to water usage than the old water-hogs. The good news is you can ask around to your neighbors who have had Terry install the Maxwell, and see if they have had condensation issues in that particular environment.

PS Terry is an amazing plumber and an awesome guy, so you would be well-served if you joined the program.

 

[Terry]

Unit 518

Unit 517

Unit 532

Crystal Chalets

Crystal Chalets

We went up last week and installed fifteen more of these bad boys up at Crystal Mountain. That was a lot of stairs from the parking lot.

 

[WJcandee]

So interesting to see what different owners have done with their bathroom interiors. I particularly like the one with the more-current basin and single-handle faucet, current paint color and faux-wood floor treatment (but all of the updated ones look nice). A lot of aesthetic value for most likely not too much money. The Maxwell looks good in all of them.