Why wall-mounted toilets?

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AtlasDoc12

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Hi everyone, I am trying to answer the question: "why do we install wall-mounted toilets?"

I'm trying to build a case in a report I'm working on... Why do we install wall mounts versus floor bases? What are the advantages? And if anyone knows, what reasons other than an ease in using wheelchairs/ADA do we continually put them in buildings?

Thanks for all your thoughts!
 

Ian Gills

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All toilets are wall-mounted in the UK.

One advantage I can think of is the trap on a rear mounted outlet does not siphon dry like on the bottom outlet ones we tend to use here.

Which means that there is no need for the pesky refill tube stuck down the overflow pipe.

That in itself would make using a bottom outlet toilet with something like a Sloan valve tricky.
 

Jadnashua

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It's easier to clean underneath them, both the floor, and the actual toilet. You can redo the floor without having to deal with moving the flange while keeping the toilet in use.
 

FloridaOrange

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Wall mount has nothing to do with ADA. About the only reason that I know of is for cleaning. It's alot easier to mop or hose down a room with all the fixtures off the floor.

Drawbacks:
Commercial units require a carrier, which requires space (clear space not including studs) 9" minimum cavity for horizontal carrier for a single water closet, 13" for a horizontal carrier for back to back closets.
Space is at a premium in almost all new designs.

I design systems for about 60-100 projects a year. I've only put wall mounted closets in maybe 10 over the last few years, those were mostly government jobs.
 

AtlasDoc12

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FloridaOrange, my apologies I didn't mean that wall-mounted toilets were a part of ADA, but that ADA deals with handicap facilities and wall-mounts are easier for handicapped to use.

Are there any plumbing reasons for wall-mounts? Such as having pipes that only flow vertically through the walls? Trying to picture a plumbing system, it seems that maybe it would be easier and more efficient to set up if the plumbing is coming and going through the walls versus the floors.
 

Ian Gills

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It is easier. In the UK, most of our drain pipes are routed outside the property and down the outside.

You'd be doing that if you hadn't thrown our tea in the water.

But trust me, everyone that comes to visit me in the US says that the bottom outlet toilets flush way better.
 
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FloridaOrange

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FloridaOrange, my apologies I didn't mean that wall-mounted toilets were a part of ADA, but that ADA deals with handicap facilities and wall-mounts are easier for handicapped to use.

Are there any plumbing reasons for wall-mounts? Such as having pipes that only flow vertically through the walls? Trying to picture a plumbing system, it seems that maybe it would be easier and more efficient to set up if the plumbing is coming and going through the walls versus the floors.

Wall hung may help with keeping the plumbing isolated to the walls, this would allow the floors below to have higher ceilings but most setups will also have floordrains so that cancels that benifit.

Maybe one of the plumbers (I'm a designer) can chime in on the efficiency of the install but you are typically dealing with more hardware for the wall hung.
 

Terry

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I was told by the head of Toto that the wall mount bowls don't work as well as the floor mount bowls.
They had toyed with the idea of converting their wall mount bowl for gravity use, but decided that there was little market for them.

The head of maintenance at Seatac airport says the bathroom with the Toto wall hung toilets have been working the best.
He bought a Toto from me for his own home.

Crane makes a gravity wall mount, they do not work well.

American Standard makes a "pressure assist" wall mount.
With the pressure assist they seem to work.
The quality of the porcelain going in the boxes lately is horrible though.
Our last "two" installs now have had be done "twice"!
The casting on the tank have factory scratches that allowed water to seep through at the tank to bowl connection.
 

hj

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wall mount

Cleanliness is the biggest advantage to wall hung toilets. Whether a toilet has a back outlet or floor outlet is immaterial to its flushing since BOTH have internal "S" traps which means they ALL siphon the trap equally. Whether they need a refill tube or not depends on the bowl design and how much residual water is available to reseal the trap afterwards. I have been installing wall hung toilets since 1952, and have never heard any one say they do not flush as good as a floor mount. I will say that it is a lot easier to remove a wall hung if something is jammed in it, than a floor mount.
 

Terry

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hj,
The old 60's wall mounts that use five gallons work fine, that's true.

But the new 1.6 gallon wall hungs?
That's a different story,
That's why you will mainly see pressure assist for wall hung toilets now.
Or sloan valves.
Both flush in seconds.
 

Jimbo

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I'd hate to be in the middle of using a wall-mounted device and have it fall from the wall!

Most wall hung toilets are spec'd at 500 lbs. I have not seen or read any stories about toilets falling off the wall, but I suppose it must have happened.
 

Ian Gills

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I have had a couple flex on me, but never seperate from the wall.
 

Peanut9199

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Carriers are rated for 2000lbs the actual toilet would break or crack at 880 lbs so if properly installed they shouldn't move.

I used to get people calling looking for the breaking strength on pipe hangers and i used to tell them it isn't the hanger you need to worry about but the rod and nut your hanging it from.

If you use a toilet with a in-wall carrier that includes the tank it is quieter and takes up less room in the bathroom.
 
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