Toilet is an essential part of your bathroom, and sometimes people refer to the bathroom as a toilet (if they are in search of a toilet, of course). As you all know, a toilet is used as a place to dispose of any bodily waste. You sit on the toilet seat and dispose your bodily waste into the toilet bowl before using the flush handle to flush it down the drain, where it will be transported to the sewage system. However, other than that, many people are unaware of the basics of a toilet, even the most basic components of it. Today we look at the basic standard toilet and its components.
The basic toilet comes in many colours, with white and almond being the most common colours. The colour and style of the toilet are designed according to people’s needs The standard toilet is generally made of vitreous china, that is finished with a high-gloss glaze. There are three types of flushing method that can be applied to toilets. Gravity-fed toilets use a conventional flush, where water that is stored from the tank is released into the toilet bowl, and by using the water’s weight and gravity, the waste is pulled down the drain. The second type of toilet are pressure-assisted toilets, where they use pressure built-up from the water supply that will increase the force of the flush. The third type of toilet operates using a pump to assist in flushing operations with increased pressure; some models of this type are designed to flush automatically when the lid is closed.
Below we dive further into the more specific, yet not commonly-known, components of a standard toilet; listing down each component, along with its functions:
- The Flush Handle or button is, as the name goes the handle or button that, when pushed or pulled, will activate the flush valve ball. The flush is normally bought with a trip lever.
- The Flush Valve Seat is located at the bottom of the tank. The valve surrounds the opening that functions as a channel for water to go through to the bowl. The valve is kept shut by a rubber flush ball or flapper. The flush valve seat is attached to the overflow tube, where takes in water back into the bowl if the water level goes above the water limit.
- The Flush Valve Seat Ball is the component that is located on the flush valve seat. It is attached to the trip lever with a chain, or anything that binds them together. When the flush handle is activated, the flush valve seat ball will go off its seat to let water pour into the toilet bowl to flush down wastewater inside the drain.
- The Ballcock is a device that controls the refilling of the tank, which stores water to flush down waste inside the drain. The ballcock consists of many parts, including: upper lever, float rod, lower lever, plunger, valve seat, refill tube, nylon seat, eye screw, body, hush tube, regular shank, shank gasket, lock nut, coupling nut washer, riser pipe and repair shank.
- The Toilet Seat is commonly made out of plastic or hardwood. The toilet seat should be sturdy and non-rusting, as they will be in contact with your skin. If made out of metal, it should be finished with a solid brass.
- The Bowl Gasket help seal the joint between the toilet bowl and the drain piping in the floor. It is also commonly known as the wax ring.
The Tank-to-Bowl Hardware helps creates a connection between the tank and the bowl, making a more secure pathway for water to flow.