ADA or the Americans with Disabilities Act set a specific height for adherence of the public. What is the height of a handicap toilet? The toilet should be 17 inches high, including the seat from the surface of the finished floor. Therefore, toilets with a height of 16 1/8 inches from the floor to the bowl rim excluding the seat pass the requirements.
Apart from the handicap toilet height, you may want to know more about other important factors. This is the very thought of the first-time buyers of handicap toilets. Without a doubt, this article will show you what you need to know.
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Comparing a Handicap Toilet From a Standard Toilet
In this part, it’s best to compare handicap toilet height vs standard toilet as many may only be familiar with the latter. This will help you pick a suitable toilet for your bathroom. Those who need toilet replacement need to contemplate on it. You can talk to your plumber, but it’s best to have some ideas as well.
The height of the standard toilet is 15 to 16 inches based from the floor to the seat. Hence, there is one or two inches difference from the handicapped toilet height. Even so, an inch or two makes a difference.
A standard toilet is ideal for families that have many short members like kids. Thus, it’s best for those who just started a family as they have youngsters running around. The height of the standard toilet is accommodating for individuals who suffer from constipation, as it’s not hard for them to stand up.
On the opposite side, tall people and the elderly won’t have the same experience. A handicap toilet is what suits these groups of people best! Its height may make the legs of short people dangle, but it’s just right for tall individuals. Elderly and disabled ones will no longer struggle when getting up from a low seat. Nonetheless, installation among these toilets is similar. The cost doesn’t differ as well.
Tips When Getting a Handicap Toilet
1. Being sure about the toilet height
How tall is a handicap toilet? The minimum height is 17 inches, but it can be up to 19 inches. It depends on your needs and preferences. When the handicap toilet is within your grasp, measure the height from the floor to the rim with a tape measure. It’s also good to know the height, including the tank, and check its width as well. Checking the handicapped toilet dimensions will tell you whether it fits your bathroom.
2. Identifying the toe clearance
Since a handicap toilet is ADA compliant, it’s an undercut toilet with ample space for toe clearance. Between the floor and the toilet rim, there must be at least a 9-inch clearance.
It’s why you can see wall-mounted toilets in public bathrooms most of the time. There’s adequate toe clearance in this type of toilet because the plumbing is attached to the wall. Indeed, this setting promotes saving space.
3. Should be ADA compliant for real
Don’t be swayed by manufacturers who introduce their toilets as ADA compliant but with a height of below 17 inches. Some terms are used instead of handicap toilets, and they refer to toilets that are inadequate for the requirement.
4. Flush control
This factor is essential to make things work with your handicap toilet. It must meet the standards of ADA, which is not higher than 44 inches from the mounting area.
Furthermore, it should operate with a force of fewer than 5 pounds. With this system, the user won’t twist or strain his or her wrist. Regarding this concern, the worst option is the button flush as it needs pressing.
Great Choices of Handicap Toilets
1. American Standard
American Standard handicap toilet height is also known as RightHeight toilet. The ones with an elongated bowl are Edgemere, Lexington, and Vormax. However, there’s also a round bowl of Edgemere available. If you want to have a dual flush toilet, the H20PTION is also ADA compliant. All of these models are 17 inches in height.
Read more: Glacier bay vs American standard toilets: which is better?
2. Bidet
Toto is the leading brand of bidet. Fortunately, it makes several models that are 17 inches in height. An excellent example of a handicap height toilet with a bidet is TOTO Aquia IV Arc 1G Washlet. It’s higher than the standard toilet as its height seat is 17 5/8 inches. Using it is a great way to save water as it can operate with 0.8 GPF and 1.0 GPF.
This bidet has an amazing flushing system because of the TORNADO setting. Keeping it clean is a piece of cake as it has a CEFIONTECH glaze. Indeed, a toilet with a skirted design like this is not laborious to maintain. You may get the one with a 12-inch rough-in, but this is the 10 inches and 14 inches are also available.
Read more: Bidet attachment vs bidet seat: comparisons.
Final Words
What is the height of a handicap toilet? It should be at least 17 inches for the comfort of tall people as well as the disabled and elderly. Individuals with movement restrictions find it hard to stand up from a toilet with a shorter seat. For these reasons, you don’t have to think twice about getting a handicap toilet.
I’m Paulk Webb, and I work as a writer for Saveourwaterrebates. I’m happy to put in the time and effort to conduct market research to identify the most pressing issues faced by households concerning their plumbing. Feel free to check out our guides to get the most informed recommendations for how to solve your problems.