Hi:
I need to replace two Kohler pressure assist units which can't be serviced with something which can.
I am partial to the pressure assist type, and I would appreciate any advice as to some I should consider.

Howey

Gerber Ultra flush 21-312...No question the best Power Flush on the market...Yes it's a little loud but never cloggs up...never.

Don't do it! Think Toto Drake the non-clogging gravity flush toilet!
Save on future repair costs!

See the MaP Report in my auto signature! (Toilet flush test report)

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I like pressure assist and have had one for 15 years.

Eljer AquaSaver is a good one. Kohler makes a Wellworth in a pressure assist version, and American Standard makes a Cadet in pressure assisted. All of these use the Sloan Flushmate internals, which is very reliable. Other brands are also available, and you have already heard the recommendation to get a "large flapper" type gravity toilet. Totos are popular, and the American Standard Cadet 3 is an excellent performer and possibly the best buy for the money out there.

Red..I have the Gerbers all over Boston..in Restaurants and Pub's were Gravity just don't cut it and owners are tried of stoppages.each unit on ave last about 14 months and then we replace the whole tank...it's cheaper this way.

I've had a different kind of luck!

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i have never had to replace a gravity tank that wasnt cracked/broken and they are not any where near as loud.

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Howey,

When "water saving" (1.6gpf) toilets were first made mandatory in the U.S. it's sad to have to say but there were a lot of toilet manufacturers that sold poorly flushing gravity flush toilets.

Millions of poor flushing gravity toilets still exist all over the U.S. which today gives "water saving" toilets a bad rap.

In the past the pressure assisted models generally flushed well but were noisy as well as some had flaws with the tanks and/or other design and part problem issues. Most of the design issues and bad air tanks in these pressure assisted toilets that are available today I believe had been solved/fixed and for commercial applications I can certainly understand why some still ask for pressure assisted units as they tend to blow the waste right through the trap as well as noise, expense and repairs tend to not be as much of an issue in commercial applications.

For residential use, with so many great flushing gravity toilets available today, I do not recommend them.

Why?

a) They are still quite noisy.

b) Parts are a lot more complicated and therefor break down more often.

c) The initial cost is greater as well as parts and repairs cost a lot more than gravity models.

d) Good gravity models flush just as well.

JMHO

Happy flushing,

Vic

Where is Sponge when we need him? Let the voting begin! Go gravity!

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Hey Vic,
How about adding a poll feature!
Packy's score keeping is biased. (I Think)

Plumb Bob,
Any problems with those Toto Drakes you substituted in that commercial application where you sold them on changing the spec. from pressure assisted yet?

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No problems at all, in fact, they are switching out thier old toilets and going with Toto's in all of thier facilities as they renovate building by building. 600+ toilets over the next ten years.

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Sounds like they like them!

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While I am a fan of pressure assist, everythig Vic said is 100% right on the money. I recommend the Cadet 3 and Totos to most people.

Kohler Cimmaron Class 5, tank type, 1.6 or 1.4 gravity flush. Clean quiet and effective. Those #$! pressure assisted tank type toilets spash water out of the bowl!. At home we had to close the lid and stand back. WHOOSH!! and the underside of the lid is dripping wet.. That is just unsanitary.

My vote:
K-3496 Cimarron™ Comfort Height™ two-piece elongated toilet

Todd

A good toilet, is only as good as its waste line and main. Sometimes a better flushing toilet can make a bad wasteline operate better than it should. Toilet habits also have an influence on how well a toilet can flush the waste..along with toilet paper.

Depending on the condition of the secondary and primary wastelines and the noise impact on the surrounding areas, almost any new power-assist unit will be and work better than your 1st generation Kohler unit.

Kohler's 1st generation power-assist toilet was a true fingerprint design that used Kohler's design, not Sloan's Flushmate. When Kohler realized that their efforts were not as effective as Flushmate, they discontinued the product of your customer.... dang.

Almost any good gravity toilet will work. Toto, would also work well.

Best Wishes

Toto Drake Toto Drake Toto Drake.....

That mantra is almost like on animal house "Toga Toga Toga Toga"

Its just that I hate it when I go quoting a price for a new handle and my cost is $40... They look at me like I'm a crook! The other one was the early Flushmate tanks with the stainless steel ends... Too bad the air charge fizzes out of them and the 2nd flush works!

I sure replace a lot of pressure assisted toilets with gravity Toto Drakes.

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redwood,
Thanks for that great link for toilet tests.

One of the things I don't like is when I have to buy a toilet for my building. I walk into the home center and there are at least fifty choices or so and I have no idea which one to buy. I eliminate the expensive ones and the cheap ones and randomly select one from the selection of mid priced ones.

Incidentally, to the guy who said he'd never had to replace a toilet that wasn't cracked or otherwise damaged, I have. I've replaced two toilets because there was some kind of strange buildup on the inside. Not hard like calcium buildup (although that can be a problem too). I think I've read somewhere that you fix the problem by dissolving the stuff with something. I wonder if the buildup was caused by tenants using the faulty blue toilet bowl blue water treatment things.

More than likely hard water. They could also be the if its yellow let it mellow types.

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