Archive for Toilet Repair
Will it Flush? Find Out with the Toilet Challenge App
Posted by: | CommentsThe Professor is a conscientious toilet expert, and likes to be able to evaluate a toilet’s flushing power as thoroughly as possible. With the Toilet Challenge, a free app now available from American Standard for iPhones, iPods, and iPads, it’s even possible to have some fun with the process.
This app allows users to select a toilet and match it up against any number of adversaries – from bananas to golf balls to chicken nuggets – and flush away. Clearly this “flushability” testing feature of the Toilet Challenge can offer hours of fun on its own (well, the Professor thinks so, anyhow) but the app offers a lot more than just fun and games.
Each of the “challenges” is based on the results of actual product tests, so the app offers a unique way to “try before you buy.” Users can also view product specs and locate local retailers through the app, making toilet shopping an unexpectedly easy and enjoyable experience.
Extremely Serious Demonstrations of Flushing Power
Posted by: | CommentsThe Professor has discussed the importance of thorough toilet testing before, and a recent post on the Time Magazine NewsFeed blog is compelling enough to broach the subject again. The author of this blog post was apparently a little surprised by a video – also posted below – of the tests being performed on American Standard’s Cadet 3 toilet to demonstrate its superior flushability (the Professor uses highly technical plumbing jargon whenever possible).
Will you ever have to flush 56 chicken nuggets down your toilet at home? Actually, don’t ever try…remember that Professor Toilet has a laboratory.
Toilet Testing: What Goes into a Reliable Product?
Posted by: | CommentsWhen choosing a toilet for your home, there are a number of important things to consider. In addition to pricing – something that nearly everyone needs to worry about these days – there is the issue of maintenance and reliability: how can you be certain that a toilet will work reliably and continue to do so into the future? Then there is also the issue of water use. Toilets are by far the biggest indoor sources of water use in American households, so by choosing a low-flow toilet you can save water and save money on your monthly utility bill.
The Professor’s solution is to learn as much as possible about the testing a manufacturer performs on its toilets. What kind of tests were done, how rigorous were they, and how well did the toilet stand up to them? A video that demonstrates the tests that American Standard performed on the Champion 4, one of its newest high performance, low-flow toilets is one of the Professor’s favorite new discoveries. It not only shows the many ways that the toilets are tested for effective flushing, but also looks at product improvements that American Standard has made based on what their (engineers? designers?) have learned from earlier product tests.
Common Toilet Problems and the Likely Culprit
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s often necessary to call in a pro when dealing with plumbing woes around the house, but the Professor also appreciates occasional the money-saving, highly satisfying D.I.Y. repair. Even those who don’t believe they are particularly handy can find great resources online to help guide them through the process of making simple repairs.
A lot of things can go wrong with toilets, from “ghost flushing” to leaks to running. Unsure of what’s causing these various problems? The Professor recommends you read through this page on toilet repair up at doityourself.com that can help identify the cause of many common toilet troubles. Very often the problems can be solved by replacing the toilet handle, a piece that tends to wear out over time.
To spare yourself these troubles in the first place, the Professor recommends that when shopping for a new toilet, you research the durability of this important piece in the models you are looking at. One particularly impressive example of toilet handle testing is this video of the durability testing that American Standard’s Champion 4 toilets are subjected to – watch and learn!
