You’ve probably seen wall-mounted toilets in casinos, restaurants, and retail outlets, but didn’t give them much thought for your own home. You may be so used to the traditional floor toilets that you only associate the wall-hanging toilets with businesses.

These toilets, however, have become increasingly popular for homes. If you are considering one for your new or existing home, there are several rather significant issues you must consider.

How They Work

With a wall-mounted toilet, the bowl hangs on your wall, but the tank is hidden behind the wall. Nothing is under the bowl.  The levers or buttons needed to flush the toilet will be mounted on the wall or attached to the bowl, and you would be able to access the tank through what could essentially be described as a hidden panel.

If you do choose one of these toilets for your bathroom, it’s very important to have a qualified contractor and plumber do the work for a number of reasons.

The Pros of Wall-Mounted Toilets

Perhaps the greatest benefit of wall-hanging toilets is the appearance. They’re much more elegant and can give your overall bathroom design a refined look. You also have more options to beautify the toilet and the wall around it.

Another advantage of wall-mounted toilets is that the area around them is easier to keep clean. With a traditional floor toilet, the tank is full of grooves and leaves hard-to-reach spots behind the toilet. With wall-mounted toilets, you can clean the floor with ease.

Because half of the toilet is hidden behind the wall, these toilets also don’t take up as much room.

Finally, you can customize the height of the toilet.

The Cons of Wall-Mounted Toilets

While they may look more elegant and are easier to keep clean, there are several significant downfalls.

First of all, you’re going to pay more. The toilet itself is more expensive, but you’ll also have to pay for:

• Installation
• Any additional plumbing work that may be required, such as rerouting lines
• Any wall repairs that may be required
• The repair of the area where your floor toilet once was

Another issue is that if it isn’t installed properly, the toilet could be loose and dangerous to sit on.

Along those lines, the most significant issue is that as the toilet ages or due to improper installation, the tank itself could leak and damage your walls. If you see this occurring, you’ll have to remove the toilet, start all over again, and repair any damage to the walls and floor.

With the right installation and contractor to help you, however, you could have an elegant wall-mounted toilet as an element of your bathroom design.