It’s a common scenario: You’re dining at a new restaurant and need to use the restroom. But when it comes time to flush, you can’t find the lever. You soon realize the restroom is equipped with a touchless toilet, and with a wave of your hand, the problem is solved. If you want one of these modern wonders for your own bathroom, you’re not alone. Touchless technology has found its way to residential applications, allowing you to upgrade your bathroom with a little stroke of genius. This post will shed light on how touchless toilets work and their many benefits.

About Touchless Toilets

Previous touchless toilets relied on a motion sensor/light beam to flush the toilet once the beam was broken. While the old technology worked, it often fell short in reliability. The new technology is a bit different. It uses electromagnetic fields to activate and flush the toilet with a simple wave of your hand over the toilet tank. The Kohler Company is the first manufacturer to introduce this new technology to the residential market. All Kohler touchless models require four AA batteries to power the electromagnetic module that’s necessary to detect hand movement and flush the toilet.

Benefits of Touchless Technology

The primary benefit of a touchless toilet is obvious; you don’t have to touch it to flush it. Toilets are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs, so anytime you can avoid touching them is a plus. Touchless technology reduces your exposure to germs by eliminating the need to touch the toilet to flush it, which is both convenient and beneficial to everyone.

Consult a Plumbing Professional

Schedule an appointment with your plumbing contractor and discuss your options for installing a touchless toilet. Because they are battery operated, no electrical upgrades are necessary. Installation requires simply replacing your old toilet with the new model. During the installation, it’s wise to ask your plumber to install a new shut-off valve and supply line as these devices deteriorate over time. This simple step may eliminate a service call down the road.

Less Expensive Alternatives

Kohler took the new technology one-step further by manufacturing a retrofit kit that adapts to most standard toilet models. The kit is ideal if you don’t want to replace your toilet. Perhaps you recently purchased a new toilet and can’t justify replacing it so soon, or there’s just no room in your current budget. In either case, you can still enjoy the wonders of touchless technology at a reduced cost.

For answers to your plumbing questions or to find out more about touchless toilets, contact The Pink Plumber today.