Caroma Walvit wall hung toilet review

[Reader Review]

Hi Terry,

Thank you for your website--I read much of it when I was researching bathrooms. I wanted to report our experiences with the toilet we decided on, the Caroma Walvit.

We've had the Caroma Walvit wall-hung toilet in operation since February 2006 and I'm quite pleased.

Pros:
Compact -- the stool only measures 22" long by 13" wide
Cleanability -- no toilet base to clean, ever!
4" trapway -- never clogs and therefore never floods the bathroom floor
Water conservation -- can perform full flush or half flush
Appearance -- sleek and clean, minimizing the "footprint" of an ugly toilet


Cons:
Poor product literature
Price -- we got them online for about $700 each
Bowl cleaning -- the bowl interior requires more cleaning than our old toilets
Concealed tank requires larger space than 2 x 4 stud wall (the product literature might lead one to believe that it can be installed in a 2 x 4 stud wall. It is true that the "water wafer" can fit in a 2 x 4 wall, however the mounting piece for the toilet stool requires at least 2 x 6 construction. We've had to replace one $2.10 part on it in this time (part #405182, the outlet valve seal) to prevent water from draining into the bowl--we're not sure if it was just a fluke or if this will be a regular maintenance item. Even if I had to replace this every six months I am deleriously happy with this toilet and never want a standard toilet in my house again.
Please feel free to use any of my comments on the website.
Kris Thompson


http://www.caromausa.com/products/pdf/Walvit.pdf

http://www.caromausa.com/products/pdf/Walvit%20Elongated.pdf

Caroma toilets in the Seattle area (http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/terrylove/Caroma_toilets.html)

[Mike50]

Great. I like it. I'm an evangelist for Dual Flush-all of them. What really made you decide to select this unorthodox model/configuration?

Im not clear on where you access the tank.

Installation cost is..?


Mike

[Ralleia]

The primary reasons for selection were:

4" trapway: The former (Eljer) toilet clogged frequently, requiring plunging and sometimes flooding the bathroom floor. Before I order the Walvits I read another user joking that he had cancelled his garbage service because the toilet could handle anything. I don't use it for garbage disposal, but it has never clogged, regardless of how much waste or paper was in the bowl.
Cleanlliness: I wanted the new bathroom to be a pleasure to clean. I was especially tired of trying to clean the grimy toilet base, especially all those edges where it meets the floor or the where the screws go into the floor. No base=no base to clean! Cleaning the floor is a snap.
Small footprint: Our house is small, and the master bath (3/4) is approx 9' x 5'. The small form factor of the walvit was important to providing more manuevering room in the bathroom. We also installed a pocket door to avoid the door swing issue.

The tank is within the stud wall, with a modest (6.5" x 13') access panel, which also has the flush buttons. There are at least three other access options--a larger panel, a top access, or complete access from behind the stud wall if the other side is unfinished.

I don't have a figure for installation costs--it was part of a complete bathroom remodeling and nothing was itemized. In new construction, installation should be not much more than a standard toilet, but in existing construction, it requires tearing open a wall, moving some studs, moving the waste pipes, and furring out the wall if it's not already 2' x 6'.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is that the flush is significantly quieter than a standard toilet. Not silent, but definately quieter due to the tank being behind gypboard.

[Mike50]

OK. Gotcha. As part of construction it was "doable".
Pocket doors are great imo.

It's pretty interesting but I think if I had a 4 figure budget for the toilet alone I'd have Terry ship me a Toto Neorest.

It also has/had an issue with access for maintainence AFAIK. (?)

I think that's great when people try out new (quality) technology.


Mike

[Cass]

I love Caromas.

It was one of my posts about one of my customers that made the remark about canceling his garbage pick up.

[Ralleia]

Ours was a remodel of an existing bathroom, so we did have to pay the additional expense of moving the wastepipe, moving studs, and firring out the wall. We had mold that kept growing through the paint on the drywall so we had gutted all that anyhow.

If I had to guess, I would say the toilet cost on the order of $500 to install, partly because of the lack of installation instructions (we only had product specs) and because I told the contractor that it should fit into a 2 x 4 stud wall. It took the better part of one day of scratching our heads and trying to find phone numbers to reach Caroma reps to ask questions. Oops!

I looked at the Neorest as well, but it's several times more expensive than the Walvit, and looked like it could be a bugger to clean. It still has the base and all those grooves and seams to collect dust and grime. Also, it's a far more complicated device which means more potential for something to break down. I like the seat warming idea, but compensate by keeping the bathroom a bit warmer in the winter, so that the standard unheated seat is never shockingly cold.

I really like trying out new technologies as well, especially when they make good sense by lowering maintenance or long-term costs. Our remodeled bathroom is a testament of this--all Moen washerless valves, durable Swanstone shower and vanity, commercial recessed in-wall wastebasket and facial tissue dispenser, never-MT soap dispenser, Sun Tunnel for natural light, Walvit, pocket door, whisperquiet combo light/fan with the fan on a 30 minute timer to ensure proper ventilation, etc. I'll be as happy about this bathroom in 20+ years as I am today.

[Mike50]

I really like trying out new technologies as well, especially when they make good sense by lowering maintenance or long-term costs. Our remodeled bathroom is a testament of this--all Moen washerless valves, durable Swanstone shower and vanity, commercial recessed in-wall wastebasket and facial tissue dispenser, never-MT soap dispenser, Sun Tunnel for natural light, Walvit, pocket door, whisperquiet combo light/fan with the fan on a 30 minute timer to ensure proper ventilation, etc. I'll be as happy about this bathroom in 20+ years as I am today.

Yes you will. You thought the thing thru with original ideas that work

Mike

Caroma toilets in the Seattle area (http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/terrylove/Caroma_toilets.html)