As we discussed before, plumbing has a rich history. In the past, people used to have common toilets. Nowadays almost every home has its own toilet that connects to the city waste system. We all use the toilet multiple times a day. We all enjoy some privacy while doing this. This is where water closets come in.
In some real estate listings, they sometimes mention water closets. What is this and how does it differ from a standard toilet? Water closets are considered to be a toilet with walls around inside a bathroom. This offers some additional privacy. People that are sitting in the bath or using the vanity don’t come in contact with the person that is sitting on the toilet. This can be great if you want to take care of business without being interrupted by someone else. Some homes don’t have multiple bathrooms. If you have to share the bathroom, a water closet can add some privacy. If someone enters the bathroom, they don’t see the person on the toilet and vice versa.
What Is a Water Closet?
A water closet is in essence a toilet in a bathroom that has a wall surrounding it. The wall is usually around the base of the toilet, but it can extend all the way up to the ceiling. Water closets are commonly referred to as toilets with walls around them.
This can be confusing because why do we call it a water closet instead of a toilet?
The term water closet is mainly used for a toilet in a bathroom that is surrounded by a wall. It offers more privacy for the person that is using the toilet in the bathroom. A toilet that is not in the bathroom, is still named a toilet or restroom.
A water closet is installed in the same way as a traditional toilet. They just add a door and a wall. If you work with an architect, they should look at the best way to integrate these parts so that you don’t lose too much space.
You can compare it to a laundry closet. People like to hide parts of the home that become dirty or that are personal.
Why water closets are becoming more popular
Water closets are becoming more popular for a few reasons. Let’s take a look at them.
–Houses are becoming smaller and sometimes there is no space to add another bathroom or toilet. By adding a wall we can share this area while maintaining the privacy of every inhabitant.
-It is a trend. A lot of construction is driven by trends. It is possible that water closets won’t be as popular in the coming decades. To give an example of this, we can look at how kitchens are installed. At the moment everyone wants an open kitchen. In the past, a kitchen was walled off. At the moment we see the trend back to walled kitchens
– If there is a problem with the toilet, you can close it off from the rest of the bathroom. If the toilet is blocked, it can create a lot of nasty smells. These can be kept at bay by closing the door of the water closet.
– They are easier to clean. When you have a water closet, you don’t have to clean the floor around the toilet. This makes it much easier to clean your bathroom.
-Real estate agents like to feature them as something unique. They mention the previous advantages as something great for larger families.
– It is often quite easy to remove the walls if you feel that they are not needed anymore.
Drawbacks of Water Closets
While water closets have a lot of advantages, there are some reasons why people don’t like them:
– They take up more space as the walls need to be installed as well.
– They are more expensive to install given that it is more work to add these walls and doors.
– You have to be careful that you don’t run into the door. Some people go to the toilet at night and a door can be quite dangerous if you are still waking up.
– It can be harder to spot a leak if there are walls near the toilet. You should inspect a toilet often to see if there are no issues. This can be harder if the wall is close to the toilet.
-The toilet can be less comfortable if there is a wall nearby. You might have less space to sit.
– The door needs maintenance over time. It can start to squeak or cause other problems. The walls can also get moldy if there is not enough ventilation.
You should consider these drawbacks before installing a toilet closet. As long as the toilet is properly installed, it shouldn’t cause too many problems with your plumbing system as you don’t change it. The walls of the water closet can often be removed without too many issues.
Definition and meaning of a lavatory
The word lavatory evolved from the Latin word ”Lavare.” This word means ”a bowl to wash in” and hence typically in a lavatory there should be a toilet. Later another word came into existence ”latrine” which was typically used for a small cubicle where people could relieve themselves. Normally in railways coaches, the lavatory contains a sign which says ”latrine” in Great Britain.
The colonies of Great Britain like Hong Kong, India, Colonial America, Barbados, British Borneo (Brunei), British Cameroon, parts of Canada, etc. till date use the term latrine in their railway carriages. With time things are changing and many countries have started putting the word ”Toilet” on the doors of public toilets, however, the impact of colonization can still be seen in some places.
Summary
Water closets are considered to be a toilet with walls around inside a bathroom. This offers some additional privacy. People that are sitting in the bath or using the vanity don’t come in contact with the person that is sitting on the toilet. This can be great if you want to take care of business without being interrupted by someone else. Water closets are becoming more popular for a few reasons. First, the water closet gives you a bit more privacy.
We have outlined some advantages and disadvantages of this. Plumbers don’t have to do anything to install this as the drywall is added by other professionals. Most DIY’ers should be able to do this as well as you just have to install a door and some walls. It is a small project that should only take a few hours. Just make sure that the water closet is not too small.
At the moment this is a trend. It remains to be seen if water closets will remain popular in the coming years. While they do have some advantages, they also take up space and cost more to install.
