Installing a Bidet: A Guide
It wasn’t long ago that finding a bidet in an American home would have been a rare occasion. This feature has been more associated with European living than with homes in the United States, so many Americans would only experience a bidet if they went on vacation.
That is starting to change, however, and more and more homes here in the U.S. are opting to add this feature. If you’d like to take on this project, we are going to provide some guidelines for installing a bidet in a bathroom in your home. Of course, sometimes this project would be better handled by a professional plumber, reach out to Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric today and we’ll be happy to help.
What is a Bidet?
A bidet is a mechanism that is designed to clean you with a spray of water after using the bathroom. While it is not as familiar to people in the U.S., bidets are just a way of life for people in many parts of the world. Rather than turning to toilet paper to clean up, a bidet can do the job effectively without creating waste.
Various Bidet Options
Before talking about installing a bidet, let’s look at some of the options you will have if you would like to add one to your home. While the purpose of a bidet – to provide a cleansing spray of water – won’t change from one to the next, there are various products to help you get the job done.
- Stand-alone bidet. This is the standard in many areas of the world, and it looks largely like another toilet that is placed near the actual toilet. With this arrangement, you use the toilet first as you would normally, then move over to the bidet for cleaning. While this can create a great experience, the main hurdle for many people with this option is having the space in an existing bathroom. The typical bathroom in an American home is not designed with a stand-alone bidet in mind, so there probably isn’t space for one in your current layout. Of course, if designing a new home or remodeling a bathroom, you may choose to make room for such a feature.
- Toilet seat bidet. To get the experience and function of a bidet without having to install a separate unit, a toilet seat bidet is an appealing choice. This is a new seat for your existing toilet, and it has the components necessary to do the work of a bidet without leaving your normal toilet. The options for toilet seat bidets range from high-end, expensive models with many features to pretty basic units that do little more than provide a spray of water.
- Bidet attachment. Another option that might be appealing is an attachment that you will simply put in place to work with your existing toilet and seat. This is an affordable entry point and a good way to test out having a bidet without having to spend a lot of money upfront.
Installing a Bidet
Of course, installing a bidet is going to depend entirely on what type of product you choose. For starters, if opting for a stand-alone bidet, you’ll need to get the help of a plumber to do the work. This is an installation that will require new water supply and drainage, and it should be done by a professional.
The other options we talked about above can be performed by the average homeowner, with some exceptions. Simply adding a toilet seat bidet, or bidet attachment, is an easy task that can be completed just by following the instructions provided by the unit you decided to purchase. The one notable exception here is when you need access to power. If you need to plug in your new bidet and you don’t have an outlet within reach of the toilet area – as is commonly the case in American bathrooms – you’ll need to work with a qualified electrician like us.
Whether you are interested in installing a bidet or you have some other type of plumbing need in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric is the right choice. Thanks to many years of experience and a track record of success working with both residential and commercial customers, you can be sure that we’ll exceed every expectation. Let’s get started today!
