You don’t need to stock toilet paper rolls during a pandemic if you are installing a bidet in your bathroom. Being environmentally friendly a bidet is used to clean your nether regions after using a toilet. People who prefer cleaning themselves with a bidet do not find toilet paper suitable anymore. Bidets have a dedicated water supply (hot or cold) with controlled pressure that offers optimal cleaning than tissue paper. But how to install a bidet with warm water? Can you install a bidet on any toilet? We know talking only about the benefits of a bidet is not enough as one must also use it. To use it, you have to install it. That’s what you can take from this post.
Tools You May Need?
For installing a bidet in your bathroom you will need the following tools.
- Measuring tape.
- Drill machine (Corded or cordless).
- Hammer drill (if your bathroom has concrete flooring).
- Drill bits
- Spirit level
- Sleeve anchor bolts (for concrete flooring)
- 4-inch bolts with plastic anchors and rubber washers (for cemented flooring)
- 2-inch screws with plastic anchors.
- Screwdriver as per the choice of screws.
- A T-valve or a bidet spray diverter for the toilet seat tank.
- Adjustable wrench
- Pencil or a marker pen
- Silicone sealant
- Shut off valves for your bidet
- Safety gear (gloves and protective glasses)
How to Install a Bidet?
A bidet usually comes in 3 versions – floor-mounted, handheld, or bidet seat attachment. For the last one, you need to buy a special toilet seat with a bidet, then replace your original one. You may be quite familiar with these steps, so here we’ll concentrate on how to install the first 2 kinds of bidets.
How To Install a Floor-mounted Bidet?
To install a floor-mounted bidet properly in your bathroom you must follow the steps below.
- You are free to place the bidet either to the left or right of the toilet seat. The bidet and the toilet seat must be 16 inches apart. There must be enough space in front of the bidet, at least 24 to 36 inches.
- Install the shut-off valves rough in the plumbing lines if the water pipes are behind the wall. Install the shut-off valves (for hot and cold water) 6.5 inches above the bathroom floor. These valves must be 6 inches apart and should be 3 to 4 inches away from the bidet’s waste pipe. See your bidet’s manual for optimal clearance and measurements.
- Place the bidet on the floor and mark holes for the screws.
- After marking start drilling holes with the appropriate drill bit size
- Insert the plastic anchors or sleeve anchor bolts and hammer them down to the length of the holes. Sleeve anchor bolts need to be unscrewed after getting fixed in the holes.
- Place it on the drilled holes and use the spirit level to check that the bidet is leaned to either side.
- Apply silicone sealant to the base of the bidet, insert the bolts with rubber washers, and screw them down with an adjustable wrench. In the case of sleeve anchor bolts use steel washers.
- Apply silicone sealant again to the edge of the bidet where it makes a contact with the floor
- Prepare the faucet and install it on the bidet with all the rubber seals. Connect the faucet to the shut-off valves and then connect the bidet to its drain pipe.
- Open the valves one by one to check the faucet’s working and water leaks.
How To Install Bidet Spray?
For installing a bidet shower spray you will need to gather the relevant tools, then follow the steps below to install your bidet spray.
- Shut the water off to the toilet seat tank and empty it if needed.
- Remove the main water pipe connection from the tank and connect the T-valve.
- To the one end of the T-valve connect the main water supply and connect the bidet spray pipe to the other end of the T-valve.
- Tighten the connections to avoid water leakage. Do not over-tighten.
- Drill holes and install the bidet spray holder on the wall to your desired height. You can put the bidet spray in this holder when not in use.
- Open the T-valve and check the working of your bidet spray.
- If you feel that you are not the right person to do this work, then you need to seek professional plumbing services.
Conclusion
Installing a bidet is not a tough task if you have the right tools. This post gives you a DIY approach to how to install a bidet. We hope that after reading this article, you will not see any problems while installing a bidet to renovate your bathroom. However, bidets do come in various configurations, every variant has a different installation tutorial which may be quite beyond the scope of this article. So please check your manufacturer’s instructions when installing and using a bidet.
FAQ about How To Install a Bidet
Bidets come in various sizes. And you should choose one according to your needs. Before getting one, please see how big your bathroom is. Also, make sure to get a bidet as per your body frame size. With these factors considered, you can find the right size that fits your lower body size.
Yes! You can opt for bidets that come as toilet seat attachments. With these bidet attachments, you can clean yourself immediately after using the toilet. You just need to attach bidet to toilet. However, you should note to choose the bidet attachment with the right size of your original toilet so that they can perfectly match.
The cost of installing a bidet depends on the factors like the proficiency of the plumber, the location to install and how many bidets to install, if any wiring work is involved, etc. Generally speaking, a reasonable cost for quality bidet installation may be anywhere between $300 to $600. And you may need to pay another $100-200 if wiring is needed.
GFCI Outlets are a type of outlet that helps protect people from electric shocks by sensing the presence of electricity and quickly switching off in case of potential risk. Therefore, it is important to connect electric bidets to GFCI outlets. In case of earth leakage GFCI outlet interrupts the current flow and saves you from electric shock.
