What Is ADA Compliant Toilet?
Before 1990 when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was not passed, people having mobility problems had trouble using toilets in the public spaces. Because back then, the height of these toilets were not suitable for the physically disabled people.
To solve the problem, the act was initiated and manufacturers like American Standards and TOTO started making ADA compliant toilets in addition to their standard height toilets.
So, to define it simply, any toilet having height between 17 inches to 19 inches from the floor to the top of the toilet seat is a ADA compliant toilet. Toilets having these heights are easier for transition from wheelchair to the toilet for physically impaired people.
What Defines ADA Toilet?
When you decide to have the ADA compliant toilets, make sure to take considerations of the following mentioned facts:
- Special Stickers: If you see the label attached saying ‘comfortable height’ or ‘chair height’ – you can generally tell it’s an ADA compliant toilet. But that does not always true. Some toilets have height of only 16.5 inches but still labeled comfort height. So, you have to actually read the height and make sure it’s have at least 17 inches height.
- Flush Control: This is another vital point to check in an ADA compliant toilet. The main point of having an ADA compliant toilet is to make it comfortable for the physically impaired people. So, you need to make sure the lever is easy enough to flush the toilet. Generally, lever that requires less than 5lbs of force is comfortable.
- Grab Bars Compatibility: Transitioning from the wheelchair to the toilet often requires the help of a grab bar. So, ADA compliant toilets should not make it difficult to attach any grab bars.
- Other Issues: Apart from the above mentioned facts, there are some other issues that need proper attention to make such toilets more comfortable for the disabled people. Let’s say, you should install the toilet paper dispenser nearby the toilet so that they can reach it without difficulty.
ADA compliant toilets are not meant just for the physically disabled people, anyone can use it. Installing these toilets is always advisable at your home too.
