Concealed in-wall toilet cisterns have been the preferred choice in commercial premises such as shopping centres, restaurants and bars due to their ease of cleaning and hygienic design. However, their benefits and aesthetic appeal are now becoming more highly sought after in residential bathrooms. 

There are many different models available from many different manufacturers, each with specific design features. So in this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the general benefits of in-wall cisterns as well as an outline of what you need to know in terms of installation and maintenance. 

To start off with, there are two types of toilets which can support in-wall cisterns:

Wall hung pans: these toilets are mounted to the wall and sit above the floor, eliminating the need for a toilet foot or base. There is a gap beneath the toilet and the floor.

Wall faced pans: these toilets are mounted directly onto the floor. Unlike a wall hung toilet, there is no gap between the floor and the bottom of the pan. All plumbing and waste pipes flow straight into the wall or floor, making everything hidden from view.

Installation and maintenance access 

With either a wall hung and wall faced pan, the cistern component is usually installed into the wall cavity directly behind the pan using a purpose-built frame. Certain in-wall cisterns can also be installed behind a cabinet or cavity. Only the flush button plate is exposed and is typically located on the wall above the pan. 

In-wall cisterns have gained a reputation for being difficult to install and perform maintenance work on. This is because when the first models become available in Australia, you had to buy the system and the fixing kit separately. Spare parts were hard to source. 

These days, high quality cisterns are much easier to install. They come with everything needed and a skilled plumber can easily install them. More and more manufacturers now offer in-wall cisterns and selecting a reputable brand will ensure that spare parts are always easy to find.

Maintenance can be performed on the better quality in-wall systems via an access panel which is set in the wall.  This access panel also holds the flush buttons and can be simply removed. There’s no need to break any tiles to access the cistern or worry about needing to have a separate access point to the cistern in another room

Benefits of having an in-wall cistern in your home bathroom 

Ease of cleaning: In-wall cisterns are much easier to clean compared to close coupled toilets. Because one half of the toilet is in-the-wall, you basically only have one half of a toilet to clean! The concealed pipework and plumbing means that there are less or no dust catches, there are less surfaces to wipe clean and you don’t have to try to clean that annoying gap between the back of the toilet and the wall. 

If you opt for a wall faced pan, you only need to clean the floor around the base of it. With a wall hung pan, it’s relatively quick and easy to clean the floor underneath the toilet as the gap is wide enough to fit a broom and mop under. 

Style and space: Toilets with in-wall cisterns are a must pick for interior designers these days thanks to their stylish and modern look. They help create a sleek, minimalist feel in a bathroom. Also, the gap between the floor and wall hung models creates the feeling of more space, which is perfect for smaller bathrooms which need a bit more breathability. 

Whisper quiet: Traditional close coupled toilets usually make quite a bit of sound during the fill cycle. This refers to the sound that the water makes after you flush the toilet, the water hits the pan and the unit starts to refill. In-wall cisterns are designed to be much, much quieter. The fill cycle on most quality in-wall cisterns is no louder than 20 decibels, which is considered to be ‘whisper quiet.’ 

In-wall cisterns can be installed in such a way to make them even quieter. Up to 6mm of fiber cement sheeting is usually used in the wall and then tiled over with 10mm tiles, creating up to 16mm of sound insulation. This is a great benefit for any light sleepers in the house.

Innovative features: Some of the top-of-the-line models have ‘hands free’ electronic flushing systems so you don’t ever have to touch the flush buttons. You simply wave your hand across the sensor button and the cistern will flush automatically, promoting better hygiene in your bathroom. As all in-wall systems in Australia are required by law to be dual flush, you wave your hand over the ‘big circle’ for a full flush and the ‘small circle’ for a half flush. 

LED lights on the flushing plate are another innovative feature. The lights are built into the flush buttons, making it easier to find your way to the toilet in the middle of the night without having to turn the bathroom lights on. This is another great benefit for light sleepers and guests.

These innovative features will definitely add to the resale value of your property. 

Interested in getting an in-wall cistern for your bathroom project? Talk to the team at Argent. 

Whether you’re renovating a home bathroom or working on a commercial project, Argent is here to help. Our bathroom experts have all the right know-how to recommend the perfect products for your needs so that you can make that final decision with confidence. 

Click here to get in touch with us today.  We have Resource Centres in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Or give our Customer Support team a call on 1300 364 748.