Heated Bidet Toilet Seat: An Electrician Can Help With That!
KB Electric LLC had a couple of phone calls the other week about needing a GFCI receptacle installed next to a toilet. Upon these inquiries we thought, ah-ha! What a great blog idea we haven’t written about yet. The two customers were in need of a GFCI receptacle installation for their new heated bidet toilet seat. This type of toilet seat for residential bathrooms in the US is definitely trending upwards. So let’s explain a little about what these toilet seats actually are, and why you’ll need a licensed and insured electrician to help you with the hook up.
What is a Bidet?
First and foremost, let’s define the bidet. A bidet is a fixture designed to wash your “private” parts after bathroom-use. While they are on the upward trend in America, bidets have been around in many different countries for centuries. Typically, a bidet is its own entity similar to the look of the porcelain toilet. After using the toilet, you would do a little squat dance over to the bidet (usually sitting right next to the toilet) while it sprays water exactly where you need it most to get that filth off!
On a toilet seat attachment (bidet toilet seat), the bidet is a nozzle-like piece that is attached to its own toilet seat which is installed on your existing toilet bowl. Bidet toilet seats are an easy DIY installation, and that is why they have skyrocketed in popularity over the years here in America.
What is a Heated Bidet Toilet Seat?
The HEATED bidet toilet seat is very similar to the bidet toilet seat, but it also has many other functionalities. First and foremost, most of these heated seats warm your water and heat your tush with electricity (no need for a hot water line), meaning they require you to plug them into an outlet. This is why it is crucial to have a dedicated line and breaker in your main panel with the GFCI receptacle for the heated bidet toilet seat. The receptacle/outlet should also be conveniently placed next to the toilet.
Just like your regular bidet seats, a heated bidet toilet seat is conveniently installed onto your existing toilet bowl. There are many heated bidet toilet seats on the market today. Depending on which seat you choose, many features include:
- Warming control function for the toilet seat
- Remote control
- Bidet attachment (multi-wash function with adjustable water pressure control, water temperature control, and nozzle position control)
- Warm air dryer (some with temperature control settings)
- Deodorizer
- Nozzle self-cleaning system (bidet attachment)
- Skin sensor on toilet seat
- Self-closing toilet lid
- Continuous warm water
- Oscillating and pulsating water features
- Premisting of toilet bowl before each use (for cleaning)
How Much Does A Heated Bidet Toilet Seat Cost?
These awesome toilet seats that clean your poo and heat your tush vary in price, but they aren’t expensive for what they provide (especially if you are foregoing toilet paper completely). You could spend anywhere from a little over $150 to a little over $1000.00. But the heated bidet toilet seats in the range of $200-$400 look to have really good reviews on Amazon, Lowes, and Home Depot’s websites. It all depends on the features you want and if you are paying for a brand name, like anything else. As for the installation of a dedicated outlet for the heated bidet toilet seat…
An electrician should be the one to install a dedicated line and outlet for your new heated bidet toilet seat. With that said, the install for a dedicated line and receptacle will vary depending on who you hire, (“big box” electrical company, 5-man show electrical contractors, or your 1-man guy electrician) and the extent of the job (do you need more space in your main panel for another dedicated line? i.e. do you have enough juice on your existing electrical system to add a breaker and line for a new outlet?) Where is your main panel in regards to where the bathroom outlet needs to be installed in order for an electrician to run/feed the dedicated line? All of these factors will affect the price for the receptacle installation for your new bidet seat. Your best bet for this is to call a licensed and insured electrician for an estimate on that cost to install the GFCI outlet and dedicated line. In most instances, this won’t cost much (again, depends on your specific situation).
Why Should I Consider a Heated Bidet Toilet Seat?
- No need to buy anymore toilet paper! Especially if you buy one with the warm air dryer feature 🙂 Come on, everyone remembers the 2020 hoarders at Costco stocking up on mounds of this while the majority of us had to use backyard leaves….no? Just me?
- A better clean with the spray of water than the wipe of toilet paper (in other words, it’s more sanitary)
- Environmentally friendly by not using anymore toilet paper and destroying the Earth and whatnot.
- Better plumbing without the flushing down of toilet paper I’m sure, especially on those septic systems, my goodness.
- Eliminate the chill of your body in the middle of the night as you sit down to pee (ladies) with a warming sensation on the hiney.
Who Can I Call If I Need An Outlet Installed Next to My Toilet?
A licensed and insured electrician can install your GFCI receptacle for your heated bidet toilet seat. KB Electric LLC has done a handful of these jobs already as we are seeing a trend in residential homes with these toilet seats. All of the heated bidet seats recommend a dedicated line for the outlet for it to plug into since these seats can draw anywhere from 3.5 amps to 10 amps for the heating element. Because of this, electricians should be the only professionals to help get your heated bidet toilet set up and running. If you are in the Montgomery County, PA area or the surrounding counties of Bucks, Berks, Delaware, and Chester County, PA and are in need of a new outlet and dedicated line for your new toilet seat, call KB Electric LLC today! (267) 467-3178