"Hot, Hot, Haaaawwt!"
How to avoid leaks and other issues with your handheld bidet
The use of bidets is growing in popularity. There are several ways to install one, and there are certain things that you need to be aware of to prevent problems in the future. Water leaks can be costly and cause damage. If you like the post, please support me by liking it.
I installed a handheld bidet in a bathroom some years ago. A bidet is more hygienic than toilet paper; it offers a convenient way to clean a small child after toilet use and makes cleaning a toilet much easier. During COVID, the toilet paper shortage spurred many Americans to join the bidet ride.
About 80% of the world uses a bidet.
In 2022, only 12% of Americans had access to bidets and 71% had never used one.
What is a bidet?
A bidet (US: /bɪˈdeɪ/) originally was bowl or receptacle designed to be sat on in order to wash one's privates. The word bidet is from the French word for pony.1 It may have come about because straddling the basin is similar to a riding posture. The traditional standalone bidet looks like a washbasin and is filled with clean water. Nowadays, bidets can be integrated into a toilet or attached to a toilet bowl without the need for extensive plumbing work.
Additionally, there are handheld bidet sprayers, which resemble kitchen faucet sprayers and offer a controlled spray of water for personal cleaning. Unlike built-in bidets, handheld sprayers are operated manually, allowing users to control the water flow themselves.
Handheld bidet installation
A handheld bidet can be connected to the existing water supply if accessible plumbing is available. Alternatively, they can be connected to a toilet's water line without the need for plumbing work or special tools. Toilet bidets are readily available, and a quality one can be purchased on Amazon for around $30.
Due to the fact that I have a wall-hung toilet with finished walls, I couldn't connect the bidet to either the plumbing or the toilet itself. However, I have an open vanity, so I opted to connect the bidet to the sink valve. When the installation was finished, it looked a bit odd. The finishes in my house often make me scratch my head. I wonder why I have paid so much money for installations that look unprofessional or work poorly. Unfortunately, the sprayer installation was no exception.
Instead of directly connecting the bidet hose to the valve, an additional hose was added (as shown in the photo above). I suspect that the plumber may not have had the right adapter, so they used whatever parts were available to complete the connection. However, having more connections increases the likelihood of potential failures and possible leaks."
The sprayer was connected to the hot water line. The plumber thought this was a smart idea and said as much. The small child in the house screamed “Hot Hot, Haaaawwt!” I didn't enjoy being scalded either, and neither will you. Ensure that your bidet is connected to the cold water line or consider purchasing a bidet that can be connected to both hot and cold water, which may require access to plumbing and a mixing valve.
Bidet hoses are notorious for leaks
Sooner or later, a handheld bidet will develop a leak. In Asia, I had seen leaks that were typically a drip or trickle from the sprayer head. I didn’t trust my plumber to do any proactive work, so I researched and bought a shutoff valve that would prevent this. Shut-off valves are both inconspicuous and cheap. (The same valves can be used to control flow or shut off water in handheld showers as well.) Once the shutoff valve was installed, I assumed I’d never have a leak again.
Despite installing the shutoff valve, I had four more leaks.
The first leak occurred between the bidet hose and sprayer head, the second was a tube burst, the third was at the point where the two hoses connected, and the fourth was a hose issue; similar to the first. In my house, I expect things to go wrong because there is so much poor work and so few preventative measures. Because I’m tired of chasing after tradespeople who are busy and sometimes uninformed; I’ve started to figure some things out by myself.
When the first leak happened, I assumed the hose was defective, so I replaced it. About a year later, the metal exterior tube on the outside of the hose slowly began to slide down. This went on for several months, and as it slid down further and further, it exposed the cheap plastic tube that was inside.
The plastic tube eventually burst. One day, I heard muffled sounds but didn’t realize it was due to water. It was a while before I entered the bathroom. Water was gushing out of the hose and I realized that the whole room had flooded. I also discovered that the floor wasn’t level, as the water was careening to one side and disappearing into the edge of the wall. I shut off the water and went downstairs. On the floor below, I could see the water dripping from the ceiling onto the kitchen island. I set up some buckets and went back upstairs to finish mopping the bathroom.
Bidet manufacturers sell cheap hoses, and this was the second hose-related leak. I replaced the hose with a more expensive Kohler hose. The Kohler hose worked for a while, then the bidet started to leak again. The new leak was at the connection joint between the two hoses. I replaced the washers and the short hose, as an added precaution. Soon I was back in business. I was relieved and thought that would be the end of the matter.
A few months went by. Then the bidet leaked again for the fourth time.
North American homes have the highest water pressure in the world. The high pressure can continuously exert a force on pipes that can cause them to burst. A cheap, flimsy hose will invariably develop a leak. In other parts of the world and in China, where most sprayers are manufactured, the water pressure is much lower, so the hoses haven’t been tested in the conditions that we have here.
I was lucky to have been at home when the leaks happened. Had I not been at home, the water would have caused serious damage. When it comes to plumbing, it is generally a good idea to have preventative measures in place.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can do:
Replace the bidet hose with an EPDM one
Recently, bidet hoses made out of EPDM have become available. I purchased one of these, as well as, an adapter that would connect the bidet hose directly to the turn valve so I could eliminate the second hose.
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a synthetic rubber that is often used as roofing. EPDM hoses have an inner tube made out this material instead of plastic. EPDM is supposed to be resilient, durable and flexible. I found the hose slightly stiff but overall it is a small inconvenience compared to dealing with a leak.
Create a direct connection to the water source
For the adapter, I went to the hardware store and explained that I needed a part that could connect the bidet hose directly to my turn valve. After several trips and trying a few different adapters, we finally found the correct one: a 3/8" female compression to a 1/2" male. The male end of the adapter screws into the turn valve, and the female end connects to the bidet hose.
Install a toilet bidet adapter or regulator to reduce water pressure
A plumber can install a pressure gauge to reduce overall water pressure in the house. However that could reduce water flow on upper floors. Unless your water pressure is excessively high, it may be easier to buy a part that controls water flow to the bidet.
My bidet is connected to the sink waterline via a dual outlet turn valve, often referred to as a speedy. These valves are available for between $10 and $20 online. One side of the valve connects to the bidet and the other to the faucet. The valve can be used to shut off the water during repairs. However, I can’t use it to reduce water pressure to the bidet because it will also reduce the pressure to my faucet. Isolating the bidet’s pressure is something that I still plan to do.
For a toilet bidet sprayer, there are adapters and pressure regulators that are readily available. The adapter can also be used to shut off water to reduce the chances of a leak. If you ever leave town, make sure you shut off the water.
If you don’t mind visible piping or a gauge, another option is to install a pressure regulator on the toilet's water line. The regulator can’t be used as shutoff but you can still use the toilet’s water supply turn valve to shut off the water.
Maintain the nozzles
A handheld sprayer does need a minimal amount of maintenance because a clogged nozzle can also cause backflow and leaks. If the spray nozzle shows signs of diminishing pressure, disconnect it and soak it in vinegar to dissolve any blockages. The sprayer shutoff valve also seems to have extended the life of my nozzles.
If a handheld bidet is installed correctly with a good hose and a shutoff adapter or pressure regulation, you can avoid most leaks. Leaks can still happen due to ill-fitting or damaged washers or because of overtightened or loose connections. However these are easier to catch and repair.
Portable bidets
If you don’t want to install a bidet or deal with the hassle of getting the right parts and adapters, there are plenty of portable options available.
Bidets are good for you, for the planet and for your wallet
It takes 37 gallons of water to make just one roll of toilet paper. In contrast, using a bidet only consumes about one pint of water.2
Americans use more than 36 billion rolls of toilet paper, per year. The production of those rolls uses 473 billion gallons of water and about 15 million trees.3 Bidets are cleaner and healthier. They reduce our overall water consumption, maintain our forests, and will save you money.
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Holy hot water! I had no idea there could be so many problems with a handheld bidet! And I didn’t know “portable “ bidets existed! All great info. Sorry you went thru all that. The water that ran into the wall... was it a lot of damage?