Hi everyone, I've installed several Toto toilets, use them exclusively in my home and would like to offer some advice that'll address the two core complaints mentioned in this thread: the dripping sound and the flush problems. 1) The dripping sound is due to the Toto's proprietary roughin adapter and how it mates to the floor's flange. One trick I've found is to use a hot-glue gun and glue a zip-tie to the toilet's exit port so any trickling water is gracefully conducted down the zip-tie and onto the adapter. You must be sure the zip-tie is secured onto the 'front' portion of the exit hole and extends 2 inches or so beyond the hole or it won't work. 2) Toto is famous for their flushing. They use a superior 'swiggle' in the exit tube to improve the vacuum. The ONLY cause for a poorly flushing Toto is a flawed installation of the 'waxie'. The 'waxie' is the wax seal used where the adapter mates to the floor flange. If it's moved, even slightly during installation (or even during the toilet's use if the floor bolts are not secure and the toilet slightly rocks), the waxie develops pin-holes that breaks the seal (and thus the vacuum). So, if you don't experience an impressive sucking effect each time you flush, it's the seal. Just replace it. I hope this helps everyone to solve the distracting dripping sound common to Toto toilets, and explains the mystery of why some people love the flushing action of their Toto toilet, while others are forced to use a plunger.

I've looked at the Dyson at the store.They now actually have a Dyson canister.But for the money the whole dang thing is made of plastic,and I know from experience that all those little plastic clips will break after being snapped in and out all day long.I wish Mr.Dyson would kindly swich to titanium or at least honeycomb plastic,which is stronger than what he is currently using.BTW,the salesman says that three Dyson's a week come back with broken hoses.So the day I tried the Dyson,I bought the other stick Shark with the rug beater.It's not the persuit,but one in between the forty dollar mdel and their hundred dollar special.I bought it for $64 dollars using a coupon from Linens and Things.I like the vaccuum overall,but the filter is not as nice as the one on the forty dollar model,so it needs constant emptying.It doesn't stand up on carpet,so my helper promptly broke the plastic clip that holds the hose out of the way.The engine is small,and overheats easily.That means rotating chores in a house instead of vaccuuming all the way through.Once the engine overheats,the vaccuum dies and needs several hours to cool off.Ease of use is remarkable though.I love the easy switch to attachments.It sucks up animal hair like nobodies business.My helper(and I'm using the term loosely because there is a problem with her "helpfulness") accidently threw it down a staircase severing the handle from the body .I am currently using it with handle duct taped back on.I will be buying another of these for home use,although this one is too much of a PITA to use for commercial cleaning.The day it overheated,I went out and bought a small Eureka with a hepalike filter.It's an upright,and the handle folds down.I paid $56 dollars at Walmart for it.Save your money folks.This one is a dog.It doesn't pick up anything as heavy as a bread crumb.Attachment hose falls off when extended.Brush roller sits too low to the floor and clogs easily.I'm contemplating a return for this baby.

As requested earlier from Davidro who wanted to understand traffic flow, below is a whole house "sketch" which shows our first floor layout (upstairs is only a loft) and second diagram is where I'm at with regard to kitchen design after input from you guys and after Ikea consultant/designer who was at my home today gave as far as cabinets fitting. Also, from the earlier discussion, I had some confusion about whether I could relocate the washer/dryer to the hall. The contractor who visited today didn't have any problems with the relocation. It helps a lot that our foundation is "pier and beam". Moving plumbing around is a whole lot easier. New location of washer/dryer may be a bit claustrophobic in the hall way outside the bathroom but I only do laundry a couple times a week for short spurts. I'm in the kitchen a whole lot longer and since the relocation of washer/dryer is the only thing keeping me from having the kitchen layout I REALLY wanted from the beginning (barring the fact the pantry has gotten quite a bit smaller), I am a happy camper. I'm going to lie low a while and get our bathroom done and maybe a roof before I come back with any updates on the kitchen. And for anyone who is in doubt, the Ikea prices for all cabinets is half of what price was quoted for Innermost cabinets by Home Depot. And the Ikea quote includes several of the appliances though I'm not sure yet if that is how I will really go. But cabinets -yes - their prices are too good to pass up. The money we save can go for the bathroom we're getting that has a curbless shower, and several other expensive details which Ikea can't help us out on. I'll still be listening but hopefully everyone can see the aisles around the island are considerably wider (maybe even too wide with my feet problems). If I need more pantry space, I'm fairly sure that several of the drawers in the main part of the kitchen will not all be used so I can use them for pantry space spill over if there is any. THANKS AGAIN (though I will definitely be back - still need to pick out countertop/backsplash/flooring/hoodOverCooktop and make decisions about appliances..) And since I haven't marked it well, let me explain that there are upper cabinets on either side of the cooktop and also to the left of the fridge. No uppercabinets on the sides of the "cleanup sink" with the large 6 foot wide window. Think I may wait until kitchen is done and probably install some open floating shelves on either side of cleanup sink - more for esthetics than function but I think I can wait until the last minute for that. (Maybe even some art work...)

Socks, I don't have wall-to-wall carpeting, so you might be better off taking a look at the Amazon reviews. I don't think I'd choose this one as your only vacuum. I think it'll be great for Raven's RV, and I'm looking forward to using it on my second floor. But the dust cup is on the small side, as JoAnn mentioned, and if I used it for my whole house I'd be emptying it all the time. If I were you I'd get a Shark Navigator Pro, which is what I use downstairs. I think you'd be happy with the job it does on your carpeting.