How to Install a Toilet Bidet Attachment: ZenBidet Hot & Cold Water Attachment

Typical Cost To Remodel a Bathroom Average: $4,500 - $25,749
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PRO TIB: Bidet attachment is a great way to get around Toilet Paper Shortages caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19), and is a great thing to have overall in your bathroom!

NOTE – bidet attachments are quickly running out of stock on Amazon (just like food ins stores, etc), so get yours sooner. Here are the ones still available:

1) Ginie Bidet attachment
2) GenieBidet [ELONGATED] Seat
3) Brondell Bide
4) Brondell FS-10 FreshSpa Easy Bidet Attachment

In this guide, we will review step by step, how to install a bidet attachment to your toilet. We will use the example of the Zen Mechanical Bidet attachment, a super popular model on Amazon.

This particular bidet seat attachment is a dual-nozzle, hot and cold water bidet. There are many similar products out there in this price range, and installation is also very similar.

Whether or not you have purchased the Ginie Bidet or a similar attachment, reading this guide will help figure out how to install a bidet quickly and without any problems.

Parts of the Zen bidet seat

When you open your package, you will see the following parts:

    Zen Bidet Z500 parts

  • Bidet
  • 6 feet of tubing
  • 2 foot flexible metal hose
  • 15/16th inch T adapter with rubber O ring
  • 3/8th inch T adapter
  • plastic inlet cap
  • wingnut with plastic connector
  • roll of plumber’s tough-on tape
  • set of illustrated instructions


How to hook up the bidet toilet attachment to hot water

1. If you will be installing the hot water, it is best if the sink is within a few feet of the toilet and has exposed water lines. For example, a pedestal sink. However, if you have a sink over a cabinet, you may need to drill a hole in order for the hot water to reach the inlet of the bidet.

2. First, shut off the hot water valve to the sink.

3. Next, disconnect the 3/8th hose from the hot water line.

4. Now, install the 3/8th inch T-adapter, making sure that the rubber washer is installed fist.

5. Then, reconnect the hot water hose to the sink.

6. Now, unscrew the nut on the side of the adapter and thread it onto one side of the PVC / PEX tubing.

how to install a bidet

7. Push the tubing firmly onto the pipe nipple until it is fully seated.

8. Then, screw the nut over the end of the tubing.

9. On the other end, feed the tubing, screw the hole of the plastic wingnut.

10. Then, press the tip of the connector into the end of the hose, until it is fully seated.

11. Finally, screw the wingnut onto the hot water inlet of the bidet.

heated toilet bidet seat

12. Make sure all your connections are tight.

13. Then, turn on the hot and cold water lines.

14. At this point, make sure that you don’t see any leaks at the connections before continuing.

15. You are finished!

How to operate a toilet bidet attachment

Lets take a look at the different dials on the bidet seat and see how they work.

At the top of the bidet attachment, is the cleaning dial. It basically runs water over the unit if it gets soiled. However, you can also gently scrub it with a toilet brush.

amazon bidet attachment

The middle dial activates the nozzles. Make sure you are sitting on the toilet, when you turn the middle dial on! When you turn it, clockwise towards the rear, this activates the nozzle on the left-hand side. It will drop out from behind the plastic shield and spray water on your back side. When you turn the dial counterclockwise, toward the side labeled ‘Front”, the right nozzle drops down and sprays water slightly more forward. Note, the change in distance is not a large one, but you can use the one that works best for you.

Now, you may have noticed that the water pressure seems to be really high. In fact, on full blast, it can be pretty intense. In most cases, you will not need to power wash your bottom, so its best for you to turn the dial very slowly in the desired direction. If you turn too much too quickly, it will feel like someone is spraying you with a super-soaker.

The last dial on the bidet is the temperature control. Just like in your sink, you can have either all cold water, all hot water, or somewhere in between. If it normally takes a while for your water to heat up, you may want to run the hot water using the cleaning dial, before activating the bidet sprayers. This will ensure that you get your desired water temperature, rather than a cold surprise.

What to do if the pressure is too strong?

Many users find that the pressure of the spray is a bit too strong for their taste. There are two things you can do to reduce and adjust the pressure.

First, you can try to leave the cleaning spray on, when you activate the bidet. This will reduce the water pressure from the sprayer.

Another option is to close the water valves a bit, as this will also help reduce pressure.

With a few adjustments, you should have no problem washing up easily and with comfort, with the water temperature and pressure that you like.

DIY toilet bidet seat install vs hire a Pro

The Zen bidet is designed to be installed DIY. Even if you don’t have much experience with these kinds of things, most users report that it took them no more than 1 hour to complete the installation. If you are a DIY pro, it can be as quick as 20 minutes.

Finally, if you can’t figure out how to install a toilet bidet attachment on your own, or you don’t feel comfortable dealing with water lines, it is best to call a professional plumber for help.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $75-150 for this install to be done by a licensed contractor or a handy man. The reason for this high price is that the contractor has to factor in their cost of coming out to your house, even though the job itself is quick and easy.




About Leo Bender

Leo has been a contractor since 2003, specializing in: roofing, siding, general contracting (GC) and residential remodeling. Leo is also a Certified HVAC, Oil & Gas Heating Technician/Installer. In addition to roofing and remodeling, Leo is passionate about Solar, green building and energy conservation, so a lot of my time and energy goes to installing energy efficient heating and cooling systems.


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5 comments on “How to Install a Toilet Bidet Attachment: ZenBidet Hot & Cold Water Attachment

  1. Herman King

    Some reviews show leaks on hot water. Can plastic line be replaced with braided Stainless? Four ft would do

    Reply
  2. Dino Faucher

    The instructions for hot water hook up are clear. Don’t I have to hookup the other side of that T Adapter for cold water so I don’t burn my butt off? Or does the cold water come from the normal filler hose to the tank to another T Adapter at the Bidet control on the seat?

    Reply
  3. Clara

    Can you choose not to install the hot water even if the attachment has the hookup for it, and only install it with cold with no issue? (I have an attachment with both hot/cold but a sink cabinet and live in an apartment – so no drilling).

    Reply
    1. Leo B Post author

      Clara,

      Yo can do go with just cold water, even if you have input for both hot and cold. One thing though – you may need to cap hot water intake, so that water does not come pouring out of that intake… it depends on how your bidet attachment is made… but if there is a passage through the valve – then cold water may come out fo hot intake.
      Good luck.

      Reply