Reasons Why You Shouldn't Build Your Own Composting Toilet

Among the eco-conscious crowd, composting toilets are a very commonplace product. Not only do they provide a natural form of waste disposal by recycling waste back to the earth, but they also save an enormous amount of water and money. There are many different types of composting toilets, but generally they fall into one of two categories: professionally manufactured systems and homemade units. In spite of the fact that doing it yourself has become a major movement in the United States and around the world, building a composting toilet is not something you should add to your DIY to-do list. In this article, we'll explain the top 5 important reasons why you shouldn't attempt to build your own composting toilet:

1. Homemade composting toilets may smell bad. Professionally manufactured units are designed with special venting systems and fans to make them 100% odorless. If you build your own toilet, it would be very difficult to replicate the same type of venting system that makes professional units odorless.

2. Homemade composting toilets are slow to produce finished compost. Many homemade composting toilets are nothing more than a toilet seat fitted over a 5 gallon bucket. In these instances, when the bucket gets full, it's transported to another location (usually outdoors, for obvious reasons), and then may take 2 to 3 years before the bucket can be opened and the material inside has turned into finished compost. A professional composting toilet is designed to hold all the material in one place, and it finishes the product much more quickly, usually within several months, depending on how often it's used.

3. Homemade compost toilets don't have a system for separating fresh waste from partially finished or completely finished compost. Most people have some feelings of hesitation about composting toilets in the first place. However, this is usually pretty easy to overcome, because modern, high tech systems are designed so that you never have to come into contact with the waste inside. homemade systems aren't usually as sophisticated, meaning that you may end up having to manually check the contents yourself to see if your compost is finished yet.

4. Homemade units present a potential biohazard. Because professional systems are regulated and most of them meet certain standards, they are tested and certified to produce a clean and sanitary end compost (to be on the safe side, though, always check out a manufacturer's certifications before making a purchase). With a homemade toilet, you don't have any of those safeguards to guarantee that the finished compost is pathogen-free.

5. For all of the reasons mentioned above, homemade composting toilets probably won't pass muster with your local building department. Whenever you engage in a home remodeling project or install a new fixture like a toilet, it's important to check your local building code to see what permits or approvals are needed for the work. If composting toilets aren't an approved waste treatment method in your city yet, it's usually pretty easy to get a building department to approve a professionally manufactured system. Just print out the product specifications and certifications and take them to your local officials. With a homemade system, it's not quite that easy, and most home made toilets aren't going to pass code.

The bottom line is, a composting toilet system is a sophisticated piece of equipment, designed to operate in an odorless and sanitary manner. When you try to build your own composting toilet, you're really taking a roll of the dice, and who knows what you may come out with. In almost every case, it is always better to spend the money buying a professionally manufactured system. After all, composting toilets are just like many other things in life: you get what you pay for.

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Composting Toilets - Clean, Odorless & Money Saving!

If you're like most people, chances are you don't really know what a composting toilet is or how it works. If your initial reaction to the idea is one of disgust, then read on, because we're about to shed some light on the subject! Many people think of a composting toilet as something similar to a port-a-potty or an outhouse. Contrary to this unpleasant image, composting toilets are very clean and sanitary, and they make a great alternative to traditional fixtures. In this article, we'll explain how composting toilets work, and why they are a superior waste management solution that you just might want to consider for your home.

The biggest misconception surrounding composting toilets is that they smell. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth! If you purchase the right unit, it will be 100% odor free. Good composting toilets use a venting system to maintain odor free operation. A 2" or 4" vent stack must be installed to run vertically up from the toilet and out the roofline of your home. The vent stack is designed to draw air downward through the seat and then up and out the vent. This maintains a partial vacuum inside the unit and ensures that no odor can enter the bathroom. In some units, there is also a small fan assembly to assist with airflow.

There are many varieties of composting toilets to choose from, and contrary to popular belief, not all of them are waterless! There are many composting systems available that use water flushing toilets. These types of units are called central systems, and they are made up of a central composting unit (picture a big box) that sits in the basement or lower level. A separate, more traditional-looking toilet fixture is installed in the bathroom and connected to your water pipes to provide flushing liquid.

The finished product from a composting toilet is, of course, compost. While the uninitiated might have concerns about compost coming from human waste, there is no need to worry. Provided that you followed the manufacturer's instructions, the finished product from your composting unit will be clean and non-offensive. In fact, it will look and smell just like any other normal compost you might purchase from a nursery or garden center.

When shopping for a composting toilet, be sure to look into the product's certifications. Has it been tested to comply with national or international standards for waste management systems? Within North America, composting toilet systems are tested to NSF/ANSI Standard #41. To date, only two manufacturers of composting toilets have successfully had their systems tested and certified to comply with this standard.

The first is Clivus Multrum, a manufacturer of composting systems designed for use in parks and outdoor facilities. The second is Sun-Mar, a Canadian manufacturer of composting toilets designed and approved for residential use. It may be helpful to note that, for consumer's protection and safety, the NSF only certifies composting toilets that are odorless and that produce compost with fecal coliform that does not exceed 200 MPN per gram. In other words, if you use the unit correctly, the finished compost is sanitary and it will not make anyone sick. For more information, visit the NSF's website.

Traditional toilets use as much as 30% of the average household's water consumption. As we move through the 21st century, composting toilets will become an increasingly popular choice for those who need to conserve water, or who simply wish to save money on expensive water and sewer costs. Furthermore, composting toilets are no longer the ugly, awkward fixtures of the past. Modern systems are sleek and contemporary, and blend perfectly in a residential setting. If you're like other Americans looking for ways to save money or minimize your ecological impact, now may be a good time to consider a composting toilet system for your home.

Tag : toilet,clean,composting,odorless

Classic Toilet Myths Debunked

Depending on your location, a trip to the bathroom can be somewhat scary. A few restroom toilets that personally frighten me are rest stop toilets, sporting event toilets and the one and only outdoor port a potty. The germs, the smells, and the stories that surround the throne has me contemplating whether to hold it or venture into the bathroom. The following are a few myths about the toilet that I would like to put to rest.

1: Sexually Transmitted Diseases: According to many doctors it is almost impossible to contract a serious STD from a toilet seat. The only possible STD that can be transmitted through the toilet is Crabs also know as pubic lice. However, these lice can only survive without a host human body for 24 hours. Therefore the chance of contracting lice is nearly impossible. Unfortunately for unfaithful lovers you will have to find another scapegoat. My suggestion is to blame it on hotel bedding, or a hotel towel. You have a better chance of contracting pubic lice this way. As for the other horrific sexually transmitted diseases good luck. I would start looking for a good doctor and an understanding new lover.

2. Alligator: Look out for alligators taking a dip in your toilet. The myth that an alligator can get into your pipes and crawl up your toilet is false. There once was a case in New York where a large alligator was found in a New York City sewer. According to the story a few adolescents were shoveling snow into a manhole when they discovered a 7 foot alligator. New York Municipalities did some investigating and found a few small alligators in the New York City sewers. All the alligators were killed with rat poison. Now you can sit on your toilet with a little more confidence, knowing that you will have both cheeks when you get up. Even those sitting on a New York toilet.

3. Toilet seat germs: The toilet seat has the most germs in the bathroom. The bathroom has a ton of germs and bacteria but the toilet seat doesn't even rank when it comes to the dirtiest places in the bathroom. The toilet paper dispenser, door handle, toilet flush mechanism, and the floor put the toilet seat to shame. Dropping your cell phone on the floor, then placing a call gives a whole new meaning to, "talking crap."

4 Toilet flush: The toilet swirls counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in southern hemisphere. This is wrong, the toilet flushes the same everywhere. The Coriolis effect which is said to affect the direction of the water swirl has no influence on the toilet flush. One world, one flush.

5. John Crapper invented the first toilet: The Minoans of Crete are credited with inventing the first toilet centuries ago. The first toilet actually patented was in 1775 by Alexander Cummings. Cummings toilet left water behind after each flush, which was revolutionary. John Crapper has be dethroned from toilet royalty.

If you decide that the toilet you are about to embark upon is not of your liking. Keep this is mind. Holding it in can be painful and lead to severe negative effects on your body. Your best bet on battling the bathroom is hand sanitizer and try not to touch anything. Hovering or building a nest is also suggested.

Toilets can actually save water. A dual flush toilet can save thousands of gallons of water annually

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3 Tips For the Quickest Proven Way to Stop an Overflowing Toilet

Dealing with an overflowing toilet is never pleasant, but it always seems to happen at the most unexpected and inconvenient time. We really don't care what caused the toilet to overflow (although this information is always helpful for future reference) because time is of the essence in this situation, and we just want to stop the immediate problem as quickly as possible. But let's first look at possible causes anyway so that you will be able to prevent this headache in the future. This is easier than you might think. Either your trap, drain, or bowl is partially or completely clogged. So what are signs that your bowl might be clogged?

• Toilet won't drain properly
• Toilet doesn't flush
• Toilet overflows
• Toilet partially flushes

To immediately stop your toilet from overflowing:

1. Take off your tank lid. In your haste, remember to gently place the lid across the toilet bowl so that it won't drop and break.
2. Reach inside the tank and push down on the flapper valve. This will stop the tank from emptying any more water into the toilet bowl. The flapper valve is rubber and is usually located in the center at the bottom of the toilet tank. And don't worry, the water in the tank is sanitary so don't be afraid to put your hand in the water to reach the valve.
3. Lift up the float that operates the toilet tank fill valve. This will prevent the toilet bowl from filling up with more water because water will stop entering the tank from the toilet supply line. Note that the flapper located at the bottom of the tank will be shut.

IF...

You see the water level in the toilet bowl slowly dropping, continue holding the toilet tank float up in the highest position. This will ensure that no more water will flow into the tank or toilet bowl. If after a couple of minutes the water level has returned to normal, you can release the toilet tank float. The tank and bowl will refill without overflowing.

IF...

You see the water level in the toilet tank is not dropping after a couple of minutes, continue to hold the float up and close the toilet supply valve that is located near the floor or behind the toilet by turning it. You may need someone else to assist you in closing the valve so that you can continue holding the float up. Don't force the toilet supply valve if you can't turn it or the valve may break and result in a major leak.

IF...

You can't close the valve or if you don't see the valve, remove the small tube that is sending water through the vertical standpipe. This tube is plastic or rubber. Lift up on the tube and aim it into the toilet tank. At this point you will be able to let the float drop and allow the toilet tank to fill. Once the toilet tank has filled, you can clip the tube back in place and you shouldn't have to worry about your toilet bowl overflowing. Try to remember that if you find yourself in this situation that it happens to everyone from time to time. At least now you know how to stop your toilet from overflowing and can possibly help out a friend in the future should they happen to deal with the same problem.

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Broken Toilet? - How To Fix A Toilet's Three Most Common Problems

We all love to spruce up our home but the toilet is almost always ignored. When the toilet presents problems and it is obvious something is wrong we then begin to realize that the toilet is one of most important fixtures in our home.

Toilets are the sturdiest components of your home plumbing system. However, I would guess that there has never been a home which has not had problems with it. A runny toilet, a clogged toilet and a leaky tank are some of the most common problems you have with your toilet. If you have had or will have any of these three usual problems with yours, here are suggestions as to how you can sort them out.

Problem 1: There is Too Little Water to Clean the Toilet Bowl on Flushing

When you face this problem the first thing to do is to check the tank to see if the water level is okay. If there is no water in the tank obviously none will come out when you flush. Normally the water level should be a least one or two inches on top of the overflow tube. If water is not entering the tank one thing you can do is to hold the arm of the apparatus and bend it slightly until more water begins to enter into the tank.

Problem 2: Leaky Toilet Tank

A leaky toilet tank is a real problem because not only does it ruin the chinaware but it also leaves a mark on the floor, especially if you use cleaning chemicals in the tank.

If your toilet tank has been sweating water on the floor the ideal way to cope with this is through jackets which are specifically designed to absorb this sweat.

Another way to permanently fix this particular problem is to use a temperature valve. The valve helps stop sweating by providing a mixture of hot and cold water going into the tank. This causes a relief in condensation. This valve should only be installed if the general temperature of your toilet tank remains less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Problem 3: Cracked or Broken Toilet Seat

A cracked or broken toilet seat can be a real nuisance and can prevent you from using the toilet at all. Thank goodness changing your toilet seat is really not a very difficult task. There are a lot of different styles of replacement seats available commercially. Just go pick on that suits you and you are on your way. My favorite is a padded one which I find exceptionally comfortable.

Warning: Be careful to select the right size. There are only two standard sizes when it comes to toilet bowls so this should not be a problem.

All you need do is lift up the toilet seat and remove the two nuts on the hinges that hold the seat in place on the toilet bowl. Once you have removed the nuts, you can just lift the seat off.

If the nuts are rusted or corroded and not coming off easily use some oil to loosen them. Once the seat is removed place the new seat on the toilet and screw the nuts in place.

Conclusion

So you see these very annoying problems, when tackled soon and sensibly, don't have to cause a great deal of angst. Now that you know how to fix a toilet, relax and have joyous trips to the bathroom in your home.

Tag : toilet,borken toilet,toilet repair

How to Replace a Broken Toilet

You can turn on a fan if the Air Conditioner breaks, bar-b-que if the stove shoots craps or hire the neighborhood kid if the mower stops, but one thing you absolutely can not do without is... a working toilet.

The easiest way to replace a broken toilet is to get in the Yellow Pages, call a plumber and pay him a $1000 to replace it. That will get you a standard water closet, as it's professionally referred to, installed and the broken one put outside for the trash man. (maybe)

Although that's probably a reasonable deal, you could do the same job yourself for about $200. Although I am a licensed plumber, you don't have to be to perform this repair if you follow my easy to understand instructions. Ready?

First, let's go to your neighborhood Home Depot, Lowes or whatever supplier around your home to buy supplies. As a caveat here, plumbing fixtures are a lot like a new car or truck. There's the $10,000 base model or the $35,000 fully loaded model. We'll stay with the base model.

Purchase a toilet, which comes with the commode and tank separately boxed, but priced together. Almost all new toilets come equipped with the internal parts of the tank assembled.

Purchase a wax ring, the type with the rubber flange attached, a toilet water supply line, being sure it's a toilet and not sink water line. I recommend the flexible water lines over the chrome, plastic or copper water lines for ease of installation. Might as well buy a new toilet seat while you're at it.

Removing the broken toilet. Here are the basic steps to removing the broken fixture.
1. Turn the water off at the stop valve located behind the toilet.
2. Once the water is shut off, flush the toilet letting it drain as much water out of the integral trap as possible. It doesn't hurt to try flushing it twice.
3. Lift the top off the tank. Depending on the amount of water still in the tank either use a wet / dry vac or a sponge to remove it.
4. Unscrew the water supply line from the bottom of the tank. Have a rag handy because water will invariably still leak out no matter how good of a job you thought you did drying the tank.
5. Inside the tank are two bolts holding the tank on to the base. Unscrew these two bolts and carefully lift the tank from the base. Remove tank to the trash.
6.There are two, one on each side of the toilet, closet bolts which hold the toilet to the floor. If there are caps over the bolts, remove or pop them open. Using a small crescent wrench unscrew the nuts from the bolts. Alternate side to side when unscrewing, this will be much more important when reinstalling the bolts, but alternate anyhow.
7. Once the nuts and washers have been removed from the bolts, slowly rock the toilet base back and forth to break the seal loose. Once loose, lift toilet straight up until it clears the closet bolts. You now have the broken toilet completely removed.
8. There will be a closet flange and a hole, which is the sewer line, in the floor. Place a rag loosely into the sewer line to keep anything from falling into it and creating a clog later. Don't lose the rag down it.
9. There will be a wax ring or residual of it stuck on the closet flange and pipe. Scrape all the wax off and wipe clean. It must be clean or risk the chance of a leak.
10. Place the toilet on its side and carefully unwrap the new wax ring you just purchased. Place the wax side against the toilet bottom where the sewer pipe and toilet will meet. Gently, but firmly press into place.
11. Lifting the toilet, and being careful not to hit the floor or anything else which could compromise the wax ring, place the toilet onto the closet bolts. Insuring the rubber flange goes down into the pipe, firmly push the toilet, with a slight rocking motion, down onto the floor.
12. Reinstall the washers and nut on the closet bolts and finger tighten. Sit on the toilet using your weight and a slight rocking motion to secure it to the floor by expanding the wax ring.
13. Using the small crescent wrench tighten the nuts on the closet bolts. Alternate sides using the same turns on each. Six turns on the right...six turns on the left...and so on until the toilet is secured tightly to the floor. Do not over tighten as you could break the base of the toilet ruining it.
14. Remove the tank from the box and secure it to the toilet base with the two bolts from inside the tank.
15. Replace the toilet water supply line with the new one. Turn on the water and allow the tank to fill with water, watching for any signs of a leak, which 99% of the time would come from the two bolts used to secure the tank to the toilet base or where the supply line connects to the toilet or the shutoff.
16. Flush toilet, again watching for any leaks.
17. Install the new toilet seat.
18. It's not a bad idea, but not required on residential homes, to run a bead of caulking around the base of the toilet and the floor.

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Flawless Flushing - Strategies to Keep Your Toilet Trouble Free

Is there a more aggravating situation in your day than to have a toilet not flush properly? As long as a toilet is working as it should, it's easy to not give it a second thought. Rather than wait for a toilet to act up, take a pro-active approach to minimize toilet troubles.

Tips to insure flawless flushing; here's a baker's dozen:

1. Don't use a toilet for a trash can or garbage disposer. Rather than list all the items that shouldn't be flushed down a toilet, I'll list the safe ones. A toilet is designed for the purpose of disposing of human waste and toilet tissue ... that's it ... end of story.

2. All paper is not created equal; toilet tissue is especially designed to quickly breakup in water whereas many other papers such as paper towels actually advertise how strong they are and how they hold together when wiping up liquids. Keep a waste paper basket in the bathroom for such things as facial tissues, sanitary products, paper towels, flushable wipes, etc.

3. Be kind to your toilets. Treat your toilet tanks and bowls like the "china bowls" they are; they can and will crack if abused. BE CAREFUL with tools around a toilet, don't compound the problem when making a repair in your bathroom. It's unlikely that you will be able to fix a cracked toilet bowl or tank.

4. Don't use a toilet for a ladder or stepstool. Don't stand or sit on a toilet tank lid. And don't put a lot of pressure on a tank by leaning back against it.

5. Throw out a toilet bowl cleaning brush once the bristles wear down and any metal is showing. Once the bowl is scratched, it's impossible keep clean, and you won't be able to repair the scratches. A plastic brush is less likely to scratch the china.

6. Don't store small or heavy items on the lid of the toilet tank or on a shelf above to minimize the risk of a something falling in, such as toys, brushes, combs, etc. A tooth brush that gets stuck in the interior passageway of a toilet bowl that can't be dislodged means replacing the toilet. A very heavy item that hits the china bowl could chip or crack the bowl.

7. Don't pour hot liquids into a toilet bowl or tank, the bowl or tank may crack.

8. Don't mix toilet cleaning products. Many of them contain bleach or ammonia; two ingredients that make a dangerous combination when mixed.

9. Help the environment, don't flush old prescriptions down a toilet. A hand full of pills is unlikely to harm a toilet, but according to the Arlington (Texas) Water Utilities, significant advancements in technology and processes have been made. Consequently, pharmaceutical compounds in tiny amounts are able to be detected in our waterways. Pharmaceutical compounds and personal care products are being found at low levels in many of our nation's lakes, rivers, and streams.

10. Do flush a toilet after every use. A crust will begin to form on the bottom of the toilet bowl if urine is allowed to sit in the bowl for long periods. The crust is very difficult to remove.

11. Never use a regular drain snake in a toilet which can permanently scratch the bowl. Make sure to only use a snake known as a toilet auger designed especially for toilets.

12. During freezing weather make sure the bathroom is heated, otherwise the toilet tank and bowl must be completely drained. In addition, the supply line under the tank should be disconnected and the ballcock drained.

13. Don't use drop-in tank tablets for cleaning a toilet. Whether blue, white or purple, these tablets are not good for the toilet. Some will cause a lazy flush which forces you to flush one, two or more times to completely clear a bowl. This lazy flush is also known as the blue goo phenomenon.

Tag : toilet,toilet paper,toilet repair,toilet wall,flush toilet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kay_Keating

The Differences Between Traditional and Modern Toilets

There are list of things you should consider when designing a bathroom. Fixtures and sinks are possibly your top priorities. However, if you want a bathroom that reflects your creativity, it's necessary to consider the toilet. You can choose between traditional and modern toilets. If you want to add classic elegance to your bathroom design, then you can prefer a traditional toilet. If you want to create a fun and contemporary look to your bathroom, then you can choose a modern toilet type.

If you want to buy a traditional toilet at a discounted price, you can search online. Many bathroom stores that do business online offer this kind of toilets at a lower rate. A common model of a traditional toilet has a flush system that is generated by a pull chain. The waterproof receptacle of a traditional toilet that holds liquid is placed on top resting on the wall. This receptacle for liquid, or commonly called a toilet cistern, is attached to the toilet pan through a drainpipe. The traditional toilet's flushing system is the simplest form of flushing methods. A gravity flushing system produces less noise and is very efficient because the gravity increases the flow of water but a gravity fed toilet is really difficult to repair and consumes more water. Today's traditional-type toilets are generally made of ceramics that are really different from the original pieces which are purely made of heavy metals.

Though ceramics are commonly used to produce traditional type toilets, there are still suppliers that provide toilet cisterns created from steel. Modern toilets on the other hand are more expensive because they use new concepts of flushing systems such as pressure-assisted and dual flush systems but you can purchase them at a lower price them from bathroom shops online. Pressure-assisted flush is the latest form of flushing system. It's easy to flush toilets with this kind of flushing system. Apart from that, the system also decreases possibilities for clogging but they are noisier compared to the gravity flushing system. Some modern type of toilets have advanced features such as heated seat and ozone deodorant that helps eliminate odors. Some modern toilets also have air conditioning under the rim. This is definitely good and convenient especially during warm seasons. Learning the qualities and benefits of traditional and modern toilets can help you decide which one suits your needs and fancy.

Nowadays, manufacturers produced more creative modern toilets since these kinds are more popular than traditional toilets. Modern toilets don't only come in different colors like pink, blue, green and purple but they also come in fun, eye-catching and even humorous designs. There are a lot inspirational designs online you can have for your bathroom. Since you spend time in your bathroom, these unique contemporary styles can help you get rid of boredom. Choosing between traditional and modern toilets can be exciting and tricky but whatever type of toilet you want for your bathroom, you have to make sure that it is really functional and will give you much comfort.

There are list of things you should consider when designing a bathroom. Fixtures and sinks are possibly your top priorities. However, if you want a bathroom that reflects your creativity, it's necessary to consider the toilet.

Tag : toilet,traditional toilet,modern toilet,toilet paper,toilet seats,toilet repair

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amaan_Goyal