Sun-Mar Composting Toilets - A Few More Frequently Asked Questions

Let's face it, composting toilets are a very complex and little understood product. Many consumers don't even realize that compost toilets are actually odorless and present a great eco-friendly alternative for residential homes in urban and suburban areas. Through our website, we receive all kinds of questions from our visitors and customers about composting toilet systems, how they work, and their various pros and cons. Below are a few more of our most frequently asked questions that may be helpful to other consumers who are considering a composting toilet system or simply comparing brands. Please be sure to note that all the information in this article pertains specifically to Sun-Mar composting toilet systems.

1. Do I have to use a special kind of toilet paper in a composting toilet?
No. You can use any type of toilet paper you want, it will break down without a problem.

2. Can baby wipes, tampons, diaper liners, paper towels, or other similar items be put in the toilet?
No. We recommend keeping these and similar products out of the toilet because they can affect the capacity. When you choose a compost toilet system, the most important consideration is the capacity rating. Sun-Mar systems have capacity ratings based on the number of people using the toilet per day. If you add other products to the toilet, this will throw off the capacity and can cause a problem.

3. How do I clean my Sun-Mar system?
The outside of the toilet can be cleaned using any type of regular household cleaner of your choosing. Around the rim of the bowl and inside the bowl of the toilet, we recommend using Compost Quick Cleaning Spray. This is a special toilet and bowl cleaner designed for composting toilets. It contains a compost accelerating agent that will aide in the breakdown process of your compost. If you don't want to use Compost Quick, you can also use a solution of hot water and baking soda. You should not use chemical toilet bowl cleaners in your composting toilet, because these products can kill the aerobic bacteria that are a vital part of the composting process.

4. Is a compost toilet difficult to install? Do I need a professional installer?
No. In most cases, Sun-Mar composting toilets are a do-it-yourself installation. Before purchasing any system, be sure to download a copy of the product manual which contains complete installation instructions. We encourage our customers to read these manuals thoroughly before purchasing a unit so they will understand what is involved in installing the system before it arrives.

5. What is the expected life of a composting toilet?
The expected life of a Sun-Mar compost toilet is 20 to 25 years. However, homeowners should expect that some parts in the toilet, such as electrical fans or heaters, may wear out sooner and need to be replaced. Replacement components are readily available directly from the manufacturer.

Tag : toilet,compost toilet,toilet peper,toilet repair,toilet system

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

Composting Toilets For Families With Children

As our nation faces water shortages and water crises in heavily populated areas like California, composting toilets continue to gain popularity as a water-saving alternative to traditional toilets. Their growing usage, however, leads many families and homeowners to wonder, are they a good solution for my home? Particularly for families with children, there are some special considerations to take into account.

The needs of families with children will vary, depending on the ages of the kids in the home. If you have young children, for example, potty training may be a consideration. First, you'll want to evaluate the seat height of the toilet. Many composting toilets, specifically self-contained units, feature very tall seat heights. Some even have built-in stools or footrests, making it easier for an adult to step up to the seat. For a child, this would obviously create a problem in getting to the toilet on their own.

Young children are notorious for wanting to flush various objects down the toilet-any parent who's ever fished a watch or rubber ducky or other item out of their toilet bowl is well aware of this. With a composting toilet, reaching the lost object may not be so simple. One of the biggest pros to modern composting toilets is that they're designed in such a way that the homeowner does not have to come into contact with the waste until it is fully composted. However, if you think your child has dropped something down into the toilet, you may find yourself donning some gloves and sifting through waste to get at the lost item. Thus, it's important that parents of young children take the time to impress upon their kids the importance of not putting any foreign objects in the toilet. Another easy alternative is to install a child-proof toilet seat and lid, so that children cannot lift up the lid without your assistance.

If you have older adolescents to young teens in your home, you may also need to discuss the importance of not putting things like wet wipes, tampons, or sanitary pads into the toilet. The only things that should go in a composting toilet are waste and toilet paper. Everything else belongs in the garbage can.

The amount of toilet paper used may also be another conversation to have with kids, though this isn't a topic just for homes with composting toilets. Many parents have had to use a plunger to unclog a traditional toilet when a child has used half the roll of toilet paper and tried to flush. With a compost toilet, the issue isn't that it won't flush, but rather that using too much paper will affect the capacity of the unit itself. Capacities of composting toilets are typically based on the number of people using the fixture each day. If someone is adding a huge amount of toilet paper, this will of course have an impact.

Last but not least, homeowners with composting toilet systems should take the time to explain to their kids about the regular maintenance of the unit. Usually this involves adding some bulking material, such as a peat moss/wood chip mixture, each day and turning a crank on the outside of the toilet, which in turn rotates the inner drum. Once children are old enough, get them involved in these daily activities. The more they know about the system, the less likely they are to do something that might potentially harm it.

Composting toilets are a wonderful alternative to traditional toilets, and they can be used virtually anywhere. For families with children, they are still a very viable alternative to traditional toilets, provided that parents explain to and educate their kids about the toilet. Plus, by introducing your kids to an eco friendly fixture like a composting toilet while they are young, you'll be making a positive impact on their lifelong tendency toward a green lifestyle.

Tag : toilet,toilet repair,toilet paper,toilet water

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

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.

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Eco Toilets For the Home

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the entire house, and a major source of water waste and inefficiency. Showers and toilets are two of the biggest consumers of water.

According to a 2009 report released by the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States flushes over 4.8 million gallons of water per year and the average American flushes 9000 gallons of water per year. The report also stated that replacing flush toilets that use 3.5 gallons per flush with eco toilets that use 1.6 gallons per flush will result in a 34% savings in household water consumption.

There are a variety of different toilets that homeowners can install to reduce water consumption, save money, and save the environment. Many homeowners are choosing to install eco toilets such as the dual flush toilet to reduce water consumption.

The dual flush toilet works by providing the user with a half flush option and a full flush option on the same toilet. Typically a user would choose a half flush for urine and a full flush for feces. The half flush option only uses 0.79 gallons of water per flush, compared to the 1.6 gallons of water required for a full flush.

Many satisfied users report that the half flush is adequate for almost all flushing needs, and that the full flush is rarely needed. Experts suggest that a household can reduce household flush volumes by 68% using a dual flush toilet.

The composting toilet is gaining popularity around the world, and is just beginning to be introduced into American markets. Composting eco toilets work by using naturally-occurring bacteria to break down human waste into a usable compost material called humus.

The toilets do not use any water, are completely self contained, and all waste is collected and composted in the same unit. The toilets are carefully constructed with a special venting and air flow system to prevent unpleasant odors, bugs, and pests.

The composting toilet can even accommodate regular toilet tissue. A composting toilet is more expensive than a regular or dual flush toilet, and will require professional installation to ensure that the venting system is properly installed.

The squat toilet, although common in Eastern countries, is rarely used in the United States. These eco toilets are located flush to the ground, and the user must sit in squatted position to use the toilet.

The waste is removed by pouring water into the bowl with a hose or bucket. A squat toilet requires much less water than a conventional toilet, and many experts believe that it is more sanitary, as the buttocks and thighs do not come into contact with the toilet surface.

Tag : toilet,eco toilet,toilet training,toilet repair,toilet seats

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

The Waterless Toilet

Most people don't realize it, but it is not washing dishes or taking a shower that uses the most water during the day. It is actually the act of flushing a toilet. Older, less efficient toilets operate by passing over three gallons of water through the plumbing system with each flush. As water resources become more scarce, ways to cut down on some of the water that is literally being "flushed away" are being sought.

One method gradually becoming more popular is the use of a waterless, or composting, toilet. These toilets are rare in cities and suburbs because of the difficulty in securing appropriate building permits, but they are more common in rural areas. Composting toilets convert human waste into compost, which can be utilized as fertilizer once it has been treated.

Waterless composting toilets (also known as biological toilets) are waterless systems which rely on the principles of composting by mirco-organisms to decompose human waste, paper and other materials.

In this type of system, chambers or bins are installed below floor level. Extra organic matter such as wood shaving, paper or lawn clippings, are added to create an ideal composting environment. Micro-organisms decompose the collected material, with about three-quarters being converted to carbon dioxide and water vapor. Air drawn through the pile removes these gases and assists the micro-organisms with the decomposition.

Waterless composting toilets do not treat waste water from showers, sinks and washing machines, an additional system is required for their treatment. A waterless toilet can range in price from as low as $400 to nearly $3,000, depending on the type and features. Many models look like regular toilets and are available in a wide array of colors.

Until the use of waterless toilets becomes more common place, removing and replacing an older toilet with a more efficient one can save the average homeowner 4,000 gallons of water per year. If every older, inefficient toilet was replaced with a WaterSense-labeled toilet, nearly 640 billion gallons of water could be saved each year.

What is a WaterSense toilet? It is a toilet given a label by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifying that it uses 20 percent less water per flush than current federal standards. Typically, a WaterSense toilet uses 50 to 60 percent less water per flush than older models.

The water efficiency of a toilet depends on its age and type. Most toilets installed prior to 1992 are considered inefficient by today's standards, and typically use more than three gallons of water per flush. This means that a leaky, constantly running or simply inefficient toilet is the largest water-waster in a home, since toilets are by far the main source of water use in a home. In fact, flushing toilets accounts for as much as 40 percent of residential indoor water consumption.