When shopping for a composting toilet, it's important to do a lot of research and ask questions about the product, so you can have a full understanding of how it works.
There are a lot of commonly asked questions, like "How does a composting toilet work?" or "Does it smell?" But in addition to these typical queries, it's also important to address some more in-depth issues and questions as well.
To that end, we've compiled a list of some in-depth questions about composting toilets for your use and consideration as you shop for a system.
1.
What kind of drains and/or water hookups do I need? Many composting toilets feature a safety drain which we recommend hooking up on every installation.
Even though the toilets will evaporate all liquids under normal conditions, there are some situations in which the safety drain might be needed.
For example, if you have an electric toilet and you experience a prolonged power outage, the safety drain might be needed.
Or if you have a non-electric unit, evaporating capacity can vary with humidity and other atmospheric conditions.
In any case, it's always a good idea to hook up the safety drain just in case there is more liquid than the toilet can handle.
The safety drain should be connected to an approved facility such as a recycling bed, old septic system, holding tank, or drain pit.
Whether or not you will need to plumb in water lines is dependent upon the type of composting toilet system you choose.
Most self-contained units are waterless, meaning that no plumbing is required.
If you choose a water flush central system, you will need to hook up to water, though it is possible to also flush the unit manually with a container if necessary.
2.
What if I live on a slab, have no elevation, or want to install a toilet in my basement? In all of these cases, you would need to purchase a self-contained composting toilet.
You would not want a central system, because they require that the central composting unit be installed on a lower level.
3.
What do I do in the winter if I have no heat? For extended winter use, the composting unit has to be kept warm (specifically, warmer than 55 degrees Fahrenheit) for the microbes to remain active and composting to continue.
It may be helpful to insulate vent piping on all units to avoid icing, and where applicable, also insulate inlet piping and drain piping.
Electric units should remain plugged in to minimize the chance of freezing.
To reduce energy costs, you might also want to consider installing a fan speed control on electric units.
This reduces cold air intake and heater operation.
For limited winter use, it is okay to allow the compost to freeze.
In this situation, the unit can be used as a holding tank, so long as there is enough space in the drum.
It's important to remember that the drum should not be rotated if the compost is frozen, and if you have an electric unit, be sure to plug it in while in use so that the fan will eliminate any possible odors.
4.
Will I have a problem with methane gas or sewer gasses? No.
Methane and other sewer gasses are byproducts of anaerobic composting.
This means that the material being broken down isn't exposed to enough oxygen for aerobic bacteria growth.
Most professionally manufactured composting toilets are designed to encourage aerobic composting through aeration of the contents of the drum.
Every 2 or 3 days while the toilet is in use, you will pull out the drum handle (which is recessed on most self-contained units) and rotate the drum 4 to 6 times.
This ensures that the aerobic bacteria have ample oxygen to do their job, and thus you won't have to worry about anaerobic composting that could create sewer gas.