You’ve seen waterless urinals at the football stadium, the hospital, and even the city park, but is it the right choice for your residential home? Compared to traditional toilets and urinals, waterless urinals are cost-effective, easy to install, and even easier to maintain. So, whether you’re drawing up plans for your dream home or you’re taking on the renovation of your existing home, a waterless urinal may be the way to go.
How Does a Waterless Urinal Work?
A waterless urinal for residential buildings looks quite similar to a traditional urinal, but that’s where the similarities end. A traditional urinal ties into the water line and uses a flushing mechanism to move urine down the basin and to the drain. Without a handle to flush or water hook-up, a waterless urinal uses a sloped, non-porous basin to move urine to a cartridge and seal that attaches to the drain pipe. The seal keeps odors, gasses, and bacteria in the drain pipe, where they won’t affect your bathroom or home. While a traditional urinal uses a gallon of water or more per flush, a waterless, or no-flush, urinal uses no water at all!
Benefits of Installing a Waterless Urinal in Your Home
Reduced Odors
Have a brood of boys that like to hang out in your basement? A traditional toilet or urinal can easily create odors that carry through the entire house. That’s because when a toilet is flushed, it sprays tiny particles of urine and bacteria throughout the air, and odors can easily escape the drain pipe as well. When you choose to install a waterless urinal, the cartridge and seal will keep odors and bacteria in the drain pipe, where they belong. So, while you may hear the rowdy group downstairs, you won’t smell them.
Cost Savings
Whether you choose a traditional urinal or a no-flush urinal for your home, you can expect to invest some money into the purchase of the unit. However, with a traditional toilet, you’ll continue to pay a hefty price for the water needed to flush it. A waterless urinal will not impact your utility bills, so you can save money for the other home improvement projects on your to-do list.
Easy Maintenance
Many of the issues that arise in traditional urinals are due to a malfunction of the flushing mechanism or a clogged drain. When you install a no-flush urinal, these problems are almost obsolete. In addition, your cleaning routine will also be simplified. Instead of harsh chemicals, scrub brushes, and even more water, all you’ll need is a manufacturer-safe cleaning solution and a soft rag. Periodic changing of the cartridge and seal will also help to keep odors at bay.
Environmental Impacts
If you are looking to make your home more environmentally-friendly, a waterless urinal is a great place to start. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a frequently used traditional urinal could use up to 26,000 gallons of water per year. A waterless urinal reduces this environmental impact to almost nothing, making it the ideal choice for green living.
Things to Consider Before Installing Your Waterless Urinal
Installation Requirements
Whether you are planning a new construction home or looking to install a waterless urinal in an existing home, you’ll be pleased to know that installation is easy! No-flush urinals do not tie into the waterline, so you aren’t limited in where you can place them. Just be sure to tie into a drain line so that waste can moved to the main sewer or septic system.
Odor Management
As mentioned earlier, the cartridge and seal that sits in the entrance to the urinal’s drain keep gasses, odors, and bacteria from making their way into the bathroom and the rest of your home. In order for this odor management system to be effective, it must be changed periodically. Check with the manufacturer’s guidelines for product replacement.
Price Comparisons
You may be surprised to know that waterless urinals are often less expensive than their flushable counterparts. That price difference is due to the complicated flushing mechanism and installation requirements. If you plan to install a traditional urinal in your home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $900 to $1,300, while waterless urinals cost around $650 on average.
Is a Waterless Urinal Right for Your Home?
Which homes can benefit from a waterless urinal? The answer is any home where the homeowner desires easy maintenance, lower utility bills, reduced environmental impacts, and effective odor management. Families that like to entertain frequently may prefer a waterless urinal for the guest bathrooms. Men who spend time in their workshop or garage may opt for installing a waterless urinal in those spaces so they don’t need to access the main house for bathroom breaks. A basement or playroom may also benefit from this low-maintenance option. There’s no limit to this practical solution!
If you’re installing a waterless urinal in your home, consider the Purleve ZeroFlush Urinal, in combination with Purleve Liquid Odor Barrier and Purleve Enviroseal. This system is backed by years of proven technology, and it’s easy to install and maintain. You’ll be enjoying the convenience, functionality, and savings from your Purleve Waterless Urinal System in no time!