Our Outhouse is Verbotten!!!

diane5000 · #1 10/18/09, 12:50 PM

It is now October in Ontario Canada and the temperature is dropping fast.

The rainwater system in our outhouse is pretty much frozen. We have

no indoor plumbing, no running water or septic system in the old homestead

and we are getting a tinge desperate.

We would welcome any advice out there on how we could makeshift a new

biffy.

Diane in Canada

http://www.frombeyondthegrid.com

Alice In TX/MO · #2 10/18/09, 12:57 PM

$25 sawdust toilet

http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/sawdustoilet.html

texican · #3 10/18/09, 01:27 PM

5 gallon bucket. Wooden box just big enough for 5 gallon bucket to sit inside. Toilet seat mounted on top of box, 'overlooking' the 5 gallon bucket. Sawdust or lime.

Do your business inside the house... dump immediately or when you feel the need

in the outhouse 'facilities'...

Been there done that in subzero temps... some things were not meant to be exposed to frostbite.

wyld thang · #4 10/18/09, 01:34 PM

what kind of outhouse do you have that needs to have rainwater to work it? can you still dig a big hole and put an outhouse over it(I'm thinking of the kind, you know the big bighole and you just go in it and throw ashes in there every once in awhile?)

mnn2501 · #5 10/18/09, 02:38 PM

never heard of a 'rainwater system' we always had a deep hole in the ground with the outhouse on top, no water needed.

Wisconsin Ann · #6 10/18/09, 02:59 PM

Maybe the rainwater is for washing up.

Even WITH a good outhouse built, I prefer our sawdust bucket. Easy to build, easy to maintain. No smells, AND it's inside where it's WAAAAAAaarrrmmmm!!!

sgl42 · #7 10/18/09, 03:23 PM

her sig contains a link to her blog, which has a post, including video, showing the rainwater outhouse. basically, the roof catches rainwater, and that water is used to flush an RV toilet:
http://www.frombeyondthegrid.com/outhouse

--sgl

Wisconsin Ann · #8 10/18/09, 03:40 PM

ahh. interesting idea.

geo in mi · #9 10/18/09, 04:43 PM

I don't envy you. It's been years since my outhouse days and I don't want to go there..... maybe a long trench while the ground is still digable, and a shed on a sled. Cover back up before the thaw in Spring. 'Bout all you can do now. Might want to secure the water situation, though, so washing up and getting a drink won't be too much of a hardship.

ronbre · #10 10/18/09, 05:38 PM

using a post hole digger and shovel..put a new outhouse in for the winter..with the toilet seat over the hole..and wood ash and lime to keep it sweet..in the spring when the other outhouse thaws..remove the temp outhouse covering and plant yourself a lovely tree over the winter outhouse hole..no need for water out there..except to clean your hands..take out a small bucket of warm water from the house if need be or some towellettes

7thswan · #11 10/18/09, 05:56 PM

Regular old outhouses continue to work in the winter. Chamber pots were made for night use then empty in daylight.

**Cabin Fever** · #12 10/21/09, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgl42

her sig contains a link to her blog, which has a post, including video, showing the rainwater outhouse. basically, the roof catches rainwater, and that water is used to flush an RV toilet:
http://www.frombeyondthegrid.com/outhouse

--sgl

So where does the wastewater go when it's flushed?

seagullplayer · #13 10/21/09, 09:30 AM

That sawdust bucket idea is the way to go, IMHO

I have used many an outhouse, and I don't like them and I am a dude.

Everytime I sit down I am thinkng snakes!

I hate a rush job...

wy_white_wolf · #14 10/21/09, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

So where does the wastewater go when it's flushed?

From her blog

Quote:

...When the hole under the outhouse fills up we'll drag it to a new location with the Argo. That's how we do a sustainable sewage system out here beyond the grid...

Sounds more like a waste to me. Need to go back to the old fashioned style of outhouse.

**Terri** · #15 10/21/09, 10:03 AM

Can you use the greywater that is left when you wash or rinse the dishes?

Take a bucket out with you when you use the outhouse, and use it to make the flush mechanism work.

wyld thang · #16 10/21/09, 10:10 AM

IF the problem is frozen water and the location of the outhouse is no issue, why don't you just take a pitcher of warm water out to the outhouse and use that to flush? I'm assuming you have a woodstove you can keep a pot of water hot on top?

I will look at the blog post on the setup, but it seems to me the using water to flush creates a lot of extra runoff and spreading of raw sewage when you are on top of rock like that...(that is her problem--they have very shallow soil on top of bedrock). Part of the purpose of a big hole is to give the liquids a contained spot to perc down into the soil instead of running off, along with lime/ash doing whatever it does to make it not so nasty.

wyld thang · #17 10/21/09, 10:17 AM

What are the reasons for using an rv toilet bowl instead of just a seat and open hole? the only reason given in the blog is so you dont' have to see the poop, is there some other techie reason? All the properly maintained outhouses I've used were never stinky, and you get used to "seeing" it. Personally it's grosser to me to get an rv bowl to rinse properly clean(we have a trailer and it take so much water to get the clingons off!)--that seems much more UN-sanitary and wasteful of water to me that just letting it freefall down a hole?

Now the FS outhouses--THOSE are gross! those are designed to be pumped, no ash/lime is put in, and people have a hard time getting the poop IN the toilet, I'd rather go squat in the woods(and I do!)

OOps! Terri beat me to the taking the warm water out from the house

diane5000 · #18 10/21/09, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

So where does the wastewater go when it's flushed?

Thanks for your question. The water is released down towards a shallow hole (because of bedrock everywhere) There is just my husband and myself and we are no where near a water source. (no threat of contamination) A shallow hole would easily turn into a mound of waste, especially in the winter freeze, using water to disperse our business.

Diane and Warren
http://www.frombeyondthegrid.com

diane5000 · #19 10/21/09, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seagullplayer

That sawdust bucket idea is the way to go, IMHO

I have used many an outhouse, and I don't like them and I am a dude.

Everytime I sit down I am thinkng snakes!

I hate a rush job...

Thanks for your advice. We have gone out and bought five bags of sawdust at $2 a bag. We look forward to being wwwaarrmmm this winter!!

diane5000 · #20 10/21/09, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terri

Can you use the greywater that is left when you wash or rinse the dishes?

Take a bucket out with you when you use the outhouse, and use it to make the flush mechanism work.

Hi Terri,

Thanks for your advice. I wish I could use the grey water... the problem here is our hole is very shallow because of bedrock. It would be no time before the grey water froze into a mound.

Diane and Warren

http://www.frombeyondthrgrid.com.