Macerating toilets-your experience, pls?

Jan in CO · #1 04/16/11, 12:44 PM

Has anyone actually had and used one of these? We are working on putting a bathroom in our basement with a concrete floor, and don't want to have to dig up the concrete, so this looks like a good, but expensive option. (Don't want to use a sawdust toilet, as we may end up renting this space and I don't think someone else would be willing to deal with the dumping, etc! )

If you've had/have one, I'd appreciate any comments, as well as brand, etc. There is quite a difference in price for the models I've looked at on line.

Thanks,
Jan in Co

**Ross** · #2 04/16/11, 02:50 PM

If I ever ned to use one it will be a Saniflo. Great reputation, and yeah its a bit pricey. http://www.saniflo.com/

Jan in CO · #3 04/16/11, 09:28 PM

Yes, they are, but the customer reviews said they were extremely noisy. I wonder just how noisy! Enough to disturb everyone in the house, or what? We'd have to plumb a shower, and maybe two sinks into the toilet, and some brands can handle four inputs, others don't mention it. Jan in Co

**Ross** · #4 04/16/11, 09:38 PM

Yes it is noisy, I wouldn't say it was extreme and you can bury it in a sound proofed cavity in the wall. That would help. Its also fast. Lots of noise but its over quickly. Bottom line is you want a tool that will get the job done.

myheaven · #5 04/16/11, 09:55 PM

Dont get a burr cam. They fail too often.

Shygal · #6 04/16/11, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

If I ever ned to use one it will be a Saniflo. Great reputation, and yeah its a bit pricey. http://www.saniflo.com/

They have a grinder unit for a toilet?

I guess I dont know what a macerating toilet is lol

City Bound · #7 04/16/11, 11:25 PM

Those toilets look good. I never knew they existed. I would have put one in my basement apartment and saved a lot of dough.

Jan, the toilet is pricey, but from what you will save in time, materials and labor, it is worth it.
I live in a basement apartment and we had to do a heck of a lot of work to get a bathroom put in because the apartment is bellow the the grade of the sewer.

We had to buy a tank with a sump pump in it to get the waste up into the sewer, that was almost $300 bucks, then when we dug down into the floor to set the tank we hit water and that was a big problem, we had to set the tank into the water and have guys stand in it to hold it down while we back filled the hole. Then a year later the sump pump went and we had to get in there and replace it, then the gasket wore out and the tank lid began to corrode and we had to fix that. Now, my major complaint is that that stupid tank fills up and lets out some sewer gas which makes me light headed and close to vomiting. The smell goes away once the tank dischages, but seriously, that is no way to live.

If I could go back in time I would get one of these toilets. Add up a decent toilet, a sump pump and tank, and all the extra labor costs and you might also think that these toilets are a decent buy.

Hope that helps.

City Bound · #8 04/16/11, 11:28 PM

JAn check this out, it is ask this old house putting one in and then they flush it, it doesnt sound too bad to me.

Esteban29304 · #9 04/17/11, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shygal

They have a grinder unit for a toilet?

I guess I dont know what a macerating toilet is lol

I am only familiar with one used on a boat. Not to sound gross,,,, but think of it as a blender or sink garbage disposal. Most make about that noise.

nancylee · #10 04/17/11, 11:12 AM

HI,
Have you looked into a composting toilet? That is what I am getting for a barn apartment, we are not going to put a new septic in for it, so we are getting a composting toilet, and putting the sink and shower water into a dry well, or some kind of collection system for watering plants in the warm weather.
Nancy

Jan in CO · #11 04/19/11, 06:22 PM

Thanks everyone! I had asked a plumber years ago and his only solution was the pump and tank deal, breaking up the concrete floor, etc. Our basement is also below grade, but within the specs for the macerating or grinder/pump toilets. If I KNEW it would only be us using the apartment and toilet in the basement, and that it wouldn't be a problem with a future sale, Yes, I would go with the composting toilet feature. I'm not too squeamish for that, but a lot of folks are. Thanks a bunch. Now hope I can get hubby on board with this. Jan in Co

ErinP · #12 04/19/11, 06:50 PM

Personally, I'd go sawdust for as long as YOU need it and if you decide in the future that you need something better, spend the money then.

snoozy · #13 04/20/11, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

Personally, I'd go sawdust for as long as YOU need it and if you decide in the future that you need something better, spend the money then.

Exactly!

Oggie · #14 04/20/11, 10:40 PM

We considered getting one.

But we were a bit uncomfortable with the thought of anyone macerating in the bathroom.

**Ross** · #15 04/20/11, 10:46 PM

Are composting toilets cheaper in the USA? They'd be pretty close to the same as a Saniflow here. Might be thinking of a different critter though.

Ryan NC · #16 04/21/11, 08:48 PM

Not sure why you want a toilet in the basement but my 2 cents is to avoid it if at all possible if you can't get standard plumbing, saniflo is the best on the market and they are still junk imho!

I'm guessing that you are looking mostly for convenience, unless there is another reason it's easier to walk upstairs than to deal with the problems these things create over the long term... can you tell I'm not a fan of macerating toilets?

retire2$ · #17 04/24/11, 08:30 PM

My son-in-law put in a saniflo. Put the toilet in the bathroom and the box on the other side of the wall. He is well pleased and it only uses a small amount of water for the flush.

anvoj · #18 04/25/11, 07:28 AM

just be sure to steer clear of those Masticating toilets... ;-)

**Cabin Fever** · #19 04/25/11, 08:45 AM

Macerating toliets in basements are quite common in our area when the home has a septic system that is 100% gravity fed. Not only will the macerating tank pump the toliet waste, one can attach the downstairs shower and sink to it, and pump those wastes "up" to the waste pipes and then out to the septic system, too. Very convenient, east to install, and cost-effective.

Wojo · #20 04/25/11, 09:04 AM

We're going to be finishing our basement, and I plan on adding either a half bathroom, or a bath/shower. We have septic, and I will be using a macerating toilet. I just haven't decided whether or not I need to add a shower. At the very least I may just make the room large enough and plumb it out, so that I can add a shower later if we find we need one. We're moving to the house in July, so I waiting on the shower would likely make sense...to see over time if we really need it.

Thanks for all of the folks who posted info. This has been helpful.