Anyone use JUST a composting toilet for their home?

We had a Sun-Mar where we used to live. I would say we had mixed results. We were a family of 4 and got the one that was supposed to support more then that on a daily basis. It also had the electric heat unit in the bottom drawer to help "dry things out" Basically you turned the crank to keep things mixed up and when you wanted to empty there was a way to dump it into the drawer below which pulled out for emptying. We had continuous problems with to much liquid. To the point where the drawer started leaking - ewww! I know - to much information! Anyway, we eventually went back to a regular toilet. We tried different dry ingredients such as peat moss and wood chips and a cupful or so was put in after each use so I am not sure why we had such problems. Honestly, I think we would have had less problems with the bucket method. Just our experience - someone else may have had better luck then us.

Anyone with a properly functioning septic tank system has a composting toilet as the microbes and enzymes in the tank break down the wastes and the drain field disperses the processed liquids.

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"I didn't have time to slay the dragon. It's on my To Do list!"

I was gifted a "Nature's Head" and the giftee installed it. It is now on the back porch. At present we are using a low flush RV toilet that goes to an outside bucket which I have to empty every couple of days. I'm saving up for a septic system. Wish I'd been consulted about the compost toilet prior to the purchase. It bred flies and is too heavy to carry out easily. The entire bottom half has to be lifted and carried out of the house to dump it.

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I believe in God's willingness to heal.

Cyngbaeld's Keep Heritage Farm, breeding a variety of historical birds and LaMancha goats. (It is pronounced King Bold.)

Aerobic breakdown lot more pleasant than anaerobic unless you are fond of swamp gas... Also lot less wasteful of water. Using 5 gallon water to dispose of cup of gatorade and couple chocolate bars seems not so efficient.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

We are a family of 7 and use a sawdust toilet. We took out the flush model when we remodeled the bathroom. So far it works great, no smell, easy to manage. As far as I am concerned we will not be going back

We use peat moss in ours, since we don't have sawmills near us. I also use a few scoops of stall pellets in the bottom to help absorb liquid. With 5 kids, there is a lot of liquid. TMI, I know. At the bins I use old straw to cover everything. I also toss in food scraps, weeds, dead animals, branches, leaves, etc. I love the simplicity.

I so agree. When we first moved into this house I was horrified at the placement of the septic tanks. We live in a rural city, in other words, a town in the middle of nothing. We have rural water and septic systems. The problem with the tanks being so close to the house is the smell. Yes, they smell! Or they did until we took out the toilet. Since switching to composting the smell has finally gone away. Being that this is North Dakota the mound system required actually freezes in winter, resulting in backups and yep, stink.

20 years ago my then wife insisted we get a Sunmar. Expensive bugger and it never did work right. Too small to really get a good composting action built up. and it was a nightmare to clean out. Very little fell into the little drawer and what did fall in drawer was baked by the electric heater, most had to be scooped out of the tumbling chamber, so you got up close and personal with stuff you didnt want to get up close and personal with. The bucket system is whole lot simpler , easier, and it doesnt smell if you do it right and simple to empty without sticking your arm down in the raw material so to speak. Just dont "waterlog" it. Too much liquid = anaerobic = stinky! Sprinkle of wood ash or ag lime will keep away flies.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

HermitJohn

Our pit DOESN't STINK!!

We cover with barn lime and knock the tower down wen it gets to big from our britches. I have only used it 5 times in 2 years because I want my trees et cetera fertilized for free.

Happy trails!

And it's pretty even! Thanks for the picture.
I am hoping we'll get ours built in the next few months (it's pretty high on the list of things to do). I just can't stand the thought that I am using good drinking water to flush fertilizer into a tank where it will not be used...especially since I live in the dry half of WA.

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Trisha in WA
Visit my blog @
Diamond Belle Ranch

What else does a man have to do in his short time here on earth than build soil and feed people~Forerunner

Septic systems are aerobic in addition to anerobic as evident by dung worms that live in the tank and field lines.

If your throne uses 5 gallons of water, you have a really antique throne. Mine is about 25 years old and uses less than 2 gallons per flush and there is no septic gas associated with it.

I know there are some who revel in using tote out and dump poopers however I avoid visiting the ones I know who utilize indoor tote out poopers because the poop bucket stench in their houses is overwhelmingly nauseating even though they have acclimated to their houses smelling worse than 10 day old kitty boxes and don't notice it. While they embrace the concept of non flush toidy systems they forget that there is a reason outhouses were 40 feet off the main house and preferably downwind.

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"I didn't have time to slay the dragon. It's on my To Do list!"

I'm surprised nobody posted that uses an outhouse...

In Iowa county, WI the rules are: if you want water connected to the building, it has to have a septic system. If you don't have water to the building, you can "camp" on the site, but need a vault style outhouse, and have to move your trailer every month.

Composting toilets aren't illegal, they just aren't considered as a legal substitute for a flushing toilet/septic system. Since you're going to have to get the septic system anyways, most just get a flush toilet.

Michael

Use sawdust bucket exclusively at our cabin (which does not have septic) I also use stall pellets in the bottom of the bucket, on top of a few pieces of newspaper. The newspaper makes it easier to clean, everything comes out of the bucket when you dump it. We cover with old hay that became unfit for animal consumption for one reason or another. Works fantastic, never any smell!!!! I bought a sunmar before I read the humanure book, what a piece of junk, anyone want it for free?????? Worst purchase I ever made, I apologize to DH every time we see it stored in our barn!

Not allowed here, coding. You have to have a septic tank here, law.

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~T.Jackson

My site.

Wow! What a collection of experience. (Is it any wonder I love this place??)

Many jurisdictions (even remote, rural Kansas!) don't allow outhouses anymore. Composting toilets, on the other hand, are perfectly legit.

So far as code, where we're at, if you put in a septic, it has to be inspected. You don't HAVE to put in a septic, however. But you can't put in a privy, either... Or a daylighted waste pipe, etc.

And for those who've cried "TMI!!" I would point out the question was ASKING for it. Kinda hard to discuss the finer points of poop management without going into the TMI realm.


I'm encouraged by the folks who use non-sawdust toilets, though. Like jaded we don't have any sawmills in our area (probably for the same reason, actually. lol Trees on the prairie are too precious to cut them down!!)
But every reference I find to home-made composting toilets, sawdust is the only filler ever mentioned

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~*~Erin~*~
SAHM, ranch wife, sub and quilt shop proprietress
the Back Gate Country Quilt Shop

I am sure that ground corn cobs would work just as well as sawdust in a composting toilet.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

Erin, the peat moss works just fine for us and your right, not enough trees on the prairie! lol

In the original "Humanure" book, sawdust was the cover material used, so I think many of us use the term "sawdust toilet" even if we might use other materials. I'm fortunate enough to live close to a sawmill, so that is what I use most of the time. A friend lives in the piney woods and grinds up pineneedles and leaves in a leaf mulcher. Another person I know uses cotton husks as she lives close to a gin. But both use the term "sawdust toilet" to identify their system. Sort of like saying "saran wrap", even though I don't use that brand.

For those of us who are considering our "options" we are glad to have all these comments . . .period.

As might anyone who was/is concerned about a shakey future ......
If you feel you might/could loose your city water wouldn't it be nice to know your options . . .???
And here in the country if my well pump has a problem and the time frame to get it going "is days" . . . . . .I want to know about the options.

TMI . . I don't think so.........

Any body with some handy tips on storage of sawdust . . .?? . .(a winters worth) . .??

We have been using a biolet deluxe electric composting toilet for almost 10 years now. I fought with the thing and the company for five years regarding its inability to handle the urine output of two people. Finally gave in to figuring it out myself. It seems we need to mostly pee away from the composting toilet. It handles solid waste wonderfully, is not stinky to empty nor is it wet. Even composts toilet paper very well. Wish I had known years ago about the fluid solution it would have saved me many hours of moping up icky water when i emptied the thing lol. sisterpine who would love a septic and reduced flow toilet.

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www.MontanaSticksAndStones.com at Goshen Farm