Waterless urinals are present in public places, hotels, and restaurants to save water waste because flushing toilets is the most common source of wastewater.
How Does a Waterless Urinal Work? Waterless urinals work on the base of gravity principle; the urine moves down by passing through cartridges. Cartridges contain deodorizing chemicals and oily liquids to keep the sewer gases and urine smell down. It moves into the plumbing system after passing through these seals.
These require little maintenance because of their less functional parts and fewer chances of clogging. In addition, it is necessary to keep them clean and train the staff according to it.
How do waterless urinals work?
Waterless urinals do not use water for flushing; these do not contain water tanks or cisterns for water pouring into the bowl.
These works on the gravity principle allow the downward movement of urine directly into the plumbing lines. These are mostly made of metal and porcelain materials which are slightly hard to maintain because of their delicate coatings.
It contains cartridges for the movement of urine through them. These seals contain the liquid to keep the sewer gasses and urine down once it passes through these fixtures.
These also contain deodorizing chemicals to remove the smell from the rest areas and make the environment odor free and clean.
These liquids are made of oily and gel-like materials, typically vegetable oils. The primary purpose of using vegetable oil is the difference between their and urine consistency.
The density of vegetable oil is more than the urines, and it is helpful to keep them down and remove smells from the bathrooms and public areas in which these fixtures are installed.
The denser vegetable oils keep the sewer gasses down and do not come up inside. However, the urine moves into the sewer after going through these traps.
The primary function of the cartridge is the downward draining of urine without using water and preventing the bowl from the splashes.
Moreover, the chemicals in the liquid and gel materials push them down into the sewer lines.
What things make waterless urinals different from conventional ones?
Waterless urinals are different from conventional ones because of the absence of a flushing system. The conventional one uses water for flushing these fixtures to make them hygienic.
The water flushing after urine cleans the bowl and prevents it from yellow stains. These contain cisterns on their backside for storage of water.
In addition, these contain the press handle to flush water after using them. These use water to flush urine into the P-traps and keep them down.
The water’s density is higher, and it is always present in P-traps to inhibit the outward movement of sewer gasses, which can make your room smelly.
The water creates the seal between the sewer gasses, protecting them from coming out because of their higher density.
Do waterless urinals need water?
Waterless urinals do not need water for flushing, but it is required during installation and cleaning. Waterless does not mean that you cannot use water in them and prevent them from moisture exposure.
It shows that these do not need this for flushing urine into the P-traps and preventing sewer gasses from coming up.
You need water to remove the clogs and dried uric acid residues for them. Pipe flushing twice a month is necessary to keep them clean and avoid blocking the plumbing system.
You cannot directly pour water into the bowl because it can damage the cartridges and the liquid in them. It is necessary to remove them by flowing warm water into the drains to remove salt and uric acid buildup from the pipes.
What are the types of waterless urinals?
There are three basic types of waterless urinals, depending on their designs and working principles.
These have different designs but work on the principle of gravity for urine movement into the sewer systems.
The most common are cartridge types that sit on the center of the bowl, and you require a metal wire or sharp objects to take them out.
These types of urinals contain oily liquids to create gels. The cartridge filters the sediments and helps to make the environment odor free.
The other is the integrated trap type which does not contain any cartridge material. Instead, it contains chemicals and oily liquids that create the seal and prevent the sewer gases from moving outside.
In addition, these seals also prevent the movement of waste materials from coming in contact with the bowls.
Silicone diaphragm types are less common, but these are more durable because of the absence of cartridges and seals. In addition, these do not require oily liquids and chemicals to seal the sewer gasses and waste liquids.
These are less common, but there are fewer chances of their malfunctioning. It contains the check valves that allow the seeping of urine into the drain and prevent their backflow.
The valve acts as the liquid sealant, making the room smell-free by keeping the sewer gasses down.
What are the advantages of waterless urinals?
Many people are reluctant to install these fixtures in their bathrooms because it seems unhygienic when you think about how urine moves into the sewer system without water.
Nowadays, these are commonly present in high-traffic areas to limit water waste and conserve the environment. In addition, these are also easy to install, and you do not need to add an extra plumbing system to connect them to water tanks.
These are beneficial to use in homes and large commercial buildings because it limits the water supply. Moreover, this also reduces the electric bills because you do not have to refill water repeatedly to fill cisterns and perform flushing.
It reduces the demand for water because of the absence of a flushing system. Furthermore, these are easy to maintain and need less cleanliness.
It is good for the environment because of its water-conserving properties. These can save fresh water for drinking purposes in the future.
It is not good practice to flush fresh water in the urinals used for drinking purposes in the future.
Are waterless urinals clean and odorless?
The waterless urinals are more hygienic and cleaner, and there are fewer chances of odors from them. The conventional types produce more odors because of the reaction between ammonia and water.
In addition, these do not contaminate the surrounding air because of their dryness. These remain dry due to the absence of a flushing system in them.
The chances of the presence of bacteria are less because these come in a humid environment. The dry conditions are not suitable for their growth and multiplication.
There are no bacterial colonies in them; hence, these do not produce offensive smells. It can also keep the surrounding environment clean and hygienic when airborne bacteria do not come in contact with outside air.
In addition, these are clean because they can keep your hands hygienic, and you do not have to touch anything for flushing.
What factors affect the working of waterless urinals?
Several things can affect the correct functioning of waterless urinals, and you can feel the smell from your restrooms. The difference in the density of the liquid and their insufficient presence allows the sewer gas to come up and make the interior smelly.
It is necessary to refill the oily liquid in them according to the frequency of their use and installation site. These do not allow urine to seep into the drains when insufficient liquid.
In addition, liquid replacement and addition are necessary because some also move into the drain along with urine. These chemicals can also clog the pipes because of enzymes and chemicals.
Replace the cartridges according to their recommended time to prevent clogging of urinals.
Related Articles:
