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Dry closet for home – device and principle of operation, varieties, how to choose by size and cost

This WordPress post focuses on dry closets for the home - a device used for ventilation and moisture control. It outlines the principle of operation, different varieties of the device, and provides tips on how to select one based on cost and size. Dry closets, when correctly used, can help reduce levels of mugginess and bad odors while providing fresh air. They are easy to install and maintain, come in a range of sizes and costs, and are a popular choice for those who want to keep their home air dry and refreshing.

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Not all houses located outside the city and in residential buildings of small cities have all the amenities necessary for a comfortable stay. This is especially true of the bathroom and sewer system. In this regard, such a device as a dry closet has become very widespread. First of all, it is bought by people living in private houses or leaving the city for several months, summer residents. This approach helps to more or less comfortably equip a bathroom with minimal costs..

What is a dry closet?

Home dry closet (compost toilet) is a reliable design for the toilet where there is no sewage. Such a device is thought out so that it is accessible in use and cleaning for any person. There is no need for a dry closet to be connected to central sewage systems or to be installed above a cesspool. The device works independently, so you can find a suitable place for it in any room of a private house or in a house building.

Bio-nitaz for the home, regardless of model, has an identical design, which consists of two containers. One of them is a toilet bowl (in the form familiar to all), and the other is intended for the collection of waste and its further processing. The cameras are connected to each other using a special lock. Between themselves, they have a reliable seal, which ensures the tightness of the structure. In addition to these containers, the design can be equipped with a tank for a special filler or liquid.

Principle of operation

For the disposal of human waste in the dry closet, exclusively natural materials are used, for example, sawdust, peat or other loose and finely divided organic substances. The principle of operation of the device differs depending on its type. In liquid models, utilization is carried out by means of different composition solutions added to water. Using this dry closet of this type is very simple:

  1. Fill the top tank with clean water..
  2. Add shampoo for dry closet there according to the instructions.
  3. The active reagent will need to be placed in the lower tank, which is the drive.
  4. Open the valve separating the drive and the bowl, and then pour about 1.5 liters of water into the storage tank.

The liquid version is well suited for installation in a private home, as It is distinguished by good hygiene, and used products neutralize unpleasant odors. Solutions are added to the tank’s water for flushing or directly to the lower tank – when waste enters it, special formulations immediately begin to act. Sometimes the water tank is supplemented with an aromatic composition. The frequency of cleaning the container with waste depends on the volume of the drive and the intensity of operation – about 5-8 days.

The principle of operation of the dry closet for a peat house is somewhat different from the liquid counterpart, but it also consists of two units, one of which acts as a waste storage device. A distinctive feature is the presence of a reservoir for peat mix. After each visit, it is necessary to turn the lever on this tank – and the mechanical distributor will “send” a certain amount of the mixture, spreading it evenly on the surface. Bacteria are used to mineralize waste that becomes compost.

It is important to know that for this type of dry closet you can not use wet peat mix. It must be free-flowing and wet, otherwise the mixture will not effectively cover the waste that has fallen on the lower layers of peat. A dry mixture can absorb the liquid component of the waste, but its capabilities are limited, so peat devices with a separate liquid outlet and fraction separation have a more efficient operating principle. To clean the drive, its contents will need to be unloaded into a peat pit.

Electrical appliances are not always suitable for a private house due to the high cost and lack of uninterrupted supply of electricity to the object. Otherwise, the use of such models is convenient, visually they do not differ from the usual designs used in apartments. For normal functioning, it is necessary to connect the dry closet to the ventilation system. In some cases, it is possible to drain the liquid into the sewer or drainage system, while in others it is their complete evaporation.

Solid wastes from the electric dry closet enter a separate chamber, where they are dried under the influence of the desired temperature to a powder consistency. An integrated compressor facilitates this process, as provides a constant flow of heated air. This type of device may or may not be divided into solid and liquid fractions. The electrical device is cleaned as it is filled approximately every 1-1.5 months.

Liquid toilets device

Types of dry closets for the home

When planning to choose a dry closet for a private house in Moscow, St. Petersburg or another city in the country, read more about its varieties. First of all, such a device is mobile and stationary. The first is convenient in that it can be rearranged from place to place, for example, in the summertime it is carried out in an unheated room, and in wintertime it is installed in a warm place at home.

The stationary analog is fixed in a certain place. Cleaning this option is done by removing a special cassette tank, which is designed to collect waste. This option is ideal if the house has a separate room for organizing the toilet. In addition, there are several types of compost toilets according to the principle of their action: liquid, peat and electric.

1. Liquid, otherwise they are called chemical

They are equipped with a unit with a reagent (chemical), which is designed for the splitting of waste. They are hygienic, the liquids used in them are able to almost completely neutralize unpleasant odors. Solutions are added either to the flushing tank (if placed on top of the structure) or to the bottom. In the latter case, an aromatic agent can be used to eliminate odors and facilitate flushing. The device and features of the liquid device:

  • Liquid mobile toilets have two compartments, hermetically connected to each other by means of a pair of clasps.
  • In the lower tank, waste is collected and decomposed, odors are neutralized. A rubber seal is located between the containers, due to which the structure becomes leakproof.
  • The upper container is a bowl with a hole on which the seat with a lid is fixed. There is also a drainage system on top. Some models have a clean water tank..
  • Some liquid devices may be equipped with an indicator that informs about the fullness of the waste collection. The light is green if the container is empty or partially full, otherwise its color changes to red.
  • If chemical aggressive substances are used for processing, then a special pit is provided for them so that the liquid from it cannot get into the well, on beds, etc..
  • To prevent the portable toilet from clogging up too quickly and to recycle the waste in the form of a homogeneous liquid, it is not recommended to throw toilet paper into it.
  • Developers often include a reset button and a drain pipe in the lower tank so that they are cleaned carefully.

For pouring, various compositions are used that contribute to the decomposition of waste. They may contain microorganisms that process the accumulated mass and neutralize odors, or are made on a chemical basis. In general, the following types of liquids are used:

  • Ammonium compounds. Able to decompose waste when interacting with oxygen, work about 5-7 days. Using ammonium-based products, you can get virtually waste-free production. Recycled waste can be used to supplement fertilizer or compost. An ideal choice for living in the countryside.
  • Formaldehyde. They are the most potent, because they efficiently and quickly break down waste. They are toxic, therefore it is recommended to use them only if it is possible to drain the contents of the toilet into the sewer.
  • Biological. In fact, they are bacteriological drugs, because they contain live bacteria. The latter fall into a favorable environment, after which they begin to multiply and process the contents of the drive. Such compounds are environmentally friendly and safe for both humans and the environment. With their help, waste is converted into effective organic fertilizer. Thanks to bacteria, water is disinfected, and odors are neutralized. True, biological products are higher than chemical ones – this is their main minus.

Liquid bio-toilet

2. Peat devices

As a filler, they use peat or a mixture thereof with sawdust or other filler. The contents of the dry closet are transformed into a “semi-finished product” for compost. The process occurs almost without the formation of an unpleasant odor. The design consists of an external container (plastic) in the form of a toilet bowl, an internal bucket with a handle, where the peat mixture is filled. The upper part is sometimes equipped with a container where a supply of filler is poured. As they fill, the peat mass is transferred to a compost pit. Features of the device of this type:

  • emptying the container with solid waste is made an order of magnitude less compared to a liquid device;
  • the design of the peat fixture for the house does not need water;
  • recycled waste turns into an environmentally friendly and efficient fertilizer for the beds;
  • such toilets for the home are more affordable compared to peers, peat backfill is also inexpensive;
  • neutralization of odor in a peat toilet for a house is not completely performed;
  • the structure is stationary, there is a need to arrange a place for storing a mixture of peat, waste.

Peat in the interior

3. Electric dry closet

It is distinguished by the need to connect to the mains for operation. Electricity is used to create a very high or low temperature, with which the waste is processed, and for ventilation. Electric models are burning and freezing, in the latter case, a problem may arise. Frozen blocks are sent for processing to a septic tank or before pumping to a storage tank, but they cannot be disposed of as household waste or laid out in compost pits. Features of the electrical device:

  • a silent fan is mounted in the body of the product, which ensures the forced removal of unpleasant odors into the ventilation;
  • for the operation of the electric model, one does not need to buy consumable solutions, and recycled waste becomes an excellent compost material;
  • It’s easier to clean an electric home model than any other design, i.e. dehydrated waste does not have a large volume;
  • the device is tied to an electrical network, therefore it is stationary and when the power is cut off it is useless;
  • the exhaust pipe from the device is necessarily displayed on the street.

Electric dry closet

Liquid Dry closet

You can order a portable and compact liquid dry closet for use in an urban environment or exclusively outside the city at the cottage in a specialized online store with mail delivery. At the same time, dozens of Russian, Dutch, and Finnish models that are optimal for street and indoor use can be found on sale in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities. A good purchase for a private house without water intake and drainage networks will be the Porta model:

  • model name: Porta Potti Qube 165 Gray;
  • price: 4260 p.;
  • characteristics: color – gray, lower tank – 21 l, upper – 15 l, there is a mechanical flushing pump, dimensions – 41.4×38.3×42.7 cm, weight – 3.9 kg;
  • pluses: it is cheap, compact, good capacity, good quality;
  • cons: no.

Porta Potti Qube 165 Gray

Thetford CW-200 liquid cassette variant (Netherlands) is a stationary variant with clean water flushing, which was developed for tourist buses, yachts, ships, toilets and for camping. The device is the most modern development in the field of liquid dry closets for the home:

  • model name: Thetford CW-200;
  • price: 31900 r.;
  • characteristics: dimensions – 35.3×72.8×50 cm, weight – 10.9 kg, capacity of the upper tank – 7 l, lower – 17 l, water discharge – piston pump, maximum load – 250 kg;
  • pluses: there is a filling indicator, ease of use;
  • cons: expensive, relatively small amount.

Thetford CW-200 with dimensions

Peat

Those who are looking for a peat device for organizing a bathroom in a country house should pay attention to the Piteco 201 model (Russia). The design is equipped with a built-in hopper for storing peat filler and a feed mechanism. There are ventilation pipes equipped with couplings and a dustpan for filling the mixture. As an additional structural part, a drainage system with a filter element is used:

  • model name: Piteco 201;
  • price: 8980 r.;
  • characteristics: dimensions – 80x54x80 cm, hopper capacity for peat composition – 15 l, tank – 72 l, peat feed dose per one turn of the handle – 150-170 ml, material – HDPE plastic, ventilation pipe diameter – 75 mm, there is a drainage hose, corrugated hose, scoop;
  • pluses: quality, volume, rich equipment, availability of a drainage system;
  • cons: no.

Peat bowl Piteco 201

Biolan is another peat variant that is equipped with a separator. The device was manufactured in Finland, the kit includes a drainage hose pipe (32 mm) and an exhaust pipe (75 mm):

  • model name: Biolan with a separator;
  • price: 27300 r.;
  • characteristics: material – polyethylene plastic, dimensions – 85x60x78 cm, weight – 15 kg, waste container volume – 140 l, for dry mix – 33 l;
  • pluses: excellent workmanship, good equipment;
  • cons: expensive.

Biolan with a separator

Electric

The question often arises, how much does a dry closet for a home, powered by an electrical outlet, cost? The cost, depending on the manufacturer and functionality, ranges from several tens of thousands of rubles. To save on buying, look for large stores that often hold promotions and sales. One of the popular options is the Mulltoa 15 – an electric model equipped with a convenient handle handle compost mixing system. The presence of a double heating element helps to quickly evaporate excess liquid:

  • model name: Mulltoa 15;
  • price: 79 980 p .;
  • characteristics: material – plastic, dimensions – 71x55x65 cm, weighs – 26 kg, maximum power – 330 W;
  • pluses: dual heating element, dual-mode thermostat, functional;
  • cons: expensive.

Electric Mulltoa 15

SEPARETT 9011 villa is a Swedish composting toilet, which operates on the principle of separation of solid and liquid waste. Produced by a Swedish company, more about the parameters:

  • model name: SEPARETT 9011 villa;
  • price: 31980 r.;
  • characteristics: material – plastic, dimensions – 90x70x50 cm, weight – 17.1 kg, lower barrel volume – 23 l;
  • pluses: good functionality, optimal volume, cheaper than analogues;
  • cons: no.

SEPARETT 9011 villa

Odorless portable

One of the well-known manufacturers of portable bio-nitases and chemical liquids for them is the Dutch company Thetford. One of the popular models of this company is Porta Potti Excellence – a device that does not require installation, additional fasteners. One of the key benefits of this option is the increased storage capacity. One refueling is enough for 12-14 people, provided that only one person will use the device:

  • model name: Thetford Porta Potti Excellence;
  • price: 8990 r.;
  • characteristics: color – white / ivory / red with a ruby ​​hue, the volume of the lower tank for drains – 21 l, for clean water – 15 l, drain – piston, dimensions – 45.8 x 38.8 x 45 cm, weight – 6 kg, permissible load – 250 kg;
  • pluses: large capacity, filling indicator, build quality;
  • cons: a little expensive.

Portable Thetford Porta Potti Excellence

Another mobile sanitary system suitable for use on a personal plot. It can be used as a stationary summer residence option:

  • model name: THETFORD Porta Potti Qube 145;
  • price: 3879 r.;
  • characteristics: type – liquid, dimensions – 33×32.4×42.7 cm, weight – 3.6 kg, color – gray, volume of the upper tank – 15 l, lower – 12 l, flush system – bellows pump, permissible load – 250 kg;
  • pluses: reasonable cost, functionality, ease;
  • cons: lack of indicator.

Odorless portable

Mini dry closets

If you are interested in buying a portable mini dry closet for your home, the Enviro 10 can be a great choice. This liquid portable dry closet is an autonomous construction suitable for summer cottages, long bus and road trips, caring for people with reduced mobility, organization mobile offices, etc. Human waste from Enviro 10 turns into a homogeneous mass without unpleasant odors:

  • model name: Enviro-10;
  • price: 5060 r.;
  • characteristics: dimensions – 41.5×36.5×30 cm, receiving container capacity – 10 l, water tank – 10 l, weight – 4.3 kg;
  • pluses: compactness, small weight;
  • cons: no.

Enviro-10

An equally high-quality mini-dry closet is a German model Dometic 976. The device is ideal for country houses, cottages, cars, boats, yachts:

  • model name: Dometic 976;
  • price: 12700 r.;
  • characteristics: material – frost-resistant plastic, dimensions – 38.7×33.3×38.7 cm, weight – 5.9 kg, permissible load – 250 kg, tank for flushing – 8.7 l, for waste – 19 l;
  • pluses: compact dimensions, flushing under a pressure of 360 ° around the entire circumference
  • cons: high cost.

Compact Dometic 976

How to choose a dry closet for home

You can find a suitable compact toilet bowl that does not need to be connected to the sewage system or installed above a cesspool, if several selection criteria are taken into account. The acquisition made should be structurally simple, convenient to operate, hygienic and not to release unpleasant odors to the outside. Not only adults, but also children should be able to cope with it. The main selection criteria and requirements that must be presented to the dry closet:

  • Decide between the fixed and mobile options. If there is no need for permanent placement, then prefer a portable device that can be rearranged from one place to another, depending on the weather, season of the year.
  • The dry closet for the house has to be steady, strong and have high-quality assembly. It is desirable that it can be easily cleaned, and this process occurs as rarely as possible..
  • The device must eliminate all unpleasant odors, especially if it is installed in the home. At the same time, it is desirable that the dry closet could not only dispose of waste, but also provide fertilizer, like peat options.
  • Volume of the tank. Focus on the number of people who will constantly use the device. Keep in mind that most toilets for toilets have a certain shelf life, so for a small family it is not advisable to buy a product with an overly large tank.
  • Seat height. In average-static models, this parameter is 40-45 cm. Decide on it, taking into account the presence of children.
  • It will be good if the dry closet is equipped with a fill indicator, a seat heating function.

For a private home

If you have a country house, cottage or cottage, then take a look at the mobile option, which in the summertime can be taken outside, in the wintertime – in one of the premises of the living area or in the outhouse. The volume of tanks is desirable to be as large as possible. Well, if the device in question is able to process the waste so that it can be used as fertilizer. It is better to refuse toxic and potent agents. If you decide to buy an electric model, then make sure that there are no problems with the power supply in the suburban area.

For a private home

For an apartment

If you live in an apartment, then you can look at the stationary option. An electric model with rich functionality and ease of control will be a good choice, however, it costs a lot. Decide on the volume of the lower tank, which determines how often you have to empty the dry closet. Take into account the number of family members: for example, a 12-liter barrel can fill up in 25 uses. If the device will be installed in the apartment, then not the least role in the choice of design.

For an apartment

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Comments: 1
  1. Liam Richardson

    Could you explain how a dry closet for home works and what are the different types available? Also, I would appreciate any advice on how to select the right size and consider the cost implications. Thank you.

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