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When nature calls, every human being has the same urge, no matter what size your house is. Since we all get this call every day, you might want to seek for some comfort while doing your business. Yet in a tiny house, space and connection to the sewage is also something that comes to mind. My name is Ids and today I am reviewing Nature’s Head’s Self Contained Composting Toilet with Close Quarters Spider Handle Design.
Summary
In this article Nature’s Head’s composting toilet will be reviewed. The toilet comes with instructions on how to install it, which, according to the product description, any reasonably handy person should be able to do,. Most tiny houses aren’t connected to the sewage, which is why a composting toilet in general is a good option.
A composting toilet separates the liquids from the solids and therefore the solids can be biologically broke down, which comes in handy if you’re house is not connected to the sewage. Moreover, it doesn’t use any water! In this article I’m breaking down the ins and outs of this product and I will provide an honest opinion why I think this lavatory should be recommended or not. Enjoy!
Obviously, anyone can tell what a toilet is, but not everyone may know what the ‘composting part’ is about. A composting toilet or a ‘dry toilet’ turns human waste into organic compost in a natural way. This toilets separates the liquids and solids, which is beneficial for the odor and the composting process, since liquids aren’t beneficial for composting. Even if some urine falls on the trapdoor of the solids, there is an extra tube which leads it to the urine storage.
The lavatory doesn’t use any water either. The solids disappear by pushing the handle at the left side of the toilet. A small ‘wheel’ is adjusted underneath the handle which kind of stirs the compost, so the new ‘dump’ breaks down faster. There is a special opening on both sides through which you can lead the odor out of your house. With the toilet comes a bag with some attachments and a hose. You can put this hose on one of these openings and then lead any odors outside of your living space.
This lavatory should be emptied every four to six weeks, so basically once a month. This depends on the intensity of the use, naturally. Still, emptying a toilet is something nobody gets very excited about, yet it has to happen. Fortunately, Nature’s Head made this very easy. On both sides of the toilet there are two adjustable hasps, which keeps both sides of the toilet very well connected which prevents the odor coming out. Once you loosen these clips, you can flip the seat backwards which makes it very easy to take out the waste.
The lavatory is made of plastic. This makes sure it can be installed easily because it is not too heavy to lift or move. It only weighs 28 pounds (12.7kg) so you do not have to be a powerlifter in order to install it. The seat is very solid as well, according to the product description it can resist 300 pounds (136kg) from the person using it. It is therefore a very light, yet robust toilet and therefore I personally would really recommend it for in your tiny house.
The top lit and the seat are, like the rest of the toilet, made out of robust plastic. You don’t have to be scared that it will break, as mentioned earlier it can hold up to 300 pounds. Once the ‘private’ business is done, the urine will disappear automatically to its separate tank at the front of the toilet. In urine is found ammonia and if this interacts with the excrement, this can give some stench. Fortunately, these are well separated and so the compost can dry out, which is beneficial for the odor. The solids can then be ‘flushed’ away by pressing the handle which is at your left hand if you’re sitting on the lavatory. The trapdoor that is activated when pressing the handle makes sure the smell stays inside and doesn’t come into your living space. It is highly recommended to throw a bit of saw dust, leaves, moss, wood chips or something familiar into the toilet. This will as well reduce the scent as stimulate the ecological breaking-down process. Also, when you’re using the toilet for the first time or if you have just emptied it, it is advisable to put a good dash of extra wood chips to make a small coating on the bottom. Fortunately, this is the only maintenance necessary!
Underneath the trapdoor handle, there is a wheel with three protrusions which you can use to take up the ‘fresh’ waste with the rest. Obviously, you also need a toilet brush, just like every other toilet, if some substances refuse to fall down through the trapdoor right away and also to keep the lavatory fresh and clean. A small water spray (which is included in the package) and some toilet paper can also do the job. There also comes a fan with this product which is also there to encounter any stench. You can plug this in a twelve volt adapter. Nevertheless, if you use enough natural materials such as moss or saw dust, you will barely need this fan.
About once a month, both tanks should be emptied, depending on how often it is used. The four to six weeks are accounted for regular use by two people. At both sides of the toilet, there are two clips which hold the part you’re sitting on together with the part where the waste falls in. If you unlash these clips, you can flip the upper side backwards and then you can take out the waste. The urine tank is on the front and is super easy to take out with a strap connected to it so you don’t have to directly touch the tank when taking it out. You can take the complete upper side of the other half once flipped backwards. There is a joint part at the back side that keeps the parts together but it is very easy to slide out the lit sidewards and then the two parts are completely separated and you can take out the waste easily!
Moreover, it is good to know that the toilet is delivered with instructions on how to install it, including attachments such as hose. According to Nature’s Head every reasonably capable person should be able to do so. It has a five-year warranty as well!
It is recommended to empty the urine tank often, nevertheless you can also use some water to rinse the urine diverter. This is the main cause of possible odors. For the rest, maintenance is barely needed. Just a toilet brush and toilet paper should do the job. Naturally, for hygiene purposes a bit of toilet-cleaning spray won’t harm anyone either.
Yes, there is a five year warranty on this product, even though it would be quite hard to break it.
This might not be the best option for you then, a composting toilet works best if you use it regularly. A regular low-flow toilet might be a better option.
In short, the product of Nature’s Head’s that has been reviewed in this article, seems like a very good choice for your tiny house! As one of the best-selling one-piece lavatories at the moment, I believe this one is very recommendable. It is easy to install due to its light weight and instructions that come with it. It barely needs maintenance which is in my opinion one of the biggest advantages of this product, since, let’s be honest, nobody likes to clean these facilities, yet it has to happen. Nature’s Head made sure this goes with the least effort possible.
Moreover, it separates the urine from the solids, which helps against any unpleasant odors. Emptying the toilet has been made really easy as well, one can separate the lit and the bottom. You can take the urine tank out effortlessly and because you can take the top of it is not too big of a burden to empty the solid waste either. Altogether, it is a fine product, so if you were in doubt on what lavatory you should buy for your tiny house, this might be the one!
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