3 common problems with biodigester toilets and how to avoid them.
Even though a biodigester has a lot of benefits, many people still have the wrong idea about how it works.
I've heard stories of people who initially constructed a digester but then wished they had just used the septic tank or culverts, which they thought worked better.
The simple reason?
They are having problems and have decided that these eco-friendly, biodegradable toilet waste digesters don't work.
But I'll tell you about the most common problems with biodigester toilets and how to fix or avoid them.
Problem 1: The biodigester has too much water
Because biodigester waste management systems break down human waste so that it can be thrown away easily, solid waste can't be broken down by microorganisms if there is too much water.
When this happens, it can be hard to flush the toilet because there is too much water in the pipes.
This can happen because of three things.
a. Flushing the system too much
b. Things that don't break down get stuck in the digester.
c. Constructing a digester in a place that is always wet
To fix these problems, you should limit the amount of water that goes into your biodigester by only flushing when you need to and not flushing things that don't break down, which can clog the pipes.
Low-flow or dual-flush toilets will also reduce the amount of water that goes into the system.
Before you put it in a shredder, it's also important to do a soil test to find out how high the water table is.
If it's a waterlogged area, the plumber must use a P-TRAP seat, or the building's footing must be high enough so that the digester doesn't fill up too quickly.
Problem 2: Flushing things that don't break down
Products that don't break down on their own in the biodigester take up room and will never break down on their own.
They also make it hard for microorganisms to do their job of breaking down human waste.
This includes things like diapers, paper towels, and even cigarette butts.
Even things that say they can be flushed don't always break down the way they should. When you use a baby wipe to clean your child and change their diaper, be sure to wrap up both items and throw them away in the trash.
Don't flush them down the toilet.
Instead, wrap them in toilet paper and throw them away.
Both of these things can easily get stuck in the toilet.
Because toilets are delicate machines with pipes designed to flush only a few things, it’s important to only flush toilet paper and waste from your body.
Just keep anything that doesn't break down out of the digester.
Problem 3: Using too much soap
Even though this isn't a problem with the new digesters, using too many detergents with phosphates, which act as fertilizer and cause algae to grow, can clog the holes in your distribution lines.
Your pipes and biodigester holding tank will have trouble if you use too much of these detergents or, more importantly, if you use the wrong ones.
Use liquid soap, gel soap, or any other kind of soap that is environmentally friendly and isn't too strong to clean your toilet bowls.
Harsh detergents will kill the bacteria in your tank, which are needed for the biodigester to break down waste.
There are some commercial items that say they can clear clogged pipes, but they often contain chemicals that are bad for the environment and are toxic or dangerous.
If you follow the rules above, your biodigester should last as long as the house does.
Do you want to learn how to construct a biodigester?
Click here and get the easy-to-understand PDF guide and kick-start your journey to learning all you need to know about these biodegradable waste toilet digesters.