American Standard 3705.216.021 H2Option Dual Flush Right Height Toilet Bowl, Bone (Bowl Only)

Dry bath, how not to waste water and help the Environment

In the context of a family home we can save considerable amounts of water and at the same time avoid the production of sewage, using toilets that run without water.

There is a wide variety of designs and proposals on "dry" or "composting" bathrooms, all have in common, that a conventional toilet bowl is not used, that depending on the type, consume between 3 and 20 liters of water in each use.



American Standard 3705.216.021 H2Option Dual Flush Right Height Toilet Bowl, Bone (Bowl Only)

The different proposals for toilets that work without water, we can divide them into two groups: Those that act by dehydration and those that compost the excrements.

Sanitary systems based on dehydration (dry baths)

Something becomes dehydrated if all the water it contains is removed. In a dry bath the content that falls in the treatment chamber is dehydrated; This is achieved with heat, ventilation and the addition of drying material.

You have to reduce the humidity of the content to less than 25% as soon as possible, since at this level the elimination of pathogens is accelerated, there are no bad odors or flies production. The use of a specially designed toilet bowl, which bypasses urine and stores it in a separate container, facilitates dehydration of the stool.

Urine contains most nutrients and is generally free of pathogens, so it can be used directly as a fertilizer, that is, without further processing. In general, it is more difficult to dehydrate excrement mixed with urine, although in extremely dry climates dehydration is facilitated

features

•     A special urine separator cup is used - there are both home and industrial models. They have a urine deposit in the front of the cup. From this collector, the urine flows through a hose to an absorption well below or next to the toilet, it can be used as fertilizer in the vegetables (mix 1 part of urine for 5 to 8 parts of water)
•     Ashes and lime are used to help dehydrate and neutralize odors.
•     Due to the strictly dry handling, little organic matter is produced, therefore, the chambers can be of a smaller size than in the composting toilet.
•     The toilet paper is stored in a separate container and subsequently burned.
•     Sufficient ventilation must be provided to the solid deposit boxes, for example with a 4-inch chimney, which rises directly without elbows or deviations up to 1m above the roof of the house. The odors of the urine separating cup can be controlled by adding a little water inside the collector after each use.
•     The organic matter obtained is harvested annually, does not present any kind of smell, the presence of lime and ash dried and compacted a bit the earth, so it is recommended to mix it with topsoil and sand, before using it as fertilizer For fruit trees do not use this type of fertilizer in vegetables.
•     It is usually built with double chamber, which alternates in its use, each one of them has an approximate volume of 60 cubic centimeters and they go roundabout so when one is filled it is left closed to finish the process, while it is filling the other .

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The dry toilet with solar dryer.

It is a variation of this first model. Humidity is the most important risk factor in a sanitary system based on dehydration; but adding a solar heater to the process chamber reduces that risk. This concept was developed in Mexico and systems have been installed, for example, in the Sierra Gorda de Queretaro.

Dry solar wc is used in the same way as dry baths. (There are drawers with prefabricated fiberglass solar dryers) The material in the treatment chamber is human excreta and ashes, and / or a mixture of earth and lime in a ratio of 5: 1. Urine is channeled to an absorption well located near the toilet (or processed as fertilizer). The used toilet paper is placed in a box or bag that is placed near the cup to burn it periodically. It is also built as a double chamber system.

Sanitary systems based on decomposition (composting baths).

Compost is an aerobic biological process subject to controlled conditions in which bacteria, earthworms, fungi and other organisms decompose organic substances to produce humus.

In a composting toilet human excreta and other organic materials are deposited, for example pieces of vegetables, straw, peat, sawdust and coconut shells. It is a treatment chamber where soil microorganisms are responsible for decomposing solids, as happens in a natural environment with all organic materials.

To achieve optimal conditions for compost, you must control the temperature, air circulation, provide some moisture, and ensure a good combination of materials.

The humus produced in the process is an excellent soil conditioner, free of human pathogens, but this depends on achieving the right conditions and that the material is stored for the necessary time in the chamber. To maintain aerobic conditions, sufficient oxygen must circulate in the accumulated material; the compost chamber must have 50 to 60% humidity, a carbon / nitrogen ratio (C: N) of 15: 1 to 30: 1 must be reached, and the temperature must be above 15ºC.

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A great diversity of organisms contribute to the decomposition of faeces and other materials in the sanitary composter. They vary in size, ranging from viruses, bacteria, fungi and algae to worms and insects. All of them play an important role in mixing, aerating and decomposing the content of the material stacked in the treatment chamber: its activity is positive and must be maintained. You can even place earthworms in the sanitary: if the environment favors it, multiply, make holes in the compost material and consume odors and organic matter, transforming them into enriched organic soil.

In general, there is no separation of urine, and a possible excess of nitrogen is balanced by the use of high carbon materials (sawdust, ground straw). Nor does it have to separate the toilet paper, since it is organic material and can be added without problems.
The toilet "clivus" or "clivus multrum".


More than fifty years ago, composting toilets were introduced in weekend homes in Sweden. To date, a wide variety of models have appeared, which are used in different parts of the world.

This type of sanitary has become quite popular in several parts of the world as Mexico for the inclusion of the design in the book "The Barefoot Architect" something like a guide in what refers to Bioconstrucción, it is available to download in our Library as well as more materials on the subject.

It is a compost toilet with a chamber where urine, feces and part of the household's organic waste are processed.

It consists of a compost chamber with an inclined floor, air ducts and, at the lower end, a storage area. A tube connects the pedestal sanitary cup to the receptacle and generally has a special conduit for kitchen waste. There is permanent air circulation thanks to the natural current that originates in the air passages of the compost chamber. The air exits through a vent, sometimes implemented as a fairly complex system of interconnected PVC pipes. Clivus multum not only stool, but also paper
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Commercial dry toilets
There are many models of dry toilets on the market. There are those who compost in the same sanitary and others who compost in different receiving cavities that change shape and volume according to our needs and whose mission is to receive or accumulate, ferment and allow a comfortable and harmless withdrawal of the result.

There is no design limit in the supply of industrial dry toilets either. There are those that consist of a simple composting drum with the cup or seat, and when the bag is filled simply pulls, to the complex systems with rotary reception containers, temperature detectors, aeration systems and electronic control.

These models usually carry aeration systems and even solar collectors, which facilitate the fermentation and drying of organic matter.

In addition, practically all models use the use of microorganisms that collaborate and accelerate the decomposition process of organic matter, also reducing its volume considerably and making an important step of composting within the toilets themselves. Remember that almost 90% of our excrement is water, so the remaining 10% becomes clean and dry organic fertilizer.

Almost all manufacturers are from the United States, Australia, Canada and northern Europe. But the good thing is that they are already distributed all over the world, even here in Spain.

It is very important, also, the work performed by these toilets to reduce the risk of disease transmission that does occur with its discharge to natural channels, as microorganisms also break down bacteria, fungi, pathogenic organisms, etc ...

In summary, the advantages of dry toilets over conventional sanitation can be specified in:

•     They do not use water. It is only necessary for occasional cleaning.
•     They do not pollute the soil or groundwater.
•     They can be integrated into any existing home, including a block of flats.
•     They are cheap, because they can self-build.
•     They are hygienic and innocuous.
•     They do not produce bad odors if they are well designed.
•     They do not depend on centralized services.
•     They suppose a great saving in canalizations and purification stations.
•     They provide resources: fertilizers and fertilizers.
•     They allow populations with few resources to access safe sanitation that keeps their waterways clean.

Kohler K-4380-0 Memoirs Comfort Height Elongated Bowl, White

The toilet of the 21st century

Every day we go on average six times to the bathroom. When talking about the ideal space to eliminate our waste, we think of a comfortable white toilet, that pulls effectively, cleanly and with privacy. This option is much less accessible and modern than it seems. We have been using the same toilet design for a century and urgently need to change it.



Kohler K-4380-0 Memoirs Comfort Height Elongated Bowl, White

It is not known with certainty who invented the first artifact to urinate and defecate. For a long time no one was deprived of dumping their bodily waste on the ground, behind some small tree maybe. This method was unobjectionable until poops began to appear everywhere. Then it was necessary to create a more private and hygienic method. Thus emerged the latrine, which remains the toilet of 12% of the world's population. The latrines are holes in the ground (approximately two meters deep) on which a base is placed to sit. The waste goes to the bottom of the hole, where they are integrated into the earth. No matter how deep the hole, at some point it fills and you have to do another ... and another and another. According to Time magazine, the Knossos palace in Crete, built around 4,000 years ago, was one of the first places with latrines. But in addition to the lack of space to create new holes, latrines have other disadvantages such as bad odor and contamination of groundwater. These deficiencies motivated the design of new systems.

The first toilet was invented by a poet: John Harrinton. He designed it in the sixteenth century for Queen Elizabeth I of England. His idea was to join a seat to a water cistern, all in an enclosed space: water closet, from which the acronym WC comes. The pestilence was the main problem with this design, because it had no way of preventing the backflow of contaminated water. It was the Scottish watchmaker Alexander Cumming who put an end to the problem of bad odors. He achieved this by adding a siphon: an S-shaped tube in whose curvature is retained a volume of clean water that functions as a stopper to prevent the gases from escaping. It was Cumming who first patented the toilet in 1775. Almost a century later, the English plumber Thomas Crapper began the larger-scale manufacture of toilets, and soon, in Canada, Thomas Avity added the flow of self-cleaning vortex (the fall of water in spiral to the interior of the cup that drags with more force the waste). Avity patented this model and thus led to the final design of the contemporary toilet. Now we find them in many colors, materials and styles, but all are based on this model from more than 100 years ago.

sewage water

What a pleasant feeling to get home running in a state of urgency and finally be there: the toilet in front of us, as salvation to our full bladder. And even better, a minute later we pulled and it's as if nothing had happened. Nothing? We dirty and waste between six and 13 liters of drinking water that will go to another place where they will continue their polluting effect.

The maximum volume of urine that we can generate in 24 hours is two liters, which are distributed in about five or six trips to the bathroom. If each discharge is six liters, 30 liters of water are used to discard only two liters of urine. The waste is stratospheric. The figure becomes overwhelming when we multiply it by families, communities and immense populations around the world. And the worst thing is that it is drinking water: water that we could drink.

The common toilet works as a "disappearing" waste: just pull a lever so that they leave our sight. What happens next? The toilet is the beginning of a long journey. With those six or 13 liters of water, the waste passes into a pipe that normally ends in bodies of water such as rivers and lakes. This, in addition to being an important environmental problem, degrades the quality of life of those who live in areas surrounding the contaminated spaces.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) of 2007, in Latin America only 14% of wastewater is treated, and of these, only 6% is treated appropriately. That is, the urine and excreta of 208 million people go directly to the environment without receiving treatment.

Goodbye excrement, hello diseases

In addition to the enormous waste of water and environmental pollution there is a less visible problem, but equally important: the proliferation of diseases associated with lack of hygiene. While the conventional toilet has been for many the perfect method to eliminate waste, for 2.5 billion people in the world the toilet is an inaccessible and even useless option, since they live in areas without water or drainage. So, in what conditions do these people urinate and defecate? According to WHO data from 2014, 18% of the world's population defecates outdoors (in 1990 the proportion was 31%), 12% does it in inadequate conditions, such as latrines, and 8% uses shared spaces. In any of these conditions, good sanitation is not met. This is a central concept that refers to the correct elimination of human excreta to prevent diseases and promote privacy and dignity. In order for sanitation to be adequate, the person must not have contact with their waste, on the contrary, they must be hygienically separated from the human. Currently 2.5 billion people have contact with their waste when urinating and defecating. The most affected countries are concentrated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Mexico is classified as one of the countries with good sanitation; however, there are still many communities where waste is not disposed of properly. This produces foci of infection and diseases, especially gastrointestinal. These diseases are transmitted through the fecal-oral route, so called because it occurs when the microorganisms in the feces pass into the mouth. This mechanism of infection continues to have a negative impact on public health worldwide.

What happens when defecating in the open air illustrates how diseases are transmitted if sanitation is lacking. Anyone who defecates on the floor is likely to also have no toilet paper, water or soap, so the hands can be contaminated by direct contact with the excreta. With contaminated hands we manipulate the food or we take them directly to the mouth. Meanwhile, the flies will come to visit the feces and then they will fly to the food, carrying with them excreta particles. In addition, the direct contact of the poop with the soil can contaminate nearby waters, including those used for cooking. Either by drinking this water, by consuming food with excreta or by taking dirty hands directly to the mouth, finally someone ingests feces that can be accompanied by viruses, bacteria and parasites. If we multiply the effect by millions of people defecating outdoors daily, the result is a serious public health problem.

Diarrhea is the second cause of mortality in children under five years of age worldwide (WHO 2013) and its origin is the mechanism described. Most of the microorganisms found in feces are harmless, but some affect us terribly. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella, viruses such as Rotavirus orCalicivirus, or parasites such as Giardia or helminths are agents that can cause diarrheal diseases. The 760,000 deaths of children that occur due to diarrhea annually in the world could be avoided by improving sanitation and other hygiene practices. To achieve this, a toilet design is needed that adapts to the varied living conditions, including the lack of water and drainage.

In search of the perfect toilet

So, it is urgent to reinvent the toilet. The water-saving toilets (which use six liters per flush instead of 13) have meant an important advance to reduce the cost of the liquid, but they do not eliminate it completely and do not address the public health problems. Until recently it was almost unimaginable to think of a toilet that would work without water. Today there are already dry toilets, which many countries are considering as a viable option. In Mexico the architect and businessman César Añorve, from Cuernavaca, Morelos, has been dedicated to the production of dry baths for almost 30 years. On the other hand, Cristian Corcuera and Óscar González, industrial designers graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), created a toilet design that works without water and uses solid waste to make compost.

In several Latin American countries such as Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador and Haiti, the dry toilet has meant the possibility of improving the sanitation of many communities. But not only the developing countries have paid attention to this new option; the interest in changing the toilet is worldwide. Finland, for example, has a dry toilet association that seeks to promote the development and dissemination of sustainable toilets. But the biggest project on a large scale to reinvent the toilet is the one promoted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which in 2011 undertook the challenge of reinventing the toilet, allocating millions of dollars to the best designs. The essential motivation of the contest was to improve the living conditions of the 2.5 billion people without access to safe sanitation and reduce infant death from diarrhea. One of the requirements of the contest was that the toilet will work without water. The winner was the California Institute of Technology, with a toilet design that works with solar energy and generates hydrogen and fertilizer. It is an extremely complex model; it requires solar cells and extensive equipment to transform waste. This challenge has reached more countries; recently they were called China and India. For now, the models born of the contest are very complicated and expensive. However, there are designs of dry toilets that have been around for years and that we could adopt.

The dry toilet

Some dry toilets are designed to integrate them into rural areas, but there are also for urban dwellings. They can be adapted to a department. In general, the operation of a dry bath, as they are also known, is based on separating urine from excreta, which are dehydrated. The cup is divided into two sections, one for urine and another for excrement. It is covered with a mixture of dry earth and lime (some mixtures may include ash or sawdust). The goal is to dehydrate the excrement, and at the same time avoid infectious microorganisms and bad odors. Lime is an alkalizer that is added to the soil to lower the acidity of the excrement. It is included in a proportion 10 times smaller than that of land. Lime also works as a deodorant. The section where the mixed excreta are stored should be emptied after several months. It is important to respect this time to allow them to be transformed and integrated into the earth.

Combining the excreta with the drying mixture results in the formation of a compost that can be used to enrich the soil (it can be added to gardens or pots inside the house), which closes a natural cycle.

Dry toilets have very clear advantages: saving of drinking water, reduction of environmental pollution, generation of useful compost for the land and above all, the possibility that all communities have appropriate sanitation to improve public health. To enjoy these advantages, we must take care different from those we are used to, since a bad use of the dry toilet can lead to serious problems, including bad odors and proliferation of undesirable microorganisms.

The key points to make a good use of a dry toilet are: place it in a well-ventilated place, keep the space always dry (remember that the principle of operation is dehydration), always urinate in the corresponding section to avoid getting wet section of excreta, use a good mixture of lime and earth and meet the emptying times so that the excreta are dehydrated and incorporated into the soil.

The time we spend in the toilet is a valuable moment of privacy. While we sit there, our thoughts flow freely until they are paused when pulling the lever, but in reality there the story begins. With each discharge of the toilet we affect the environment. But for those who do not have an adequate toilet, eliminating their needs means putting their health at risk. Reinventing the toilet represents the possibility of decreasing water waste and, more importantly, of improving public health throughout the world.

-Marra del Carmen Climent Palmer is a veterinary veterinarian from the UNAM, a master in production sciences and animal health; He is currently pursuing a master's degree in science communication at the University of Sheffield, England. In 2014 he won the National Prize for Journalistic Disclosure in Sustainability.

Kohler K-4387-0 Memoirs Comfort Height Round-Front Bowl

How to detect and repair the most common toilet breakdowns

In this post we explain how you can detect and repair the common faults of the toilet . The toilet is composed of a tank that contains water and two mechanisms inside:

The discharge , which empties the toilet tank when the button is pressed, and the water inlet , which is responsible for automatically filling the tank when empty.



Kohler K-4387-0 Memoirs Comfort Height Round-Front Bowl

It is common for the discharge to spoil every two or three years, as it is a plastic mechanism that is used daily. A damaged discharge is constantly throwing water into the drain and can cause high water costs, so it is very useful to know when to break it and repair it right away.

We recommend that you periodically review the correct functioning of both the discharge and the feeding mechanism, thus saving you scares with the water bill at the end of the month.

repair faults toilet

Here are some irregularities that can occur when the flushing or flushing of the toilet is broken:

•     Water comes out from inside the cup constantly
•     The shooter does not work
•     The toilet button is broken
•     No water comes out when pulling the chain
•     The input key does not close

1. Water comes out from inside the cup constantly

This is one of the first warnings given by the discharge when it breaks down and means that it does not close well the water flow. If this happens, it may also be due to the failure of the water inlet mechanism inside the tank.

To know which of the two pieces is failing it is essential to open the toilet tank by the lid that usually has on the top. You will have to remove the button or handle from the toilet and pull the lid upwards. With the lid already removed, you can see the water level inside:

If the water level exceeds the discharge

rock mechanism feed low odorless metal thread It means that the water inlet mechanism is broken: if it does not close properly, it makes it fill more than necessary, exceeding the level of security that all the discharges incorporate.

To solve it, the simplest thing is to replace the mechanism with a new one. To do this you have to look at whether the water reaches the toilet tank on the side or below.

We recommend that you close the water passage whenever you are going to replace the mechanism and while it is damaged, with this you will avoid wasting water.

Find input mechanisms here .

If the water level does not exceed the discharge

universal rock double loading mechanism It means that it is the discharge that is broken.

Again, the simplest solution is to replace it with a new one. Today you can find many universal downloads that allow you to make the change easily.

Here is the guide Choose the download for a toilet and if you already have it clear, here you will find toilet downloads of various brands and models.

2. The shooter does not work

If the discharge is a shooter and it has stopped working, it may be due to the release mechanism that is inside the tank. To know, you have to remove the lid of the tank and look at a rod that makes a union between both parts: if it is broken you can find a spare part or acquire a new discharge.

3. The toilet button is broken

If the discharge is a pushbutton or double push button and it is broken, you will have to remove the lid of the toilet tank. There are downloads that connect the button by cable and others directly with a plastic rod. Check if the cable is stuck or broken. If it's broken, you'll have to replace the entire download. In the case that it is the plastic rod that has been broken, you will have to replace the complete discharge.

4. No water comes out when pulling the chain

Two things may be happening:

•     The water tap is closed and for this reason no water enters the toilet.
•     The water inlet mechanism has broken down or is clogged. This mechanism has spare parts but it is always advisable to change it for a new one as it is an inexpensive piece that is easy to replace.

5. The input key is very hard and can not be closed

It is very common for these types of keys to be obstructed by lime and stop working when they are most needed. To avoid this, it is necessary to open and close the key regularly. If it has already been obstructed, it can only be replaced by a new one. Before dismantling anything, remember to close the general passage water of the house to avoid flooding.

We show you through this video how you can install the download mechanism yourself:

TOTO C744EL#01 Drake ADA Compliant Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

The siphon effect and the invention of the toilet

Toilet, bombonera, water, latrine ... Many are the names that it receives and nevertheless it has not changed much since Alexander Cumming patented the tube in the form of S in 1775 . Its design allowed to seal the pipes and prevent the entry of bad odors coming from the sewers: the odors that rise through the pipes do not penetrate the stagnant water of the toilet. Later the hydraulic closing was incorporated in all the hydraulic systems of the home, allowing the modern bathroom free of bad odors. Let's see how they got it.



TOTO C744EL#01 Drake ADA Compliant Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

The toilet turned odorless

Toilet: that does not smell . The toilet or latrine became toilets thanks to the design patented by Alexander Cumming. The S-shape of the tube does not allow the complete evacuation of the water, always leaving a certain amount of stagnant water. The water, which is odorless, seals the air from the pipes and does not allow its entry into our home. But not all was good news: stagnant water must be pushed effectively or else our creations will remain in the toilet for our personal enjoyment.

To evacuate the toilet, it is not enough to pour more water: when it is flushed, the water level rises and it rushes to the side of the pipe. Any solid object can not overcome the S-shaped tube because gravity prevents it . Even by pouring a lot of water, we would not always get to evacuate effectively. This is where the siphon effect comes into play.

The siphon effect

Imagine that the S-tube was filled with water. The water column on the side of the pipe falls due to gravity. The cohesive forces of the liquids -we will speak of them in another article- hold the column of water together , pulling the rest of the water in the cup. The siphon effect does not stop until air enters ; At the moment when the water level of the cup lowers enough, air begins to enter the siphon. At that moment the effect is broken, and the water in the cup stops being sucked. In the following video of Discovery MAX is explained very graphically:

The critical step is to fill the siphon and then gravity does the rest. To fill the siphon quickly, part of the water in the tank is diverted : instead of falling into the cup, it goes inside and pushes the stagnant water directly to the siphon . This is how you get to fill the tube quickly and activate the siphon effect. The rest of the water that falls through the cup prevents the water level from lowering and maintains the siphon effect until the cistern is completely emptied.

The problem of water consumption

drought

The toilet allowed to avoid odors and the integration of the bathroom in the modern home . However, it brought with it a remarkable increase in water consumption. According to the EPA , toilets are responsible for around 30% of household water consumption . Most toilets have a larger cistern than necessary and putting a closed water bottle helps reduce the amount of water consumed per flush. If you are thinking of buying a new one, keep in mind that many already incorporate a double drive system ; they allow to discharge little water when it is not necessary to drag solids.

TOTO CST784EF#01 Eco Clayton with Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

How is it and what does the ultramodern toilet cost more than US $ 12,500

A hot toilet is not an especially nice idea for most people, as it usually indicates that it has just been occupied by someone else.

And turning aside when you're sitting on the toilet and there's no toilet paper, just smooth walls and a remote control, it may seem like hell.

But the remote control we are talking about has washing and drying options .



TOTO CST784EF#01 Eco Clayton with Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

    The smart toilet that you only have to clean once a year

You hit a button, and a robotic arm slides underneath you and offers you a variety of water jets at different speeds and angles, followed by hot air at the end.

When you get up, the toilet closes its lid, pulls the chain and is cleaned using ultraviolet lights.

The Toto Actilite series with Washlet (the robotic washing hand) costs about US $ 12,500.

It is a Japanese brand, but since opening its offices in London, UK, in 2009, it has tried to open up to the European market, and has many competitors .

They may now be a luxury, but these high-tech toilets could one day improve healthcare around the world.

But how do they work?

Maybe you're worried about a robot approaching your most intimate parts, but Floyd Case, director for the UK of Toto Europe, says there's nothing to fear .

It's not like a car wash; You do not have to sit down and hope for the best. When you sit down, there is a sensor that detects that you are there "

Floyd Case, Toto Europe

"It's not like a car wash, when you sit down, there's a sensor that detects you're there, " he tells me.

"In any case, you note that the seat is hot, which is nice, and that the deodorant works, so it smells good."

"If you want to wash, you have a remote control with two options: rear or front wash, which is sometimes called 'washing for women'," he explains.

The robot rod then leaves its closed chamber and releases a spray of "about 70 water droplets per second".

"You can adjust its position, the intensity of the water and, of course, the temperature, there's also a drying function to shoot hot water," says Case.

In addition, it is very hygienic .
Copyright of the Toto image Image caption Toto's Actilite line includes a "wand" with hose and dryer that is operated by remote control.

The chain "electrolyzes" the water , which generates dissolved salts to produce a slightly acidic solution that will kill the bacteria.

In addition, it contains ultraviolet lights that activate when the lid is closed, which interacts with a "photocatalytic surface" in the ceramic container to undo anything biodegradable.

Toilet Hacking

The Satis G-Type, manufactured by Lixil (another Japanese firm) has many similar functions , although it prefers the term "pulverizador" to "rod", and is, something cheaper: it costs about US $ 5,000.

It has Bluetooth connection and you can control your personal washing functions (spray, water and air pressure) using the mobile application "My Satis" (my Satis), which includes a " toilet newspaper " so you can perform - if so you want it- a follow-up of your bowel movements and thus monitor your health.

As with any device based on the internet of things, Lixil had to consider the possibility of hacking. What happens if someone gets control of your sprayer?

"Many steps are required to control a Satis toilet remotely," says Martin Mizutani, director of product development at Lixil Water Technology.

"Operating a Satis toilet using a smartphone involves completing a pairing process, which establishes a direct connection between the toilet and a specific telephone."

"Then it only works when the toilet lid is open, while the 'My Satis' application can be used by only one person at a time, which prevents a third party from accessing the system at that time ."
Copyright of Garv Toilets image Image caption Garv toilets, used in some of India's most impoverished areas, are sustainable in terms of energy use, maintenance and disposal of waste.

Both Toto and Lixil are very popular in Japan.

According to Lixil, some form of hot toilet is used in more than 80% of Japanese households .

But international consumers are proving to be more difficult to convince.

"Of course, there is the comic factor," admits Case. "Europeans are not used to intimate washing."

A "memorable experience"

That said, Toto has sold more than 40 million toilets with wash rods -whose minimum price is US $ 1,870- worldwide.

And besides the mansions of the very rich, they are popular in hotels and restaurants .

"It's one of the last things where hotels can still be more luxurious (than homes)," says Case.

" The washing experience is quite memorable, there was a criticism of a restaurant recently where they talked more about it than about food."

It may still sound like something very exclusive, but there is a real need in the world for more "smart" toilets.

Garv toilets are free to use in poor parts of rural India and are designed to be self-sufficient in terms of energy use , waste disposal and maintenance , with technologies such as sensors and integrated radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems.

Of course, there is the comic factor. We Europeans are not used to intimate washing "

Floyd Case, Toto Europe, on why the concept has not penetrated the continent

Made of vandal-proof shiny stainless steel, LED lights and exhaust fans turn on automatically when users open the bathroom door.

When the visit ends, the same automatic technology automatically activates the systems of washing the floor and the toilet.

A remote control board records data on the number of users and how many times they pulled the chain and used the soap dispensers.

Smart toilets can also be a key element in the future of healthcare.

According to the Toilet Board Coalition, a commercial network that promotes better health, your toilet could save your life.

(The toilets) will go from being simple containers that eliminate waste to smart medical devices that collect health data and synchronize us with our doctors "

Toilet Board Coalition

"They will go from being simple containers that eliminate waste to smart medical devices that collect health data and synchronize us with our doctors."

How far is that future? According to Floyd Case, Toto is already doing it.

"We have sold thousands of toilets in hospitals in Japan that wash and dry you, but they also weigh you and analyze your urine, " he explains.

Over time, he says, domestic toilets will do that too, loading the data onto your smartphone.

But they do not want to launch this technology to the market before consumers are ready.

"At the moment, people are still surprised by a technology that came to Japan 30 years ago ."

American Standard 3483001.020 Cadet Right Height Elongated Universal Bowl in White

Your toilet, its 5 most frequent breakdowns and how to repair them

Many times we ask in HomeServe what is the best invention of the house. As usual, each professional usually throws to his guild: "what would we do without running water?", "Why do not you go without a refrigerator?", "Okay, okay, but what about the doors and locks, what?" Conclusion: we live surrounded by comforts that we already perceive as totally necessary. Facilities that did not exist a century ago. Or 50 years. Or even a little more than a couple of decades, like the internet.

American Standard 3483001.020 Cadet Right Height Elongated Universal Bowl in White

"Well look, as much as I look, I can not find the problem in your toilet ..."  Today we have to talk about one of them: our toilet. This very civilized contraption consists of a tank containing water and two mechanisms: one of discharge , which releases it by the toilet when we press the button or pull the chain, and another water inlet, to leave the toilet ready for next visit.

The discharge is usually the most fragile of these pieces, breaking regularly every two or three years , since it is used daily and is usually made of a plastic that must withstand thousands of beats. If the discharge deteriorates and begins to let the water pass during these "dead times" between use and use, it will become a daily leak of liters and liters of the precious liquid that, even more than in our bills, will weigh on our consciences and in mother nature itself. That is why it is important to pay attention in a very simple way: by watching if the slightest trickle of water falls through the toilet in a state of rest, and listening if you hear filling the water tank without stopping.

There are 5 basic problems that usually reproduce sooner or later in almost all the WC in the world:

Yours, just like mine, is very special, I know. But you will not be free from going through one of these trances, so make a mental note of the solution to each problem in your toilet:

1. Water constantly comes out

The dam has cracks, my friend. We're throwing water, so it's time to take action immediately: open the toilet tank by the top lid, and check the water level inside. If the water level exceeds the discharge, the water inlet mechanism is broken. That's why it fills up more than necessary and, to repair it, the most comfortable thing is that you replace the whole mechanism with a new one (cut the toilet water, remove the mechanism, go to your usual hardware store and request an equal one). If the water level does not exceed the discharge, it also indicates breakage and the solution is identical: replace it at the moment.

2. The shooter does not work

Sometimes, simply, it is that the inner mechanism of discharge has been released. You only need to remove the lid of the tank and see if the rod that joins both pieces is whole, but loose, or if it is broken . In the first case, hook it to regain its function. In the second, it replaces the mechanism.

3. The button to press is broken

It happens exactly the same as in the previous case: you will have to open the lid of the tank to see if the cable or the plastic rod that connect the button and the discharge are broken or just loose. Reconnect in one case and replace the entire mechanism in the other.

4. When you pull the string, no water comes out

Are you sure that the water supply to the toilet is open? Ok, checked the most obvious, maybe it is that the water entry mechanism is broken or clogged. Since it is a very economical piece, it is always worth changing it for a new one in case of doubt.

5. The entry key is very hard

The ads of detergents can exaggerate a little, but do not lie: the lime makes real havoc and can damage and block mechanisms like this. That is why it is recommended to rotate them from time to time to keep them free of traffic jams. Once these are produced, you can only change the whole key with a new one (and here, please remember to close the general water pass of the house, if you do not want to cause a small flood with this task in principle so simple). Is not it that hard? If you still have doubts and prefer to see how a professional plumber repairs a dripping cistern, take a look at this video that we have prepared for you. And if you still have doubts about what is happening, do not hesitate to contact a plumbing professional or hire a protection for your toilet.

How does the toilet work?

• TOTO C744E#01 Drake Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

How does the toilet work?

The toilet is the device that is used in the bathroom to collect and evacuate human excrement and urine to the septic tank , the cesspit or the sewer , as appropriate to the installation made at the place of use.

The operation of the toilet is very simple. It consists of a large amount of water discharge in a short time, which allows to take the contents of it to the pipes that lead to the aforementioned destinations. This water is usually housed in a place called the backpack of the toilet , which consists of a floating that maintains the optimum level of water for each discharge.



TOTO C744E#01 Drake Elongated Bowl, Cotton White

The installation of the toilet is completed with a drain pipe in the form of an elbow, called a siphon , which produces water inside it, thus preventing the entry of bad odors from the pipes.

The system works very well under normal conditions and is one of the least polluting methods to evacuate excreta. However, there are opportunities in which there are problems with the toilet that are not easy to solve and that require the presence of specialists who perform the work. For example, if the toilet is clogged , it produces as a consequence that the water rises to the edge of the toilet with each discharge, instead of being evacuated by the drain, this is usually produced by the fall of something solid that clogs the siphon.

On the other hand, if the level of the water of the drain rises when the shower or the lavatory is activated, surely the problem is not of the toilet, but of a secondary pipe. In addition, when the sewer is covered , the toilet water passes well with each discharge, but the water rises from the drain.


History of who, how and when it was invented

Behind each going to the toilet , there is a physical phenomenon that makes life easier every day. Its origins are very diffuse, but those who perfected this practice appear in some points of history.

The toilet already appeared in the royal palace of Cnossos , it was a cistern with a cup and drainage channel, which did not have a system of treated water like the one currently developed. Before performing the disposal of these physiological materials, it was in public places, since the drainage networks were for private places.

John Harington

It is the name of the inventor who revolutionized going to the bathroom . In 1597 he made the valve water closet , named it Ajax and settled in the palace of Elizabeth I in Richmond, England .

In 1775 John Cummins took out a patent from a cistern, which was further perfected by Samuel Prosse in 1778, with the ball valve. Seventy years later, in the act of English Public Health, it is forced to put in all the houses a toilet service and in 1890 this practice had already spread throughout Europe.

It is not a fart

A sixteenth-century humanist scholar by the name of Erasmus of Rotterdam wrote a book of etiquette about behaviors for the " bathroom ." There he says that it is impolite to greet someone while urinating or defecating and regarding "letting go," suggests that a cough be dispelled with a cough called "explosive roar", from here comes the "tactic" of simulating a fart with a cough.

The bathroom

It was born in Scotland ten thousand years ago due to the toxicity of human waste. It was installed in some natural source of running water and it was the inhabitants of the Oreadas Islands, off the coast of Scotland, who made the first latrines so as not to have waste near their homes.

Later, in order not to have to leave the house, they adjusted the latrines inside the houses with a primitive channel that directed the waste to the rivers.

Hygiene was very important in the East and in 3,000 BC, the ancient Hindus had bathrooms in their private facilities. In Pakistan, precisely in the Indus Valley, public toilets were found that had clay piping in the brick works, with taps to spill water.

The Minoan royal families in the palace of Cnossos , Crete, for the year 2000 BC, had bathtubs that they filled and emptied with vertical pipes. Then they used ceramics, similar to the current ones. The connections dragged the waste and in addition the toilet had a tank above with water, which was the first water closet with a cistern in history. That cistern collected rainwater, if not filled manually, when discarding that water, it would carry the waste.

In 1,500 BC, the Egyptian aristocrats had copper pipes where cold and hot water passed, the full body bath was a religious ritual, the priests demanded a cold bath a day. The Jews performed these baths, since the Mosaic Law dictated that full body bathing was equal to moral purity.

David and Solomon, from the year one thousand to 930 a. C., built complex public works for the water supply.

Who invented the modern toilet

In 1884 Thomas Crapper made the "floating", which allows to automatically close the flow of water when the tank is full, at present the version of Crapper is still used. The inventor registered nine patents related to the toilet.

Tomas Turifed used porcelain to make the toilets , material that is still used for toilets.

How does a toilet work?

With a drain in the form of an elbow, it retains water in it and forms a closure called siphon that prevents the passage of bad odors, the organic matter is dragged through the discharge of a flow of water in a short time, leaving only clean water in the elbow of the closing.

How a toilet works

• Saniflo Saniflo 087 Elongated Toilet Bowl only (1.28 GPF) For SANIFLO Macerator Systems White

How a toilet works

Why do not investments come? Why does not the economy start? Why does the head of the Cabinet try to explain what never happened?

Possession as the iconoclastic essayist Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan, and behavioral psychologist Daniel Khanemn call it, to whom one must think fast,
to think slowly) is to explain facts that are consummated and unforeseen, with arguments according to which everything was predicted.



Saniflo Saniflo 087 Elongated Toilet Bowl only (1.28 GPF) For SANIFLO Macerator Systems White

Perhaps the answer is linked to what Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, also behavioral researchers, designate as an illusion of knowledge. In his work The invisible gorilla point out that this illusion manifests itself when you think you know more than you know.
Both they, and Taleb, see it especially in the activity of economists. Having familiarity with something and knowing the rudiments of its functioning does not mean understanding it. Often reading a text several times, or texts of specialists or filled with data and statistics generates a false sense of understanding.
From there, one's own knowledge is taken for granted and it is not thought necessary to subject it to revision. Therefore, when things do not work as that supposed knowledge indicates, the posdictions arise, never the rethinking. This week the Chief of Cabinet stated twice that the predictions announced for the second semester had been rigorously fulfilled.

To sustain the illusion of knowledge, statistics can be produced that reinforce it (it is known that statistics and surveys often show the results that the person in charge wants to obtain, for which all information or evidence that contradicts those results is skipped).
And you can insist on beliefs (which are not evidence), as, for example, that the real reality transits through social networks and not through the streets, homes (discard here those that are prepared as staging for timbre), conversations daily life of people of flesh and blood (no contacts in networks, trolls or other virtualities), places of work, means of transport and other spaces in which social humor is perceived.

Economics, and especially complex investments, move on the basis of unverifiable assumptions that are often presented as quasi-scientific. The issue is that the more situations are complicated and the forecasts are breached (which, in economics, should be called prophecies), the more complicated and incomprehensible the explanations become.
Of all the possible economic theories, says Taleb in Is There Luck? There will always be one that explains the failed past that was announced as a successful future.
But if you put the explanators in front of a boy who asked incessantly, "and why?", And then again, "and why?", It could be noticed that "they have no idea what they are talking about", as the investor Steve Eiman (there is no worse splinter than the same suit) in the book by Chabris and Simons.

The illusion of knowledge tends to lead, especially in the economic sphere, to dangerous promises, risky claims and disasters of great proportions, such as real estate bubbles, convertibility, the belief that you can consume without producing, spend on account of that you do not have or announce massive tax relief without having done the accounts first (or having done them wrong).
As the authors of The Invisible Gorilla say, it is not the same to know that if you press a button you download the toilet to understand how the whole toilet system works.
Without this last, the day that does not work will have to call a plumber who will charge very high fees for something that was perhaps avoidable.

In short, perhaps a high degree of illusion of economic and business knowledge impedes access to what these researchers consider an antidote. An external look, admit other possibilities and, going to the here and now, we could add that a good antidote is something that the economy usually does not contemplate. That behind the numbers (or rather, ahead) there are people. Politics deals with them when it serves the common interest and not a sectoral one.

How does an airplane's toilet work?

• American Standard 3717B001.020 Cadet 3 FloWise Right Height Round Front Toilet Bowl Only in White

How does an airplane's toilet work?

The bathrooms of the airplanes happened to be a luxury in the first years of the aviation to become a necessity nowadays. Although in virtually any modern commercial aircraft you will find one, it remains a mystery to many its operation.

Oddly enough, the toilets on airplanes have fairly advanced physical principles. According to the American engineer, James Le Bouthillier : "Its operation is so complex (of toilets), that it even has laws of physics more advanced than those that make the plane fly".

Although, there are many myths fed by popular belief, such as the famous "the toilet is just a hole where the debris falls as rain from the sky" , is not really a topic that has deepened much as with other airplane systems. That's why today we bring you where we will explain how the toilet on the plane actually works .



American Standard 3717B001.020 Cadet 3 FloWise Right Height Round Front Toilet Bowl Only in White

How does it work?

When you press the button to pull the toilet, a valve opens. This valve is connected to a vacuum system that causes waste to be sucked into a storage tank (located in the cargo compartment). Although in theory these toilets can work without water, to avoid clogging the pipes and keep it clean, a liquid disinfectant solution is used (hence the blue color of the water).

This system is mainly designed to save resources and, therefore, reduce the weight of the aircraft as much as possible . Even the pneumatic system to create vacuum is connected to the pressurized air system of the aircraft (the same one that uses air conditioning).

Another interesting detail is that the toilets are coated with Teflon . This, in addition to facilitating the cleanliness of the airplane, means that even less water is used.

The basic principle of aircraft toilets

Unlike the typical household plumbing that works with gravity, the entire bathroom of the plane uses vacuum as a fundamental physical principle in its operation: from the tap to the toilet .

Why do they use 'emptiness'? It is true that 'on land' with gravity is more than enough for toilets to work well, however in the air - as well as on buses and trains - the movement and weight of water can cause stability problems. For that reason engineers since the 40's have looked for a way to avoid major problems. Among those solutions they found that having a pneumatic vacuum system helps in:

•     Save large amounts of water
•     Decrease weight since narrower pipes are used
•     Avoid unpleasant odors
•     Distribute all the weight in several tanks distributed by the plane.

Do the debris fall from the air?

This idea has become popular thanks to the children's cartoons but no , the waste is not discharged on the flight.

The only way to empty the septic tanks is by means of hoses and pipes on the ground. By the way, to access the valve of the tank has to enter the cargo compartment of the plane (ie it is impossible to have a "rain of human waste" caused by the toilet of an airplane).

How does the toilet work?

• TOTO CST743S#01 Drake Round Bowl and Tank, Cotton White

How does the toilet work?

The water, toilet, toilet, toilet bowl, toilet, porcelain throne. No matter what we call it, it is one of the inventions that I am most grateful for and where many of us have surely spent countless hours either reading, playing with cell phones, talking on the phone or simply reflecting on life and its endless joys and sorrows.

The first records of the existence of a WC date back to 2800 years ago, where the first type of toilet was registered under the reign of King Minos of Crete. Then, even in China, remains of a toilet were found in a tomb of an emperor of the Han dynasty, which dates back to 206 BC and 24 AD.



TOTO CST743S#01 Drake Round Bowl and Tank, Cotton White

But it is no longer until ancient Rome when a sewage system was finally invented for people to use their latrines to make their needs, and these were thrown out to the Tiber River. The evolution to this occurs already in the middle age, when they begin to use the "pellets" which were made of ceramic or metal. The most curious of these fights, was that after use, the content that was inside was not discarded to a sewer but commonly only thrown out the window (I do not know why I remember the song hopefully rain coffee).

As early as 1596, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir John Harrington, gave him a WC invented by him, with a cistern system (pulled from a chain) (for the other he gave her a coffin as well). Already between 1775 and 1800, the system is patented, and people realize that poor sanitary conditions brought diseases, which is why the first laws begin to emerge, and studies on the implementation of sewage systems and toilets in homes and hotels. Finally it is in 1910 where the design of the WC is changed to the one we currently use of a pond and a cup.

Nowadays technology has also been incorporated into this wonderful invention, and this is how in Japan there are toilets with systems to heat the edge in one sits, as well as to do a cleaning to the rear, using jets of water.

Parts of a WC

If one uncovers the pond cover, and looks inward, you will see all of these parts that appear in the figure. It is likely to be somewhat different in yours, depending on the age of your WC, but it is mostly composed of 3 parts:

• The cup siphon
• The mechanism of water flow
• The filling mechanism

The siphon

There are some simple experiments you can do at home to learn about the operation of the siphon. The first one is using a glass of water, if you pour it into the cup it is probably nothing happens, and if you then pour up to 25 glasses, surprisingly nothing will happen either. This is because as you see in the image, the siphon will take care of throwing away the excess water, if the level goes up a little. But when we pour 6 liters of water at once, what happens is that the siphon tube will fill and cause a suction which will evacuate all the contents of the cup and listen to the classic sound it emits. (especially when it starts to suck air and starts to sound like gargles) At this point I think several has happened that when they cut the water in the house the only way to throw the chain is looking for a bucket there and having to fill it up little by little in the sink or in the tub.

The mechanism of water flow

The purpose of the tank is to act as the bucket of water, which consists of expelling a sufficient amount of water and at the proper speed in the cup to activate the siphon. We could say that the pond acts as a capacitor, which takes around 30 to 60 seconds to accumulate water, and then in just 3 it expels everything.

The handle that is in the majority of the toilets is united by a chain to the valve (cap), and that when being thrown what it does is to allow that the water happens through the hole of the pond that generally has a diameter between 5.08 to 7.62 cms. When this occurs, the water travels through 2 parts, first most of the water goes through the main duct that goes directly to the cup, then the rest of the water comes out through small holes around the cup that have as function throw away the rest of the things that were there. (It loads me when "something" sticks there and does not come out with anything, and you have to apply the brush)

The filling mechanism

Once our tank is empty, it is the turn of the float, which has as mission to give the order to the filling valve to inject water into the pond. The float will deactivate when it reaches almost the top of the pond where it will block the filling valve. But if for some reason the float or the valve fails, theoretically our pond will overflow, but that is where our secret agent overflow tube will make the excess water, go directly back to the sewer.

Bonus - Myth

Many will have seen the chapter of The Simpsons where Bart and Homer want to see if in the different hemispheres the flow of water goes to the left or to the right. But the main reason to determine where the water will flow, does not depend on the hemisphere where we are, but simply on how the manufacturer arranged the exit direction of the holes around the bowl.

DRY TOILET : How does it work?

• American Standard 3195A101.021 Champion PRO Right Height Elongated Toilet Bowl, Bone

DRY TOILET : How does it work?

When we enter the bathroom of one of our friends or relatives, or even if we go to our company or any restaurant or shopping center, we realize that the toilet has an operation in which water is essential. Possibly since we have use of reason this has been the case, modifying only the model or even the way to activate the tank or "pull the chain". However, there are other types of toilets that do not use water and therefore are considered ecological dry toilets. If you want to know what they are, how they work and their main advantages, we tell you below.



American Standard 3195A101.021 Champion PRO Right Height Elongated Toilet Bowl, Bone

What are ecological dry toilets?

When we talk about dry toilets or ecological toilets, we are referring to those in which we are not going to need water, saving this element so necessary and at the same time scarce. These toilets are not subject or connected to the drain of the house, so they will not go to the sewage network , being able to place them anywhere, in a conventional house, as in a guest room or a shed. They are also called ecological because the waste that has accumulated can be used later for growing fruit and vegetables, saving both water and fertilizer.

How does a dry toilet work?

The operation of this type of bathroom is very simple, as is its installation. The first thing we need to know is that it is two large cameras that will be located below the place where we will place the toilet. These cameras are dry, so you will continue to save water and not produce pollutants . In addition to having this feature, we must see that they are waterproofed, as well as they must be completely hermetic, in order to avoid leaks that may contaminate the environment of these toilets, nor leak to the ground.

The chamber that is located below the toilet is the first to be filled, taking approximately 6 months with conventional use, when this has happened, the second will be filled, which will also have the same period of filling . During this process, the waste and waste that was in the first chamber will be converted into compost that will be very useful as fertilizer. Once the two cameras have been filled, it should be completely emptied, so that the entire process starts again.

Advantages of the ecological dry bath

Having a sanitary of these characteristics will bring you many benefits, among which we can emphasize that you will not need a single drop of water to make it work. We are only going to use, as is logical, the water in the shower, the sink or the bidet, but that's it, saving a lot on the water bill .

Its installation is very simple and can be done in any home, whether or not it has a conventional toilet, although it is recommended that it be supervised by an expert plumber so there is no risk of leakage or flooding. Thanks to this very clean process you will not contaminate, being able to use the waste or compost that is formed to fertilize the land.

What types are there?

In the current market you can find two types of dry baths, which can be installed in a very short time by a plumber, giving you all the advice you need for its use.

Dry bath

The first of the models is known as dry bath by dehydration . And it consists, as its name suggests, in dehydrating all the debris that falls into the chambers. This is achieved by different methods, but none include chemical products, something very important for later use as compost. The chamber will be partially filled with drying material, which will absorb all the moisture and liquid from the waste, being also helped by the ventilation that exists in these chambers as the heat itself. It is advised in these cases that the urine is destined to another different tank, to avoid adding more moisture to the mixture. For drying to be effective, what we have to look for is that the process is carried out as quickly as possible, thus getting certain pathogens and odors to occur. Although urine can be converted into a perfect organic fertilizer for plants and crops that you have in the garden, mixed with feces will make the dehydration of feces much slower and therefore, it will not be processed properly. get to smell Once we see that the camera has been filled, something that as we have told you, will happen after a year, in toilets with double chamber, the waste can be handled with tranquility, being a perfect fertilizer.

Composting bathrooms

This type of toilet is more common to find in the country houses that have a large crop and that seeks to produce organic fruits and vegetables, saving both water and fertilizer . The structure of these ecological composting toilets is exactly the same as those we have described previously, although instead of finding drying materials, we will have a series of organic materials from the field that will help create a much richer compost. Among these materials we can include pieces of vegetables, fruits, peat, sawdust or straw. All this will be mixed with human feces, causing the microorganisms to treat all this waste material to get the compost to form. For this to happen, the temperature of the environment must be taken into account, as well as ventilation as humidity.

To achieve this, these bacteria must be allowed to work, which will decompose all the matter, something that will happen after approximately 10 months.

Both for the first case, and for the second, the hiring of a qualified plumber is essential, since a failure can cause our toilet to produce floods, leaks or pollutants , being a major problem when you are inside an urban dwelling . This professional will advise you at all times, will guide you in the installation and will tell you the best advice for its correct operation.