How to Change Waterless Urinal Cartridge

Water urinals appear like regular urinals. The only difference is that they don’t have a pipe for flushing. The urinals are used in a similar manner to traditional urinals. However, instead of flushing the urine, they drain the waste matter by gravity. The outflow pipe connects with the conventional plumbing system.

The residential and commercial property owners may benefit from the installation of waterless urinals. The best part about the urinals is that they help conserve a lot of water. Using waterless urinals avoids wastages and contributes to conservation of the precious water supply.

Our recommended waterless urinal cartridge is the EZ Trap Waterless Urinal Cartridge. It fits perfectly on Sloan, Falcon, and Bobrick waterless urinals, and it last 3 to 4 times longer than regular manufacturer cartridges. The EZ Trap also cuts maintenance cost dramatically because you can clean your urinal with any cleaner, and it does not need special, and costly sealants for urine odor control. CLICK HERE for information on the EZ Trap Waterless Urinal Cartridge.

In this article, we will provide in-depth information on waterless urinals including how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Waterless Urinals: An Introduction

Waterless urinals were invented by a German inventor Klaus Reichardt. They were sold to the public in the 1980s. The urinals were invented in order to address the water shortage problem that was prevailing in the state of California at that time. Today residents in several states benefit from waterless urinals.

The urinals don’t flush urine down the drain. Instead the design of the urinals allows the waste matter to drain automatically. Urine passes through a sealant inside the urinals. Mostly oil based sealant is used that is contained inside the urinal cartridge. We will provide information on how to change waterless urinal cartridge in later sections.

At this point, you should know that waterless urinals keep the liquid waste completely sealed. The sealant prevents urine from overflowing in the bowl. It allows urine to remain inside the urinal. The urine being denser than the oil based sealant flows down towards the drain. It is drained from the urinal due to displacement.

Small holes are present on top of the urinal cartridge. The hole’s act as strainers preventing items including gums and cigarette butts from getting trapped inside the urinals. In this way, the urinal does not experience blockages.

In some urinals, a one-way valve is used instead of the sealant. The rubber tune valve opens to allow urine to pass through and then quickly closes. Furthermore, some of the urinals feature two silicon pieces that perform the similar function of sealants. For these urinals, you still should know how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Popular Waterless Urinal Systems

Waterless urinals are different in shape and design. All the urinals can be categorized into three main types. They differ in the approach in which urine is passed down the drain. All of them drain the liquid waste without the use of water. So, there are no odor or blockage problems in any of the systems.

Microbiological Systems

Microbiological waterless urinal systems use replaceable cartridges. They trap the liquid waste in the u-bend. The urinals make use of the action of the microbes to break down the urine into odorless components. Regular servicing is required to prevent blockages. Also, special cleaning products should be used to clean the urinal. Using the wrong cleaning product could damage the urinal components.

Liquid Barrier Systems

Liquid barrier urinals use cartridges to trap urine. They use oil-based sealants to prevent overflowing of the urine. Slicing is recommended when the cartridge is replaced. We will inform about how to change waterless urinal cartridge in later sections. Also, you should make sure to use compatible liquid cleaning products to avoid damage to the urinal.

Valve Barrier Systems

The valve barrier systems make use of cartridges similar to microbiological and liquid barrier systems. However, instead of sealants the urinals use one-way valve to prevent odors and keep the liquid waste inside the unit. As with other types of waterless urinals, regular servicing is recommended to avoid blockages. In addition, remember that the urinal can get damaged if the wrong cleaning agent is used.

The Best Water Conservation Solution

Waterless urinals are the best water conservation solution. They are ideal for areas that receive a lot of traffic. Examples of locations where waterless urinals are the best solution include rest stops, schools, restaurants, and cinemas. In these locations, waterless urinals can conserve a large amount of water. In some states like Arizona, waterless urinals are mandatory in government buildings in the states. Similar legislations are in the pipeline in other states as well due to growing awareness about the water conversation benefits of the urinals.

Tips for Installation of Waterless Urinals

Installing the waterless urinal is easy. It takes less than an hour to install waterless urinal. When compared to flush urinals, waterless urinals are relatively easy to install. They don’t require a separate water supply. This results in reduced cost and time in installing the fixture.

When installing the waterless urinal, you must follow the US plumbing codes. Most states require that the urinal lip-to-floor height should be more than 17 inches for ADA compliant urinals and 24 inches for non-ADA compliant urinals.

The urinals come with all the accessories that are required for installation. You can easily and quickly install the urinals without any problems. The time that is required to install the waterless urinals is about one to one and a half hours depending on the complexity of the project.

New installation can take less than an hour to install. In contract, retrofit takes a little more time. In most cases, simple retrofit project can take about 65 minutes. On the other hand, rough-in retrofit can take about 90 minutes.

Important Consideration when Installing Waterless Urinals

A number of consideration should be taken when installing waterless urinals. An important consider is regarding the drain pipe positions. The pipes need to be sloped correctly otherwise the liquid waste won’t drain properly.

Another important consideration is to use a pipe having the right size and material. Selecting the wrong pipe can result in accumulation of urine stones and phosphate precipitates inside the unit. These can result in blockage of the pipe and lead to costly plumbing repairs.

Lastly, you should consider avoid installing metal drain pipes. While they are cheaper, they corrode easily. Urine can dilute pipes made of metal thereby requiring costly repairs. Instead of metal drain pipes, you should consider installing plastic drain pipes.

Installing waterless urinals may seem easy, but it involves considering several things. Wrong installation technique can cause damage to the urinal cartridge or the drain pipes. To avoid this prospect, you should consider contacting an experienced plumber to install waterless urinal. This will ensure that you don’t have to face costly plumbing repairs or embarrassing situation due to blockages inside the urinal.

How to Change Waterless Urinal Cartridge

The cartridge is the main component of the waterless urinal. It contains the sealant that prevents overflow of the liquid waste. Here are some steps that highlight how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Step 1. The first step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge is to insert key to open the cartridge. You need to turn the key to the left to open the cartridge.

Step 2. The next step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge is to lift the cartridge.

Step 3. You should tilt the cartridge to drain the liquids including water, urine, and sealant. This is the third step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Step 4. The fourth step of step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge is to place the old cartridge in a bag. Seal the bag and then dispose in the dustbin.

Step 5. Scrub the inside the urinal using a soft bristle brush. You need to scrub deep inside of the tail piping using a 1.5-inch nylon brush.

Step 6. After carefully scrubbing the unit, you should next flush the urinals with soapy water. You need to use about 20 liters or 5 gallons of water to flush the toilet. This is the sixth step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Step 7. Afterward, you should wipe the inner stainless steel rim using a soft cloth.

Step 8. Once you are done wiping the rim, you should again insert a new cartridge inside the housing. And then turn the key to the secure it in place.

Step 9. Now you must fill the cartridge with about 1 liter (1 quart) of clean water. You should continue filling until there are no air bubbles.

Step 10. Now, you should add a blue sealant. Make sure to allow enough time to allow it to drain into the cartridge. The last step of how to change waterless urinal cartridge is to spray cleaner and then wipe it clean using a soft cloth.

The above ten steps detail how to change waterless urinal cartridge. The cartridge can be replaced without any professional help. However, it’s important to follow all the steps properly regarding how to change waterless urinal cartridge.

Useful Maintenance Tips to Follow After Installing Waterless Urinal Cartridge

After installing the waterless urinal cartridge, it’s important to know how to properly maintain the unit. Maintaining the cartridge requires following a schedule for cleaning the unit. Simply spay the urinal with water and wipe clean using a dry cloth. There is no need to place urinal cakes as is the case with flush urinals to prevent odors.

Regular cleaning is required of the flush and the cartridge. This will ensure proper functioning of the urinal. The cartridge should be cleaned more frequently in highly trafficked areas. Also, you should note that different urinals have different requirements. Some require more frequent cleaning than the others.

A good rule of thumb is to check the urinals after every 1500 usages. For good quality urinals, manufactures recommend checking the cartridge after every 7500 usages. You can read about the recommended requirements by reading the manual that comes with the unit.

Also, you should remember that you have to replace the cartridge after every six months. A plumber will inspect the urinal cartridge to find out whether a replacement is required. In case a replacement is required, the cartridge should be changed by following the steps that are outlined above.

When replacing the cartridge, you should also add liquid sealant. The sealant may also require replacement in between changing the cartridge. Majority of the waterless urinals advise replacing the sealant after about 1,500 uses. The cartridge should be primed properly before installing.

Replacing the cartridge at regular intervals will prevent odor problems. It will also avoid the problem of overflowing of the waste matter due to a blockage. Another advantage of regularly replacing the cartridge is that it will ensure that the urinal works for a long time.

A good advice is to note down the data and time the cartridge was replaced. This will allow you to know the next time you should replace the cartridge. In addition, you should always buy a cartridge that has been recommend by the manufacturer. Buying the wrong cartridge that is not compatible with the urinal can result in plumbing issues. The cartridge you buy for the urinal should conform to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

In addition, it’s important that you flush the urinal with about five gallons of water when replacing the cartridge. Priming of the cartridge with water should be done before pouring the sealant. After you have replaced the cartridge, you should consider using a disinfectant spray. While the waterless urinal is more hygienic as compared to the traditional urinal, it still needs to be infected to remove all traces of pathogens on the urinal bowl. You should consider disinfecting the urinal more frequently in high traffic areas.

What are the Advantages of Waterless Urinals

The foremost advantage of waterless urinals is that they help conserve water. Using the urinals can result in savings of thousands of gallons of water every year. They are particularly suitable for installing in high traffic areas. The urinals are particularly ideal for drought stricken areas in the US.

Another benefit of installing waterless urinals is that they reduce water bills. In addition, they contribute to green sanitation. Less waste water is produced when waterless urinals are used. As a result, the water treatment is less harmful for the environment.

In addition, bad odor problem is prevented when waterless urinals are used. The odor that is commonly associated with urine actually is caused by exposure of the liquid waste to air and water. It results in the release of ammonia gas that creates the bad odor. Since, no water is used, waterless urinals don’t have any odor problem.

Waterless urinals hold the urine in the P-trap. This prevents the exposure of urine to air and water. The urine remains completely sealed inside the unit. In most cases, the odor that emanates near waterless urinal is due to liquid waste spilled on the wall and the nearby floor. To avoid odors, you should have the floors and walls cleaned on a regular basis.

Another benefit of waterless urinals is that they are more hygienic than flush urinals. Less bacteria forms in waterless urinals. On the other hand, flush urinals generally harbor a lot of bacteria. Water is essential for the bacteria to thrive. Since flush urinals use water to drain the urine, they contain more bacteria as compared to waterless urinals. If you want to ensure safe and hygienic environment, you should consider installing waterless urinals.

Lastly, there are no piping problems with waterless urinals. Blockages don’t normally occur with this type of urinals. Generally, the blockage occurs due to buildup of solid waste inside the pipes. They are more common with flush urinals as flushing worsens the problem. On the other hand, waterless urinals are less prone to flushing. No water is flushed down the drain as a result blockages normally do not occur. When the cartridge is checked, and replaced on a regular interval, the chances of blockages are slim.

Conclusion

Waterless urinals are ideal for public washrooms. The urinals don’t use any water to drain the waste. This results in greatly reduced water bills. The urinals are designed in a way that the liquid waste goes down the drain without flushing. The sealant inside the urinal is less dense than urine. It keeps the urine sealed inside the unit.

Since waterless urinals drain the urine without the use of water, they are considered ecofriendly. Using the urinals reduces the amount of water sent to the sewage plant from processing. The plant uses energy and releases carbon di oxide gas into the atmosphere. So, installing waterless urinals contribute to less greenhouse gas emissions.

Lastly, waterless urinals require less maintenance and care as compared to the regular flush urinals. The urinals don’t experience blockages or overflow thereby saving plumbing costs. What’s more they are most cost effective as they don’t require a separate water supply. Installing waterless urinals can result in great cost savings as compared to regular urinals.

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