When evaluating and considering the installation of waterless urinals, most facility managers and building owners focus on just one thing: water savings. While this is a significant benefit, several key factors should be considered before selecting waterless urinals for your facility.
1. Do You Understand How the Technology Works?
Waterless urinals operate on a simple principle-they don't use water to drain urine from the bowl. Instead, they rely on gravity to direct the urine into a cartridge filled with a liquid sealant. This cartridge not only guides the urine into the sewer line but also prevents odors from escaping into the restroom.
2. Is Your Facility a Good Fit?
Waterless urinals, with their adaptability and efficiency, are most found in high-traffic public and commercial buildings, such as schools, stadiums, airports, and mid- to -large office complexes. They're typically best suited for facilities with a large number of building users.
3. Do You Have the Right Information?
Before making a purchasing decision, it's essential to research how these urinals work, how they're installed, maintained, and whether they're compatible with your building's plumbing. Installing them in decades old, corroded plumbing, might be an issue. In newer facilities, it is not an issue. Online resources can provide valuable insights.
4. Are You Aware of the Benefits?
Beyond conserving water, waterless urinals can reduce utility bills, lower maintenance costs, reduce vandalism, and are quicker and easier to clean, reducing custodial expenses. They may also cost less to install than traditional urinals.
5. Do You Know About Concerns?
Oder issues were once a concern usually due to improper cleaning and maintenance.
6. Do You Know How to Clean Them?
Cleaning waterless urinals is simpler than cleaning conventional urinals, but it must be done correctly to ensure optimal performance. Some models should not be cleaned with any water whatsoever, as this can damage the cartridge. Instead, use a general-purpose cleaner or sanitizer, along with a cleaning cloth, to wipe down the urinal.
7. Are You Familiar with Product Options?
While most waterless urinals function similarly, the lifespan of cartridges varies by brand. Some last for months, while others require frequent replacement, which can impact maintenance costs.
8. Is LEED Certification a Goal?
LEED v5 awards points for installing water-saving fixtures such as waterless urinals, which can significantly contribute to certification.
9. Is your building or company sustainability-focused?
One reason LEED v5 provides credits toward certification for installing waterless urinals is that it believes water scarcity will become a more pressing reality in regions around the world, including the U.S. Installing waterless urinals aligns perfectly with sustainability-focused organizations.
10. Are you aware of the lifespan of a waterless urinal?
Waterless urinals last as long, if not longer, than conventional users because there are no flush handles. But one more thing: to ensure their longevity, select a waterless urinal with a traditional look. Unusual urinal designs are available, but typically, these go out of style in a very short time.
Key Takeaway
Focusing on all these issues allows managers and building owners to determine if selecting waterless urinals are right for them. In a growing number of cases, the right choice is waterless.
Contact us for more information: www.waterless.com