There are pros and cons to just about everything we do in life, and it is often about ensuring the positives outweigh the negatives. Waterless urinals are no different, so we thought we would outline the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision if you were considering the technology for your business:
Pros
Water & Money Savings
The primary benefit of waterless urinals is undoubtedly water saving, and by association, money saving. In the majority of buildings, more water will be used in the restrooms than in any other area of the building. If there are traditional flushing urinals in the restroom set up which flush multiple times an hour, water is regularly being wasted for no good reason.
Due to their non-flushing nature, waterless urinals can drastically reduce the amount of water used in your restroom. It is estimated that traditional flushing urinals will waste over 200 billion litres of clean water each year, which adds up to a very expensive water bill. But by switching to a non-flushing system, you can drastically reduce your water wastage and save money in the process. For more information on how we can save you money, click here.
More Hygienic
A common misconception is that waterless urinals are less sanitary than flushing ones, but it is in fact the complete opposite. Bacteria need moisture to grow and survive, so if you remove the moisture from the urinal, bacteria cannot develop and multiply. Additionally, when a urinal is flushed, the water forces microscopic droplets to spray around the washroom, coating all surfaces from the floor to the walls, and even on the clothing of those in the room – all of which contributes to cross-contamination. So, if you remove the need for flushing urinals, aerosol transmission of bacteria is reduced by up to 98%.
Reduced Odours
As we mentioned above, bacteria need water to develop and survive – and so do odours, which are typically released by the bacteria. So, if fewer bacteria are developing in the urinals, it means there will be fewer odours.
The combination of cleaning products used with our waterless urinal systems will also greatly reduce odours. By using our SteriKleen spray and our SteriKleer pods in combination, not only will your water pipes remain clear from blockages, but your urinals will stay smelling fresh.
Low Maintenance
Cleaning waterless urinals is very simple and much less hassle than the cleaning of traditional urinals. In fact, it is critical that no water goes into the waterless urinal. When water and urine meet, a chemical reaction takes place where the uric acid found in urine starts to solidify when it meets the water, which can cause blockages and damages the pipework.
To clean our waterless urinal systems, they simply need to be sprayed once a day (or twice if required) with our SteriKleen spray, and then left, without the need for scrubbing or wiping. Due to the active enzymes contained within our SteriKleen spray, any bacteria on the urinal are “eaten”, along with any associated odours.
Cons
Resistance to Change
One of the biggest problems that we’ve encountered in recent times is the user resistance to using no-water urinals, due to common misconceptions about them being less hygienic than their counterparts. However, with a bit of time and education, this is, fortunately, becoming less of a problem.
If you are still on the fence about whether making the switch to waterless urinals is the right choice for your business, we will be happy to discuss how we can save you water, money and reduce your impact on the environment. Contact us today for a no-obligation washroom survey, and we’re sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Improper Cleaning
As we mentioned above, no water should ever be poured into a waterless urinal system, as it can cause a great deal of damage to the system. There are also specific cleaning products that should be used, such as our SteriKleen spray, but also products that should not be used, such as bleach.
It doesn’t take long to train cleaning professionals in the manner in which they should care for the waterless urinal systems, so investing the time to do this properly once the systems have been installed is very important. It is also worth noting that the cleaning process for waterless systems is much shorter and faster than its traditional counterparts, so you will even save time when it comes to cleaning.
Retrofits
Many businesses may think that the pipework in their buildings is too old to be converted to a waterless system, but that is where our no-obligation washroom assessment comes into play. We can assess your current set up; investigate the pipework and the necessary adjustments that may need to be made to have waterless urinals fitted into your building. Once the realisation of how much money and water will be saved with a no-flush system, any opposition to changing setups soon disappears!
If you are looking to make the change to a waterless urinal set up for your business, please contact us today and see how we can help you make the Smarti choice.