Selecting the proper toilet can be considered the most important choice in constructing an off-grid property. It doesn’t matter if you are creating a cabin, tiny home, workshop, or a lake house. In any case, the toilet will have to function without depending on the water supply and sewer system of your municipality.
Off-grid property owners usually choose between composting toilets, septic systems, portable toilets, and incinerating toilets. Although all of them are different, an incinerating toilet can be a good choice because it does not require water or plumbing. However, in order to find the best incinerating toilet for an off-grid property, there is a list of things to consider.
What Is an Incinerating Toilet?
An incinerating toilet is an electrical device that utilizes heat to reduce human feces and other waste into a small quantity of sterile ash. The waste is not flushed out through any plumbing but collected in a lined chamber, which initiates burning after each use.
It does not need any water, septic tanks, or sewer pipes to function and is a favorite of people living in remote areas where plumbing cannot be installed easily.
Incinolet has been building electric incinerating toilets in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and many homeowners have been using such toilets in their cabins, cottages, work sheds, cellars, barns, and boats.
Why Are Incinerating Toilets Popular among Off-Grid Lifestyles?
The use of off-grid facilities entails the utilization of restricted resources. Lack of water, expenses of septic installation, and freezing conditions are among them.
The use of incinerating toilets takes away many of these problems.
The main benefits of using an incinerating toilet include:
- Not requiring water
- No need for septic tanks
- Lack of any sewer connections
- Compactness
- Easily cleaned
- Suitable for year-round use
- Low volume of waste produced per usage cycle
For many remote locations, an electric incinerating toilet can be the perfect solution.
What Features Should an Off-Grid Incinerating Toilet Have?
Every toilet is not the same. There are some factors to consider before purchasing one, especially when you want to determine how and where it should be used.
Durability
Houses living off the grid are usually exposed to different weather conditions. The construction of your toilet will have to be reliable. An incinerating toilet called Incinolet is constructed in Texas from durable materials and is made for use in both residential and commercial areas.
No Need for Water
The reason why people decide to go off the grid is to save themselves from the use of utilities. In such cases, a water-free toilet will save you from worrying about frozen pipes or lack of water.
Ease of Installation
The installation of a septic tank is often associated with the processes of excavation and obtaining permits, and it also requires a great deal of money. The installation of an electrical incinerating toilet needs electricity and venting, but it does not require plumbing pipes.
How Does the Incinolet Toilet Stand Out from Other Types of Toilets?
Each off-grid property is unique in its own way; nevertheless, it is necessary to analyze the most popular options.
| Type of Toilet | Does It Need Water? | Requires Septic? | Frequency of Maintenance |
| Traditional Flush Toilet | Yes | Yes | Low |
| Compost Toilet | No | No | Moderate |
| Porta-Potty | No | No | Frequent Emptying |
| Incinolet Electric Toilet | No | No | Minimal |
While composting toilets need to store and manage the waste, incineration toilets turn it into ashes.
Is an Incinerating Toilet a Good Idea for a Cabin?
Yes, for many owners of cabins, it is. Installing a septic system is not always easy or cheap, and in addition, some cabins are only used on weekends or in specific seasons.
Therefore, you have a choice to get an electric incinerating toilet and have an indoor bathroom in your cabin which does not require running water. Incinolet remains a good choice for cabins both in the US and Canada.
Where Can Incinolet be Placed?
An electric incinerating toilet has a lot of freedom in terms of installation location.
Some examples of where the Incinolet may be placed include:
- Houses that are not connected to the grid
- Tiny houses
- Hunting cabins
- Fishing camps
- Houseboats
- Barns
- Shops
- Garages
- Basements
- Cabins for guests
- Construction sites
And pretty much anywhere else, provided that all of the installation specifications are met.
How Much Maintenance is Required for an Incinerating Toilet?
Another major reason why many people decide to install an incinerating toilet is that it does not require much maintenance. At the end of each burning process, all waste matter turns into a tiny bit of sterile ash, which means that the ash box has to be emptied rarely, depending on how often the toilet is used. Also, since the waste matter is stored in a disposable liner located in the bowl before burning, the bowl remains clean at all times.
Is Incinolet the Right Option for Living Off the Grid?
Are you searching for an effective electric incinerating toilet that doesn’t require any water, plumbing, or septic system? There is a range of good reasons why you should consider Incinolet.
Incinolet has been made in Dallas, Texas since 1950 and is used all over the world, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Brazil, and lots of other countries.
Why is this option so popular?
- “Made in USA”
- Over 60 years’ experience in manufacturing
- Doesn’t require any water or plumbing connections
- Small size
- Easy to install
- Easy to maintain
- Available customer service
- Can be used both seasonally and permanently
Also, many customers like to talk directly to customer service representatives when they have any questions about installation or operation.
Incinerating Toilet or Composting Toilet: Which Is the Better Choice?
It all comes down to how the property will be used. Composting toilets need the waste to be kept in the toilet unit so that natural decomposition can occur. The toilets also require constant maintenance, including regular checks of moisture level and waste removal.
On the other hand, an electric incinerating toilet utilizes a completely different process to get rid of waste. The waste is reduced to ash using extremely high temperatures. This leaves minimal waste for the homeowner to deal with.
Conclusion
What you need for a self-sufficient home is an incinerating toilet that works with your needs regarding property size, usage rate, and maintenance. It should function without water, have little to no maintenance, and be able to work reliably every year.
If you have a cabin, a tiny home, a vacation cottage, a workshop, a houseboat, or any other off-grid place to live, then the Incinolet toilet system can be considered as a solution that can replace regular plumbing facilities.
FAQs
Yes. It is common practice for people to utilize an Incinolet as the main toilet for their cabin, tiny home, lake house, or permanent residence that does not have conventional plumbing.
No. Incinolet is operated without using a septic tank, sewer, or any drain pipes.
After each cycle, waste is converted into a tiny amount of ash that just needs to be periodically cleaned up, depending on the frequency of use.
Yes. Because it does not depend on water-filled pipes, it would be a good solution to install an Incinolet in cabins and places where freezing could cause trouble with plumbing.
With appropriate installation and regular maintenance, the Incinolet is designed to give many years of reliable use. It has been making electric incinerating toilets in the USA for over 65 years, building its reputation among homeowners in all types of applications.