Alternative to bath vent fan? an idea or two.

[OffGridKindaGuy]

When I built my bathroom, I didn't run the walls all the way to the ceiling. I have a 7" gap between the top of the walls and the ceiling. The moisture is pretty much expelled into the main living area.

No problem with stinky-poo. My fixture is vented to the outside with a 12 volt fan and some drier vent tube..

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by OffGridKindaGuy

No problem with stinky-poo. My fixture is vented to the outside with a 12 volt fan and some drier vent tube..

Was this a special vented loo?

-AC

[OffGridKindaGuy]

I use a composting bathroom system. The fixture has a small fan that keeps a vacume on it and blows the air outside 24/7.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by OffGridKindaGuy

I use a composting bathroom system.

Wow, pretty seriously green!

You ought to start a thread about that with some photos and report on how it works out for you.

I doubt that many EcoRenovators have seriously considered taking such a step, or even know what the benefits are and what what living with a composting toilet might be like.

I think it's great that you've done that.

-AC_HAcker

[OffGridKindaGuy]

If one was out in the boonies like me, it would be fine but being in the city... Idunno..

Basically it's just a box with a bucket vented to the outside. It requires a compost pile which can smell like a horse barn at times. (Gotta empty the bucket somewhere)

I used one of these to build the fixture..

Ecovita Privy Kit

One of these for the "Pointers".. LOL

Ecovita Dry Urinal

I divert the urine to my graywater system. The blackberries grow really well in that area..

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by OffGridKindaGuy

When I built my bathroom, I didn't run the walls all the way to the ceiling. I have a 7" gap between the top of the walls and the ceiling. The moisture is pretty much expelled into the main living area.

No problem with stinky-poo. My fixture is vented to the outside with a 12 volt fan and some drier vent tube..

We had a gap like that on top of the wall of our new bathroom, (back in the 1950s).
The ceiling in my room was slanted rafters under tin.
So, when a 6' x 14' bathroom was added to my room, the sheet rock only
went up about 8 feet.
No moisture problem with the shower (concrete), but we did not have a fan!!

I hated having the family bathroom access via my bedroom.
But, it was way better than going outdoors to the outhouse (which became a tool shed).

[MN Renovator]

I'd be nervous to eat your blackberries knowing now how they were watered. Where did you find the plastic vent hose? I've been looking all over the place but I keep getting speeches about how they cause fires. Then I give them a speech about how I don't want to spend $22 on 25 feet of their aluminaflex stuff for a cold vented application that will obviously self-destruct in a ball of flames if I use plastic.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by OffGridKindaGuy

If one was out in the boonies like me, it would be fine but being in the city... Idunno...

FYI, in Portland, Oregon, my fair city, Composting toilets such as you have are legal in city residences. However, it is still required to have a flushing toilet, even if you don't use it.

-AC_Hacker

[OffGridKindaGuy]

MN Renovator..

You wouldn't enjoy my tomatoes, carrots, beans, turnups, ect.. I use the composted solids in my garden for those.. LOL

Let me suggest a good read..

weblife.org: Humanure Handbook: Contents

I purchased the plastic vent pipe at a local hardware store. They sell both but I wasn't concerned with heat.

AC Hacker..

Would they allow you to have 2 compost piles for this kind of system? I can see their point for wanting standard plumbing for resale purposes.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by OffGridKindaGuy

AC Hacker..

Would they allow you to have 2 compost piles for this kind of system? I can see their point for wanting standard plumbing for resale purposes.

By compost piles, you mean the big, hot, 1 cubic meter (minimum), carbon-rich, steaming heaps. Well, yes it does happen, in a sort of "don't ask don't tell" kind of way.

The city does a fair job of wanting to look green to the rest of the world.

The people here do an excellent job of making green practices, issues and ideas become reality. So the city is always stumbling forward, trying to keep up.

We have some very serious eco-activists here. Keeps things interesting.

-AC_Hacker