What is a Macerator Toilet Pump? [Brief History]

Upflush toilets are also known as macerating ones. They are not new in the industry. For the past decades, Europeans have been accustomed to this system.

Saniflo is a world-renowned manufacturer of the best upflush toilet pump systems. They invented the first unit in Western Europe in 1958. Over the past decade, it has also become more prevalent in North American households.

It became pretty popular among RV owners as well as conventional American householders. The appeal stems from installing this type in unusual areas such as a basement or producing a temporary commode for renters or sailboats.

It became famous in household applications. It was primarily due to the flexibility for changing the layout of bathrooms and kitchens to different rooms.

This is attributed mainly to the proper disposal of toilet paper and other such waste created in daily life activities. Proper waste disposal from level to ground level sewers is also expected to generate substantial demand for the macerating system.

What exactly is it?

toilet in dark room

It is a system installed in or near a toilet that acts as a mixer. It grinds up toilet waste to be pushed via a conduit smaller than typical.

This allows toilets to be built in locations where they would not otherwise be possible. Toilets are not entirely dependent on gravity flow because of a pumping mechanism.

Furthermore, the alternatives for routing the pipes are expanded. For example, they can even be fitted below the level of sewage in a cellar.

How does it work?

A sewage system breaks up larger chunks of black water into a slurry. It will keep anything from clogging and allow microbial activity to break down wastewater quickly. It is initially found in sewage treatment plants.

It can be used if it is impractical to install another toilet in your home and expect it to run by gravity. The toilet will flush to a tank near the second toilet, usually behind it.

The pump will then turn the solids into a slurry and pour them into the ordinary sewage drains via a tiny diameter pipe.

toilet seen from above

This may also be seen in a ship, which is frequently paired with creating a vacuum for emptying the bathroom lines. It is the case with most cruise ships manufactured nowadays.

The pump used in domestic homes may also function in a vacuum. It is the ideal option if you want more than one extra bathroom. It’s great in a home transformed into a guest house or small hotel.

Modern RVs feature upflush units, which feel more like using a residential household toilet. It solely employs gravity to discharge waste into the black tank when a button is pressed.

Choosing the correct type of upflush toilet is simple, given the abundance of available models.

Installation instructions

A macerating toilet can provide a good toilet in an uncommon locations such as RVs and a basement. This is linked to a macerator mechanism.

It pushes waste via an output pipe after being ground up with stainless steel blades. Because it goes underneath the toilet and links to piping that delivers waste up through a central plumbing system, it should be fixed first.

The installation of such units differs from regular toilets, so let us show you how to do it:

How much does the system cost?

As we tested the different products, we found that a macerator toilet pump system usually costs between $400 and $1,300. It is significantly more than the cost of a standard toilet.

Accessories and fittings are upfront since you still need an outlet to dispose of the trash. It requires drilling a hole in the wall and connecting it to a separate outlet. There are also electrical outlets required.

Labor fees are also considered. How much would a plumber charge in comparison to a standard installation? Depending on their knowledge, you may also require the services of an electrician.

No one can indeed provide a price without seeing the project and what’s involved. It will surely be in the hundreds. Nonetheless, the unit is a one-time expense that delivers long-term comfort and peace of mind.

When and Where to Use it?

There are a few reasons why you might use it. Suppose you have a bathroom in your basement below your primary drain/sewage pipe level. You will need this system to pump effluent up to your drain system.

The macerator toilet is equipped with a tank and a pump. When it is flushed, the liquid enters the tank. A specifically built macerator pump is mixed with the particles before being pumped out.

You might need an MT if you’re remodeling a bathroom in a location where traditional drain waste venting is impossible. It could also be prohibitively expensive. The wastewater can be piped horizontally or vertically to a draining stack.

It aims to grind the waste into smaller particles to flow more quickly through the waste system. It is more commonly utilized in systems that collect garbage in a lower area, such as a basement.

It pumps it up to the sewage system at street level. This is usually positioned at the collection point rather than in the bathroom. It’s because it is loud and requires a flow to function correctly.

On a boat, it’s a smaller version of how it operates on a ship. There are several methods for getting black water to the macerator stage of a sewage treatment plant. It depends on whether it is done by gravity or suction.

Advantages of Using the System

toilet

Maceration is the process of reducing a bulk substance or component to tiny particles. It allows for more effortless movement and processing. A periodic accumulation of solid to semi-solid waste in sewer and discharge pipelines frequently leads to pipe choking.

This problem has been common in span from the pipe material regularly. Outfitting the system keeps the pumping components in good working order by shielding them from scraps and hard waste.

The system offers several benefits with just a few negatives, such as its noise when being used. The numerous benefits outweigh the few downsides. The unit’s public and household pipeline and drainage systems are expected to improve. It means it aids in the reduction of real issues caused by the formation of solid particles in pumps and pipes.

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