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Waterless Urinal Systems 101

Here at hybridH2o, we specialize in waterless urinal systems. Since this is a relatively new technology, not everyone has a clear understanding of how it works. Because of this, it can be difficult to determine whether waterless urinals are right for your facility. Our team wants to help you make the right decision for your business, so we have put together this brief overview of how waterless urinal systems work to give you the information you need. In this article, we’ll go over three of the main waterless urinal systems and how they work.

  • Liquid Seal- Some waterless urinal systems use liquid in their cartridges to create a seal. The liquid forms a seal that prevents gasses from escaping back up the pipe. 
  • Integrated Trap- Another type of waterless urinal system uses what’s called an integrated trap. Essentially, the pipes connecting them to the larger plumbing lines are designed in such a way that urine is able to pass down the drain, but gasses are not able to rise back up and into the room. 
  • Membrane Trap- A third type of waterless urinal system uses membrane traps, which are essentially valves that open in only one direction. Urine can flow down the drain, but the valve does not open from below, which helps cut down on odors in the room by a significant amount. Note that these mechanical traps do not meet plumbing codes in the U.S.A.