My first compost toilet froze solid during that January cold snap and I learned the hard way to mix in more dry carbon.

Had to chisel out a frozen mass at 6 AM last January and now I always keep a bale of straw handy for winter composting, anyone else deal with frozen toilets?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_young9211d ago

Nah man I don't get the hype about frozen toilets. I've been running mine for three winters now and never had a freeze issue. Just keep the pile active and it generates its own heat. My neighbor uses straw year round and his compost stays way too wet, smells like a barn. I just use wood shavings and a good mix of kitchen scraps. If you're chiseling ice you're probably not turning it enough.

harper91411d ago

Is it just me or does this whole 'you're doing it wrong' attitude pop up in everything now? Like how every hobby or chore has to be some optimized art form. You compost or you don't, and if you don't do it like the internet says, you're basically an idiot. I see it with grilling, with gardening, with even just driving a car. Everyone's got a trick that makes everyone else look like a fool.

wendy82011d ago

I get what harper is saying but honestly if your neighbor's compost smells like a barn that's a pretty clear sign something's off with the moisture balance, not just the straw. You say you never get freeze ups but what's your actual setup like? I'm curious how deep your pile is and if you're in a real cold zone or more of a mild winter area. I tried wood shavings one year and they matted down so bad it stopped all airflow, ended up with a frozen block anyway. The turning thing is tricky too because if it's already frozen solid you can't really turn it until it thaws out. What do you do during a week long deep freeze when even the core temp drops?