New Restroom Fixtures Have Many Benefits

Driven by growing concerns about germs and bacteria, increasingly facilities cleaned by building service contractors (BSCs) have installed automatic, no-touch, low-flow or no-flow fixtures, including faucets, toilets, urinals, and soap and paper towel dispensers. In addition to health and sanitary issues, these devices are also being installed because facility managers find they help reduce water usage and related costs significantly.

Today, it is a common perception that germs are pervasive in public restrooms, schools, office buildings, medical centres and other types of facilities. However, some public health experts question whether germs and bacteria are really more invasive today than in years past. These experts believe what has instead changed over the years is that people are much more (itals)aware(enditals) of how germs and disease can spread, and it is because of this that they do not want to “touch” anything in a restroom. And, most public health officials agree that the installation of no-touch systems is a way to help protect the public from diseases.

A recent survey by Impulse Research Corporation found that 30 per cent of Americans use bathrooms away from home “only when they are desperate,” which was similar to other surveys’ findings on the subject. The same survey found that instead of touching a flush handle, doorknob or faucet, 66 per cent “employ a variety of maneuvers to avoid touching anything, many do not wash their hands after using restrooms, which is the primary cause of infection and cross-contamination.

Because no-touch, low-flow and no-flow restroom fixtures are fast becoming the standard in public restrooms, BSCs should understand that health and hygiene issues are not the only reasons for their widespread adoption. These systems are also providing major cost savings for building owners and managers, especially when it comes to water usage. Further, with these systems’ growing acceptance, BSCs need to know what special cleaning and maintenance requirements these fixtures may require.

Water and Cost Savings
Restroom fixtures that operate only when hand activated are helping to conserve huge amounts of water in facilities all over North America. And, because energy in the form of electricity is needed to pump water in and out of facilities, these fixtures are proving to be a significant way to conserve energy.

For instance, a small county-operated nursing home/medical facility in New Jersey installed automatic fixtures in every room’s bathroom in its 178-room facility as well as the bathrooms in the common areas. Although the fixtures were considered a major investment, “They have paid for themselves in reduced water consumption, energy and maintenance costs,” said Jim Kronemeyer, manager of mechanical services for the county’s buildings.

Although Kronemeyer said the savings were “obvious,” not requiring a formal investment analysis, he did review a study conducted by the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport before selecting the automatic fixtures. In this study, after 500,000 uses of the airport’s water faucets, the hand activated fixtures used an average of 0.20 gallons of water per use, compared to 0.65 gallons for the manual faucets. Additionally, after factoring the costs of energy, sewage and maintenance, the automatic system decreased water and energy costs by 70 per cent.

As facilities explore ways of reducing water and energy costs even further, BSCs can expect to increasingly find waterless urinal systems installed in the facilities they clean. As the name implies, these systems use no water at all. Instead, according to Klaus Reichardt, managing partner of Waterless Co. LCC, most waterless urinals in North America “utilize a removable, recyclable plastic insert or trap inserted into the urinal’s drain.”

“The trap contains a sealant liquid, which collects urine and prevents odors,” he said. “Eventually, the urine flows from the trap insert into a standard drain pipe, just as with conventional urinals.”

A Texas study of waterless urinal systems* determined that a school with 300 males and eight urinals could save as much as 864,000 gallons of water per year. This considerable water savings translated to a savings of $4,320 annually in water and sewage costs.

Cleaning and Maintenance
When low-flow/no-flow restroom fixtures were first introduced, many BSCs assumed that cleaning them would be about the same as cleaning conventional fixtures. However, they soon learned there are differences, including what types of cleaners, products, and tools are required.

Many BSCs discovered that early low-flow toilets and urinals did not generate enough water pressure to adequately remove waste. This often resulted in staining in the bowl, increasing cleaning labour time because of the need to scrub the bowl clean. Additionally, the goals of using less water and reducing related expenses were defeated because users would often flush two or three times to try and remove all waste. This problem has been rectified over the years.

Additionally, the infrared controls on early no-touch, low-flow units were not always dependable, causing more cleaning for BSCs. New technologies have improved these systems’ dependability; however, cleaning professionals should check the infrared systems on a regular basis to make sure they are operating correctly.

Waterless urinals can often be cleaned faster than conventional urinals because there are no metal areas to clean, no water deposits, and no scrubbing. Because waterless systems often have a more highly polished, liquid-repellent inner bowl surface, harsh cleaning products or scrub brushes are not necessary and, in fact, should be avoided. This is because the highly polished surface on a waterless system helps improve the drainage of the urine and keeps the urinal drier, preventing the build-up of bacteria, germs or water deposits.

It should be cleaned with a soft cloth, sponge or Johnny mop using a mild, properly diluted cleaner or disinfectant misted over the area, and then wiped off. Many times the urinal manufacturer also produces cleansers specially made to clean waterless urinal systems.

In addition, BSCs are often called upon to change the inserts every few months as well as replenish the liquid sealant in the inserts. This procedure is usually relatively quick, and some manufacturers have developed specially designed tools for refilling the sealant and removing the insert.

Benefits for BSCs
In addition to improving health and sanitation, and reducing water usage and related costs, these new fixtures may help BSCs as well. Many facilities report that after the installation of no-touch and waterless systems, malodors are less noticeable, helping to give the impression that the restroom is cleaner and more pleasant. In addition, with no mechanical parts, vandalism is often reduced.

And, because these fixtures usually have no handles or controls that need to be touched, routine maintenance involves cleaning the outer surfaces only, which helps reduce cleaning time and labour. Reducing water use improves restroom hygiene as well as bacteria counts are lowered. And, although they were not discussed in detail here, the no-touch automatic soap and paper towel dispensers have shown that they can help reduce soap and paper waste. This means they do not need replenishing as often.

Altogether, the advancements in no-touch, low-flow and no-flow restroom fixtures have helped improve sanitation and health conditions in all types of facilities, meet the growing expectations of users who are increasingly concerned about germs and cross-contamination, and make the arduous task of cleaning restrooms a bit easier for cleaning professionals.

-    Dawn Shoemaker is a writer for the building and professional cleaning industries. She can be reached at (773) 525-3021.
* Conducted in 2004 by Texas A&M University and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, along with Estes, McClure & Associates Inc., an engineering and consulting firm located in Tyler, TX.
 

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