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4 Ways to Get Water Into Your Tiny Home

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Figuring out which water system will fit your tiny home best may seem like a stressful task, but it’s actually more straightforward than you’d expect. Deciding on the best system for you depends on things like the location you’re planning to live, budget, and even level of sustainability that you wish to achieve.

 

Options for Water Sources in Your Tiny Home

water tank waste tiny home new englandNo Water Source

Having no plumbing may seem like the simplest option, but it can make everyday living cumbersome. If there is no plumbing, then the only way to get water into the house is by bringing it in. This would mean that you would have to transport water bottles, bubblers, or jugs often.

Showering can also be a difficult task. In addition, storing water may become a hassle. If there is no space inside your tiny home, then you will have to keep the water outside your home; however, a problem may arise during frigid winters if the water freezes.

Not having plumbing is a great solution if your house is used for camping or as a backyard studio or guest house, but for those living in tiny houses full-time, it’s not recommended.  One benefit from this option, though, is that it will keep the cost of your tiny home down.

Tank

You may choose to install a tank into your tiny home. In this system, you will fill the tank in your home manually, via a hose or other mechanism, and then the pump will circulate the water throughout your home. You will need an electric source in order to circulate the water. This is a great option for those that want their tiny home to be able to live off the grid. With an alternative energy source like solar panels, you would not need to connect to a traditional power source, which makes this option a highly sustainable choice. Read more about living off the grid.

Like having no plumbing, this option still requires you to seek out a water source and then store the water. Tanks can be hidden in tiny homes relatively well, but it will still take up valuable space, either under the floor in part of the house, requiring steps up into part of the house, or in a utility closet. In addition, the smaller the tank is then the more often you will have to refill the tank. Having a limited supply of water will force you to be cognizant of the amount of water that you’re using and you will most likely consume less water than the traditional household (the average American household consumes up to 100 gallons of water per day).

RV Hookup

If you know that your tiny home will be staying in one location, then you may choose to directly connect to a water source. This is done the same way as a RV hookup with a simple garden hose connected to a potable (drinkable) water source. This method is the least hassle.  Those who plan to move around frequently should plan ahead to travel to places with potable water sources.

In climates where it can get cold, use heat tape to prevent your hose from freezing.  You can also bury the hose if you live in a climate that doesn’t deep freeze.

Tank + Hookup

You may choose to get the best of both worlds by installing a tank and using the RV hookup method. In doing so, you will most likely use a smaller tank than you normally would, which would allow for more space in your tiny home. The great perk about this option is that it does not close any doors. You can live off grid when you need and also on the grid whenever you please. This combination is usually ideal for most tiny home owners.

How to Pick the Best Water Source for You

Now that you know all of your options, you probably have a better idea of which option will best fit your needs. When deciding the best option for you, it is best to keep in mind how often you’re wanting to travel, if you are going to be on or off the grid, budget, level of sustainability, and you’re willingness to spend extra time to get water into your tiny home.

 

 

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Types of Toilets

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toilet tiny homes new england

TYPES OF TOILETS

For your tiny house!

B&B Micro Manufacturing’s tiny houses have multiple options for their toilets.  Depending on whether you’ll be traveling with your tiny house and where your tiny house will be located, we’ll help you decide on the best option for your tiny house toilet.

All of our tiny houses have RV hookups, so waste can be pumped out by a truck or go directly into a sewer or septic system.  If you’ll be travelling with your tiny house and won’t always be hooked up to a sewer or septic, we can put in a blackwater (wastewater) tank to hold on to the waste until the tank can be drained.

Here’s a chart to help you get started deciding which tiny house toilet is right for your situation:

Toilet Type Suggested Brand Utilities Used Hookups Required How It Works
Regular Flush Toilet Any Water Only Permanent hookup to fresh water & septic or sewer Uses water to flush waste into sewer or septic system
Macerating Toilet Saniflo Water & Power Fresh & black water tanks and/or RV hookups Grinds waste into liquid emulsion to be pumped out
Dry Flush or Casette Toilet Laveo Power Only Power & Regular Trash Pickup Like a Diaper Genie, it packages the waste with each “flush” to be thrown out in the trash.
Composting Toilet Separett Power for Fan Power & Humanure Compost System on your property Remove the waste from the toilet and deposit into a compost system on your property.
Incinerating Toilet Incinolet Power Only Uses a lot of power- not recommended for Solar Uses power to burn waste. Remove ash once a month and dump outside or throw away.
Read on for videos of how each toilet system works, explained in detail by people with delightful accents.

Regular Flush Toilets

These are the type of toilets you see in pretty much every traditional, permanently-affixed house.  If you’re not planning to move your tiny house once it’s in place, and you’ll be tying your tiny house directly into a sewer or septic system, this is your best bet.

What is a Macerating Toilet and How Does It Work?

The first option is a “macerating toilet”, which breaks up waste and toilet paper into a fine slurry that is then stored in a black water tank and finally expelled into the sewer or septic tank.  The flush mechanism is powered by electricity.  The user experience is the most similar to a regular flush toilet: press the button, water comes into the chamber and flushes the waste away.

Our Stony Ledge Tiny House, for sale now, has a macerating toilet.

View a flushing demonstration at 4:54.

What is a Dry-Flush Toilet and How Does It Work?

Another toilet option is the Dry-Flush Toilet.  The bowl is lined with foil which, when “flushed”, wraps around the waste in a sealed packet, similar to a diaper genie.  The packaged waste can then be thrown out in any trash can just like diapers.  The flushing mechanism is powered by electricity.

Our Brodie Mobile Office, for sale now, has a dry-flush toilet because the office is designed to move around without always needing to be hooked up to a septic or sewer system.

Dry Flush Toilet

Watch the video below for a demonstration of the Laveo Dry-Flush Toilet:

How does a Compost Toilet Work?

Cold Spring Tiny HouseFor those who are prepared to have Humanure human waste composting system on their property (check in with your town hall to make sure this is allowed), we offer composting toilets, and for the truly primitive campers, we can build in a toilet seat only, to use for the Bucket System.

How Do Incinerating Toilets Work?

Incinerating toilets are great for off-grid tiny houses with power but no access to sewer or septic, whose owners aren’t ready to start a Humanure compost system.  It incinerates the waste and turns it into ash, which can then be thrown away.