ARIDIAN / FALCON WATERLESS URINALS
Gentworks Ltd.
The Barn, Emmington, Oxon OX39 4AA
t.0845 202 4535 f.0870 458 1884
e. [email protected] w. www.gentworks.co.uk
company registration no. 4270139
FAQs – Your questions answered by Gentworks:
What is the difference between the cartridges for the Armitage Shanks Aridian and Falcon Waterfree bowls?
There is no difference. In fact, the cartridges supplied for Aridian bowls are usually branded Falcon Waterfree Technologies.
How long do the cartridges last?
Armitage Shanks says that the cartridge will need changing after 7,000 uses. In our experience, we have had a few reports from customers
with very busy washrooms (e.g. schools) saying they needed changing every month, which makes them potentially expensive solution for
such facilities. Mostly, the feedback we receive is that they last for around 3 months. Of course, in a low usage area like a home, then they
could easily last for a year or more, making them an ideal solution.
How can I tell when a cartridge needs changing?
The cartridge will gradually become full of debris, including hair and urine crystals. When it is completely full, you will either see urine
pooling in the bowl or the blue sealant will show. The cartridge should be changed immediately in either of these cases. Before the
cartridge becomes completely full, there is a noticeable reduction in the speed of drainage.
Can I re-use the cartridges?
Yes, in theory, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The cartridge will need to be cleaned out manually (not a pleasant task) and then soaked in
a bactericide for several hours. A new sealant sachet will need to be purchased before reinstalling the cartridge. Over the years, Gentworks
has supplied thousands of cartridges to hundreds of users and we’ve only come across one user who has taken the trouble to go through a
recycling process!
Why does my washroom still smell even though I only recently replaced the FALCON cartridge?
The first models of Aridian urinals were prone to odour problems but a few years ago the seal between the trap and the bowl ceramics was
greatly improved. The current models should hardly smell at all! If smells are truly emanating from the trap (not from somewhere else in
the washroom) then the most likely reason is that the sealant has been degraded. This is often caused by someone over using a cleaning
product that contains a degreaser, as many do. Pouring a quantity of water down the bowl can also flush the sealant away. If you believe
the cartridge isn’t full of debris, then you could just pour in some more sealant, available in sachets.
Tracing the source of an odour can be difficult, but is usually attributable to down to poor cleaning & maintenance rather than a fault of
the Waterless Urinal System. The key reason that most urinals are not smelly is that the cleaners are using appropriate cleaning chemicals
and doing their job properly.
The most common causes of odour are:
•
poor cleaning particularly where urine splashes have not been effectively cleaned. The tell tale signs are brown staining
underneath the urinal bowl, especially around traps or the underside of the urinals or from floor and walls around the urinals.
This can be resolved using a microbiological cleaning fluid such as Gentworks Bio-Blue and by making sure that cleaners have
adequate time, training and diligence to do a good job.
•
smell can be a legacy of past problems where flushed urinals have backed up and overflowed or because of split pipes or dripping
pipe connections. These situations cause urine to soak into panels, walls and service duct areas and the foul smells are therefore
likely to be embedded in the fabric of the washroom.
When urine is passed it is a sterile liquid, but when it is allowed to go stale bacteria will develop and cause the ammonia smell. This process
usually takes around 2 and 3 months to develop, but could be faster.
Other considerations.
•
Heavily Used Washrooms:
If you have high traffic in a washroom, for example during a 15 minute coffee break at a conference,
then don't be surprised if the washroom smells for a while afterwards. This may not be a problem with the urinals. Of course fine
particles of urine are sprayed into the air and the only real solution to this is to change the air in the washroom, so ensure it is
well ventilated. Failing this, then an air freshener might help to disguise the odour.
•
Hot washrooms:
If the washroom is very warm, odour causing bacteria multiply more quickly.
What should I clean the bowl with?
Armitage Shanks say a "non-degreaser liquid" should be used and this would be ideal. However, many cleaning products necessarily
contain some form of degreaser. Strong acids, including products containing phosphoric acid, should certainly not be used. As no water is
being used there is no limescale to remove so no aggressive chemicals are required. A neutral (pH=7) product should work well, even if it
contains soap, providing that as little as possible is allowed to drain into the trap. Just spray onto the surface and wipe off the excess. A
popular product choice of Gentworks customers for this purpose is Gentworks Bio-Blue, which is neutral when diluted 10:1.
