sanitation
How often should I empty my RV’s black holding tank?
Living with a black holding tank is one of the less thrilling aspects of a long RV adventure. But caring for your black holding tank will help you avoid common issues like persistent odors, clogs, and false sensor readings. One of the most important things to know about your holding tank is when to empty it (although knowing where to empty it is also handy).
More frequent emptying is not necessarily better, and will actually probably worsen your holding tank issues. If you dump the tank often or keep it hooked up to the campground’s sewer system, the liquid waste will drain out, but the solids will remain. That’s how you end up with residual waste caked to your tank's sides, interfering with sensor readings.
Instead, wait until your holding tank is about 2/3 of the way full so that when you dump it, there’s adequate flow. With two people living in the RV, that shouldn’t be less than one week, but keep an eye on your sensors.
If you have a grey holding tank that also needs to be emptied, dump the black before the grey. The greywater, which comes from your sink and shower, will flush out any remaining solids in your hose.
After a while, you might notice your sensors not reading as well as they used to, or a residual odor emitting from your black tank. When this happens, you can always use a packet of deodorizer to deep clean everything. Commando contains powerful enzymes that break down solids and digest odor-causing bacteria. Just drop in a packet, add water, and wait about 12 hours. Your tank will be good as new.
New Products for Sinks
Frequent hand washing is encouraged in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). As such, demand for portable sinks has risen dramatically. If you rent portable sinks, it's more important than ever to keep them sanitized and functioning. Walex has two new products—chlorine pellets and self-adhesive repair patches—to help you keep your sinks in top shape and your customers happy.
Chlorine pellets make it easy to keep your handwash station's holding tank clean and free from microorganisms. Simply drop one in the tank where it will dissolve in approximately one hour. One pellet normally treats 29 gallons of water. We should stress that these pellets are designed to treat non-potable water only. You'll still need to clean your handwash stations regularly to prevent mold and grime from growing.
We also recommend investing in self-adhesive patches so you can quickly repair any damaged handwash sinks; with the demand for sinks so high, you can't afford to have one sitting on the sidelines! Walex Porta-Patch is a UV light activated fiberglass reinforced self-adhesive repair patch. It cures in sunlight in 15 to 30 minutes or with our UV flashlight in as little as five minutes. Once cured it is rot-proof and waterproof and can be drilled, sanded or painted.
If you have any questions about sink maintenance or want to place an order, call us a 800-338-3155.