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Hunting cabin: can a porta potty handle 3 months unused?

Luis A.asked 1 viewHome Renovations & Long-termHome and long termService frequencyLong term rentalWinterizationRemote location

I have a hunting cabin up in the mountains, no septic, just an outhouse that's seen better days. I'm thinking about putting a standard portable toilet up there for the fall and winter seasons. The cabin gets used maybe four or five weekends from October through December, so the unit would sit unused for three weeks at a time. It's just me and a couple of buddies, so we're talking low use. The ground is gravel and mostly level, but the access road gets snowed in. The service truck has to drive 40 miles one way to reach us, and I can't guarantee it can get through after a big snow. I'm wondering if a standard unit can handle sitting for three months with no service visits, especially with the freezing temperatures. Will the holding tank just freeze solid? Does the deodorizer stop working after a few weeks? Is there a better type of unit for this kind of remote, intermittent use?

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Sam O.Portland, OR

Yes, a standard portable toilet can handle three months of intermittent use at your cabin if you adjust the service schedule and prepare for winter. The main challenge is the holding tank freezing solid when the unit sits unused for weeks in cold weather. Most rental companies will add a brine or non-toxic antifreeze solution to the tank during a pre-winter service visit to prevent freezing down to a certain temperature. The deodorizer will lose effectiveness over several weeks, but since you have low use, odor may not become a problem between your weekend visits.

A standard unit is your best option here because it has no fresh water components that can freeze and rupture. A deluxe unit with a flushing mechanism or a handwash station would be riskier because their water tanks are prone to freezing. The key is to schedule a service visit right before the first snowfall to winterize the unit, and another after the season ends. Explain the access road situation to your rental company; they may charge a trip fee for the long drive and might not service during deep snow, so you would need to plan around weather forecasts. For just a few people, one standard unit is sufficient.

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