Winter 2026: Should we winterize our site's porta potties in late October or wait?

Schedule your winterization for late October. That first hard frost is the cutoff, not a target. A freeze-up costs more than the antifreeze. Your rental company adds a brine or non-toxic antifreeze solution to the holding tank of a standard unit to prevent the contents from freezing solid. Your ADA-compliant unit and standard units are both non-flushing, so this treatment works for all of them. A unit that freezes cannot be serviced. The driver's vacuum truck hose will not be able to pump out the ice, and the service visit is logged as a missed service. You get billed for the trip, and you still have a frozen toilet. The antifreeze charge is a set fee per unit. If it warms up, the treatment is still in the tank and remains effective. The risk of an October warm spell is small compared to the certainty of a November freeze in Chicago. With your units on level ground and good truck access, the driver can do the winterization quickly during a regular service. Call your rental company now to schedule it for the last week of October.