Why does our unit smell like ammonia after a few days in the sun?
Our crew of 25 guys has one standard portable toilet on a commercial job site in Phoenix. It sits on packed dirt about 15 feet from the crane pad, so…
1answer
29views
Deb K. replied
Questions tagged “Holding tank”
158 questions across all categories.
158 questions
Construction site overnight: should we lock the porta potty, or does locking it cause more headaches? ✓ Solved
Locking the standard unit overnight is a bad idea. It creates more problems than it solves. The rental company requires free access for the service…
2answers
28views
Ray M. replied
2026: are enzyme-based deodorizers becoming the industry standard?
I've been renting portable toilets for my construction crews for years, and I always notice the difference in deodorizer quality. The standard units…
2answers
28views
Ray M. replied
What if the service truck can't reach our unit due to mud?
We have a standard portable toilet on our site for a crew of 15, placed about 40 feet from the access road on what was level ground. Last night's…
2answers
28views
Kim S. replied
Why does our construction site porta potty smell worse on Monday mornings after the weekend?
We have one standard portable toilet on a residential gut rehab. The rental company services it every Friday. It gets used by four to six workers, no…
2answers
28views
Hector V. replied
6-month farm rental: can we reduce service frequency in the winter?
We have a standard portable toilet for our ranch crew. They use it weekends only, maybe four people max for eight hours. The ground is gravel, and…
2answers
28views
Marcus B. replied
Why does our porta potty smell worse after a rainstorm?
We have a single standard portable toilet on a job site for a crew of five guys. It's been in place for about three weeks on mostly level dirt and…
1answer
28views
Carl D. replied
Crew dragged the porta potty a few feet with the skid steer and now there's blue water under it. Cracked tank? ✓ Solved
Yes, that's a cracked holding tank from the drag. Dragging a standard unit with a skid steer puts stress on the plastic tank, especially if the…
2answers
27views
Ray M. replied
What's the advantage of a portable urinal on a construction site?
I run a crew of 25 on a six-month residential gut rehab in Chicago. We have two standard portable toilets on site, placed on level gravel within 20…
2answers
27views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
Why does our porta potty smell like rotten eggs after a hot day?
We have a standard portable toilet for our backyard wedding setup. It's been out for two weeks now, serviced once a week. The unit sits in full sun…
2answers
27views
Ray M. replied
2026: are biodegradable deodorizers effective in high-heat climates?
My current crew of 80 is on a 6-month high-rise job in Phoenix. We have a cluster with six standard units and one ADA-compliant unit. The ground is…
2answers
27views
Deb K. replied
Farming season: can we reduce service frequency for a porta potty used only on weekends?
We run a working ranch and hire weekend crews during the farming season. The crews are about 10 people, working Saturdays and Sundays only. The…
2answers
27views
Marcus B. replied
Hunting camp: Will a porta potty attract bears to our site?
We're setting up a base camp for a two-week elk hunt in the Montana backcountry. There will be six of us, no alcohol, but we'll be cooking meals. The…
1answer
27views
Ray M. replied
Can a porta potty serve a family of four for a month-long remodel?
Our only bathroom is getting ripped out for a month while we expand our kitchen, so we’re looking at renting a porta potty for the first time. There…
1answer
27views
Rina K. replied
Can a porta potty be left in place over a snowy winter?
We're halfway through renovating a small cabin in the mountains and had to pause for winter. The crew left a standard portable toilet on a gravel pad…
2answers
26views
Ray M. replied
Late fall framing job: do we need antifreeze in the porta potty before overnight freezes start?
We are framing an addition on a vacant lot through November. Crew is usually 6 to 8 guys. The standard unit sits on gravel by the driveway and gets…
2answers
26views
Carl D. replied
Water line crew moving about a mile a week: can we tow a trailer unit ourselves?
We're replacing a water line along a county road, crew of six, and the work face moves roughly a mile every week. Right now we have one standard unit…
2answers
26views
Marcus B. replied
Hunting camp: will a standard porta potty's holding tank crack if it freezes solid in October?
I have a hunting camp with a remote cabin that has no septic. We use a standard portable toilet for a crew of about six people over long weekends in…
2answers
26views
Sam O. replied
What happens if the service truck can't reach our unit due to mud in October 2026?
Our site has a standard portable toilet and an ADA-compliant unit for a crew of 25, and we're on week three of a six-month build. The access road is…
1answer
26views
Carl D. replied
High-rise site: what's the backup plan if the service truck is late?
We're on a 40-story build in Phoenix with 175 workers on site daily. The porta potty setup is a cluster of eight standard units and one ADA-compliant…
2answers
25views
Deb K. replied
Why does our porta potty smell like rotten eggs after it rains?
We've got a standard portable toilet on a 50-person commercial site in Phoenix, serviced weekly. The unit sits on level dirt, and the vacuum truck…
2answers
25views
Ray M. replied
Well pump failed until spring 2027. Can a family of four rely on one porta potty for 6 months?
Our well pump failed last week and the replacement parts are backordered until spring 2027. We're a family of four with no running water until then.…
2answers
25views
Marcus B. replied
Why does our construction site porta potty smell like ammonia on hot October afternoons?
We have a standard portable toilet for a crew of 15 working a six-week residential addition in Chicago. It's on gravel in the side yard, and the…
2answers
25views
Hector V. replied
What's the most unusual thing you've found in a porta potty?
Nine years on the route, and I thought I'd seen it all: the usual phones, wallets, the odd shoe. But last week took the cake. An entire, fully…
3answers
24views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
Family of four during a septic repair: Is one porta potty enough for two weeks?
Our septic system is getting replaced starting Monday, and the contractor says it will take about two weeks. The rental company recommended a single…
2answers
24views
Marcus B. replied