Saniflo is probably the most well-known macerator manufacturer in the plumbing industry. The Saniflo brand is to macerators what Hoover is to vacuum cleaners.
For installers, it is also relevant to compare macerators to another famous brand. As with Marmite, some plumbers and installers love them and some hate them.
As a manufacturer we understand. On the one hand, they provide robust solutions that overcome a myriad of drainage issues, but if they go wrong, it can be a bit of a dirty job to fix them. The good news is that Saniflo has a network of registered engineers up and down the UK that fix Saniflos for a living.
According to Saniflo engineer, Jeff Phipps of J&H Services, a registered Saniflo Service Engineer, 99% of call outs to macerators are down to misuse and lack of maintenance;
“A Saniflo has its place and can really facilitate the installation of cloakrooms, shower rooms, laundry rooms – even kitchens – in spaces with a lack of drainage. They work brilliantly. As engineers we get calls to attend units that have clogged, but it is pretty much always down to the user throwing things down the loo they shouldn’t and this can stop the unit from working. It’s an easy fix in the majority of cases, but admittedly a bit unpleasant! Another issue is limescale build-up and there is such a simple solution for this – Saniflo descaler. Education is key and when we install a unit, we always ensure we point out the pitfalls from misuse and recommend descaling every six months.”
This view is echoed by Dan Brooks of RH Moss & Co, a certified Saniflo engineer based in Nottingham;
“When a macerator is used properly it will last for many years – we have customers that have already had 20 years’ service from theirs and so they are big advocates for them, but the perception about them being noisy and smelly does persist. If the unit is installed properly (we do come across cases where they aren’t) and used and maintained properly, they are neither and indeed the newer products are actually quieter than a toilet flush. The Saniflo range itself is so versatile. We can instal anything from a single unit in a domestic property through to a bank of WCs in a commercial environment.”
Saniflo products serve a purpose when gravity drainage is unavailable or complicated and they help avoid the need for groundworks, digging up flooring etc when installing new facilities.
According to Sam Peck, a registered installer from Essex, the beauty of being a registered Saniflo installer is access to a huge range of products;
“Saniflo probably has the biggest range of products on the market and hand on heart, they are also the best macerators by far. There is a unit for pretty much every job we go out to and I have 3 in my own home which is how I ended up becoming a registered engineer. From a small cloakroom to a full extension, there are products that make any size of job possible. As well as installation I also service, repair and maintain Saniflo products throughout the Essex area. Another great aspect of working with Saniflo is the technical team. If we are on a tricky job or have a question on a unit we don’t use often, there is an expert on the end of the phone to help.”
To find out more about Saniflo’s products and solutions visit: www.saniflo.co.uk
