Frequently Asked Questions

The Sniffer pump completes 3 to 4 air exchange per minute for a standard size toilet bowl, which exceeds the ANSI Z9.5-2012 for laboratory fume hood requirements.  Read through our How It Works – Odor Sniffing section for a full explanation.

For comparison, a small bathroom – 6′ x 5′ with 8′ ceiling (240 cubic feet) is normally fitted with a 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) bathroom exhaust fan.  To complete the same number of air exchanges would require a bathroom exhaust fan rated for 720 to 960 CFM.  For comparison, an electric leaf blower is normally rated for 400 CFM, so you would need to install two of these in place of a bathroom fan to achieve the same results for the room as a Sniffer pump drawing odors directly from the bowl.

More importantly, our users and their families that have been involved in our testing have been surprised and impressed with the performance of the Potty Sniffer system and how clean the finished installation looks.  We are so confident that the Potty Sniffer will work for you that we are offering a 90-day customer satisfaction guarantee with every kit that we sell.

No.  The Potty Sniffer is designed to perform a very specific odor elimination task, which it does extremely well without needing additional help from a bathroom fan.  The main purpose of a bathroom fan is to remove damp air to prevent mold and moisture damage to the room.  Most municipalities now require new homes to include bathroom exhaust fans with some allowable exceptions.  Older homes built before bathroom fans were required by code normally feature an exterior window for ventilation.

No.  The air pump design includes check valves that prevent gases or fluids from backflowing through the tubing.

No, the Sniffer pump is designed to handle accidental water pumping conditions without being damaged.  However, improper adjustment of the air intake shroud or tank fill level that allows for water to be sucked into the pump during use will result in premature pump bearing failure.

In case of accidental water suction we recommend running the Sniffer pump for approximately 20 minutes to dry out the pump.  

Our Sniffer pump durability test units have been achieving 2,500 – 3,500 hours of running time under various testing conditions.  Assuming an average use of 5 times per day at 6 mins per cycle, this suggests an expected service life of somewhere between 13 to 20 years under normal operation.

Building and plumbing codes vary by state, municipality, and city so you will need to check with your local requirements for applicability.  This will be required for any new home construction or bathroom renovations requiring permits and building code inspection.  While we designed the Potty Sniffer system to conform to the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), toilet ventilation systems are not specifically covered within the scope of the code and is subject to interpretation by local building code inspectors.

When updating an existing toilet a permit is typically not required, and the Potty Sniffer is sold as an aftermarket product for DIY installation.

For new construction projects, we recommend a direct to exterior (through wall) air exhaust configuration, same as for a regular bathroom fan, if building codes don’t allow for a drain water vent (DWV) pipe connection.

Building codes differ by city and municipality and you will need to verify locally to be sure.

The IAPMO Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) section 310.1 (pg. 60) regarding “Fittings” states that “No double hub fitting, single or double tee branch… or saddle shall be used as a drainage fitting…”.  The IAPMO 2015 UPC Illustrated Training Manual clarifies that “These fittings are prohibited because either they are not true drainage fittings with contoured edges to allow proper flow into and down the pipe or they contain obstructions that may cause blockages.” 

From the wording of the clause and explanation in the training manual, the restriction on saddle style fittings is for use as a drainage fitting for water.  The Potty Sniffer exhaust fittings are meant to be used for venting air.  The risk of obstruction is also unlikely due to the Sniffer pump being able to generate 10 PSI of pressure to forcibly clear any sort of blockage.  However, since the Potty Sniffer is a new innovation, how the plumbing code is applied will be subject to interpretation by local inspectors so compliance related concerns should be verified directly with your municipality.

Exhausting directly to building exterior, same as a regular bathroom fan, is an acceptable alternative where plumbing codes are a concern.  

We recommend installing the Sniffer pump remotely in a bathroom vanity cabinet which typically measures around 52dB at a distance of 3ft.  This is just right for users who prefer a little “white noise” while doing their business.

When the Sniffer pump is installed in a toilet tank, this sound level increases to around 62dB at a distance of 3ft (about twice as loud).  This is slightly less loud than a previous generation bathroom fan, up to about 2010 when manufacturers began actively competing to have the quietest bathroom fan as a selling point.  

Check out our YouTube video:  How Loud is a Potty Sniffer???

If silent operation is preferred, the Sniffer pump may be installed remotely to a basement, garage, or attic space where the pump operating noise can be fully isolated.  

Yes.  The Sniffer pump operates with 12VDC power which is safe to touch and will not electrocute you when wet.  

The Sniffer pump enclosure is designed to meet IP64 ratings which protects against water spray and splash, but not full submersion.  The illuminated push button is also IP64 rated and can withstand water exposure and normal cleaning.

The Sniffer pump runs between 22W and 36W of power consumption depending on the length of tubing used, with longer lengths having greater resistance.  With 15′ of tubing the pump will normally run at 26W power consumption. 

When idle, the illuminated LED push button and pump controller draws 0.6mA which is only 0.01W power consumption.

For comparison, an average bathroom exhaust fan requires 36W to operate – so about 30% more than a Sniffer pump.  But where the real savings are is in the reduction in energy needed to re-heat or cool the makeup air being drawn into the home to replace air being expelled by the fan.  A Sniffer pump exhausts 2.2CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air in comparison to a bathroom fan that ranges between 50 to 100+ CFM and requires several minutes of extended run time to fully clear the bathroom air space.

Yes.  To disable the blue or green LED push button indicator light, simply disconnect the corresponding wire(s) shown here.

The Potty Sniffer is final assembled in the USA (Livonia, MI) with 50% US and 50% imported components content.

Our plastic enclosures, plastic components, tubing, and cables are manufactured in the USA.

As much as we wanted to source everything locally, the reality is that small motors and electronics, switches, connectors, and power supplies for consumer goods are difficult to source outside of Asia.  We are committed to manufacturing locally and will work to increase our domestic parts content as our business grows.