Some promotional brochures for composting toilet systems show the unit under a cottage exposed to the elements. However, after you buy the toilet, you might see in the operating manual that the unit must be kept at 65°F (18.33°C) to operate properly.

A frozen composter might never thaw out — even during summer months, because its insulation prevents the summer heat from penetrating the ice in the fiberglass or plastic composter. Even electric heating during the summer might not bring the toilet to operating temperatures before the cottage is shut down for the season. Then the system is more a holding tank than a composter.