| Can I install a toilet in my basement? | | | | drain the basement fixtures into existing drains from |
| The most difficult new additions of plumbing fixtures | | | | the house. You might get lucky and find the drain |
| are tubs, showers and toilets. Obviously the difficulty | | | | coming down a wall and through the floor and be |
| arises from the need to drain from the bottom. I | | | | able to tap into it and minimize the lift needed but lift |
| read in threads all of time where people ask “I | | | | will still be needed. If not, you will have to locate |
| have a tub, can we take it out and replace it with a | | | | where it leaves the house above and facilitate a |
| shower and a toilet or bidet”. Well it is easier to | | | | connection to that and install a sump type system to |
| replace a tub with a shower but toilets require a | | | | take the effluent from the toilet and pump it up and |
| larger drain and thus a lot of changes in the overall | | | | out. There are several types of systems for this. |
| plumbing which is located in the floor. The question of | | | | You can buy a complete sump and pump system |
| the week was how about a basement? How easy is | | | | that comes in a drum type device that can be buried |
| it to add a bathroom with a toilet to my basement? | | | | simply in a hole beneath the toilet requiring only a |
| The simple answer is ITS NOT EASY. To have an | | | | simple cut in the concrete and a hole deep enough to |
| operative toilet you need 3 things, a water supply, a | | | | bury the device. Another alternative is to raise the |
| drain line and a vent (drains don’t work | | | | toilet up above floor height to allow for a drain line |
| effectively without one). Additionally you are usually | | | | out the bottom and connect to an external pump |
| dealing with a steel reinforced concrete slab that is | | | | either beside or behind the toilet. This can be done |
| the basement floor. Let’s talk about each | | | | by building a frame cover with plywood to hide the |
| individually: | | | | mechanics or there are complete devices that can be |
| 1. WATER SUPPLY – probably the easiest thing | | | | purchased that already have the box, drain and pump |
| to accomplish. Many basements have laundry fixtures | | | | in one fiberglass assembly. Either of these last |
| that are easy to tap to provide water and if not the | | | | two options will require a step up to the toilet or that |
| main water line from the street comes into, through | | | | the entire bathroom be raised above floor level. The |
| or just above the basement allowing for easy access. | | | | latter will make a cleaner neater appearance but a |
| Additionally of you are just building out your | | | | step up from floor level into the bathroom will be |
| basement you have the full ability to hide the piping | | | | required. These lift pump and complete assemblies |
| from the source to where you need it in the stud | | | | can be bought for from $400 to $1500 plus labor to |
| partition walls. If none of those sources are easy it is | | | | install. |
| a simple job to find a water line from the kitchen or | | | | 3. VENT – Most people underestimate the value |
| bathrooms above to pull a supply line from. So take a | | | | and importance of the vent. A vent does two things, |
| look around and see where you can get the water | | | | it allows the drain to breathe so that water flows out |
| and keep in mind you want to get it from the | | | | as it should and secondly it takes dangerous sewer |
| shortest distance to keep from losing water pressure | | | | gases up and out of the house. If your home is |
| from a long complicated run. | | | | properly vented now with some over capacity of |
| 2. DRAIN LINE – Probably the hardest thing to | | | | needed vent you will simply need to locate the |
| accomplish. This may require cutting into the concrete | | | | nearest vent above the basement level and tap into |
| floor and not just a hole underneath the fixture but | | | | it. In your house is already suffering from inadequate |
| may require a trench across the floor to the outside | | | | or minimum venting then you will have to run a vent |
| to the main drain. Depending on the depth below | | | | pipe from the basement up through the house and |
| ground of the basement this may actually be | | | | out and above the roof line of your house. This will |
| impossible because the last time I checked water | | | | of course require getting into walls, the attic and |
| does not run uphill without some considerable | | | | piercing and resealing your roof. |
| encouragement. So your only alternative would be to | | | | |