Basement Bathroom

I've begun phase II of our basement finishing. Phase I was pretty basic, a rec room. Phase II will bring my wood shop (yay!) and a bathroom. We have some plumbing roughed in place from the original construction. I can see what appears to be a vent pipe capped from below and there are plenty of water lines to tap into. Of course, my concern is the drain.

There are PVC pipes in the floor already, one is capped with a styrofoam circular cap about 6 inches in diameter at floor level. I assume this is a a toilet flange. Next to it is a small box framed in with lumber. The center, about 12" X 12" is just dirt. Here I assume I'll find a trap for a shower. I don't think there is anything else down there. I can handle all the connections at this end, even moving them if I need to.

What I don't know about is the other end. I do know these drains go to a sump pit by the furnaces. It's an "open" pit with a pump in the bottom. The furnace condensate lines, humidifier, softener and floor drain all run into this pit as well. It works well enough today but I don't want bathroom waste running into an open pit. I assume I'll have to convert it to a sealed system of some sort with a sewage sump pump. This is where I am clueless. What do I need to do/look for to accomplish this?

I can provide more info and pics if necessary. I'm a couple months of weekends away from plumbing anyway as I just started the framing.

TIA [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Run some water through a drain and see if it ends up in the pit.

Egon

Are you on a septic system?

If so, it's possible that the lines from the "pit" do not run into the septic tank, but are just directed to a drywell or daylight.

The rough drains from the future bathroom should be tied into the septic system. If you ran a snake through the lines and it ended up in the "pit" I guess they really do go there, but it seems strange to me.

Yes, we're on a septic and the current sump pit pumps to the septic. The sump pit is below the septic inlet level, thus the sump pump. There is another sump pit for the basement perimeter drains that just pumps to the ground but it has never had water in it.

I know where all the rough-ins are from the construction phase. My question is how do I convert an "open" system to a sealed system to deal with the bathroom waste? By "open" I mean that I can lift a lid on the sump pit and look right down into the water below. The lid is to prevent kids and other debris from falling in, it does not seal the pit tightly [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I know that there are boxes made to mount below a toilet in cases where the sewer line is above the toilet. It's a sealed plastic unit with a float and pump. And the pump is made to handle solids. I think macerator pump is the term. Your pump is perhaps not made for that type of use.

Hmmm??? Kids=debris? Nice! [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]

Irrespective of your intent, placing kids in that box violates several state criminal statutes, and a few plumbing codes as well most likely!

Seriously, if you can avoid a macerator pump in favor of a separate digestion tank and a "clear water" pump you will have a lot less maint headaches. Then there are the Incincolet (sp?) electric incinerating toilet (really is odor free), composting toilets (also odor free), and other solutions. Gary has raised an improtant issue! Your current pump is likely not rated for raw sewage (with solids content) and will choke and die in short order if pressed into service pumping that sh--.

The flush up hill from your basement widely advertised systems are pricey and use a macerator pump prone to maint.

Are we correct in assuming you do not have a walkout basement? I'm reminded of the sub basement of Whitehall near where Sir Winston Churchill had his WW II command center. There are sump pumps to take care of that part of the Thames that leaks in but you have to go up a level to find a toilet, drain, or a tap. Makes the logistics of brewing tea a bit of a bother.

If you get back with the results of Egon's suggested tests and other info you might develop while exploring your situation we can give better advice.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Sounds like I need something like this...

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/images/wcbasin5.gif

From someplace like this . The pit (basket) is very similar to what I already have except this one is all sealed up. Of course that means I need to add a vent as the vent for the bathroom is on the other side of the basement.

Anyone have one of these or similar?

Thanks for the ideas everyone [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Yup...

That'd be the ticket. Do verify that your drains are actually going where you think they are tho...wouldn't be much point in upgrading that pit if it's not actually catching anything from the toilet...

Pat, I was just musing on Rob's last statement of his post above:

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The lid is to prevent kids and other debris from falling in, it does not seal the pit tightly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounded like kids were just 'other debris...'

[img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

First some terminology...
1. If the pit and pump go outside the house and not into the septic system it is a sump pump.
2. If the waste runs to a pit and then is pumped up to the outlet into the septic tank it is more often called an ejector pit.

Take a look at your pit. Is it a plastic tank witha pump in it? Does it have a cover? This pit may work fine but just be missing the cover. Covers can be purchased at most home hardware stores. Just make sure it fits tight and seals the pit. Also you want to have your ejector pit vented. This is really nothing more than tying it into your current waste system venting.

I just finished such a project and the one thing you didn't mention is venting the bathroom plumbing. This can be done without tying into the existing plumbing venting. I used a check valve type of device. I can't remeber what it is called but as water drains it pulls open the vent and then when the flow stops it closes so air can get in to drain but when no water is going donw the smell doesn't get out.