Why You Should Consider an up Flush Toilet
Finishing the basement is one of the most popular home renovation projects for several very good reasons. First of all, it is one of the best ways to spend your money, with a return on investment (ROI) of over 85% . Second, it’s one of the most effective ways to increase living space —and therefore equity—in your home.
When planning a basement finish, many people decide to put a bathroom there, only to find that it can be a very complex addition. This happens for two reasons: first, you may have to break down a concrete slab to install plumbing underneath the floor, and second, your basement is likely below the sewer lines serving the home. Most toilets rely on gravity, aided by water pressure, to push waste down the drain, and this simply won’t work if the waste has to go up.
However, don’t despair: you still have options.
toiletries
If the toilet will be located below the sewer line, you should consider two main options: a toilet with some kind of pump or a composting toilet. Composting toilets collect waste into a storage system , which then needs to be emptied regularly. These toilets are environmentally friendly and often require no electricity or running water at all, but keeping track of how full they are and emptying the compost can be difficult.
A more convenient option is a toilet with a pump. Ejector pump toilets use a pump similar to a sump pump to push waste into the sewer line, but this usually requires breaking down the slab and installing a pumping system under the basement floor, which increases the cost and complexity of the repair. The best option is a so-called up-flush toilet , which has a pump attached to it that pumps waste into the sewer line. This is a project that you can even do yourself if you have the skills to do some basic plumbing work.
Advantages of top flush toilets
There are several reasons why a top flush toilet is often the best option for a basement renovation:
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Easier installation. You won’t have to dismantle or dig your basement, and you won’t need to install plumbing. All that needs to be done is to lay a drain line into the sewer pipe and install a vent pipe.
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Operation. Even if you can install a gravity-flow toilet in your basement, such a low height often means more frequent backups and drainage problems. For example, any time your sewer lines become clogged after a hurricane, you may have trouble flushing your toilet. An up-flush toilet pump can solve many of these problems.
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Expenses. Up-flush toilets are more expensive than gravity toilets due to the additional equipment involved, but because they are located entirely above ground, they are often cheaper to install overall.
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Acquaintance. Unlike a composting toilet, from a user’s perspective, an up-flush toilet works exactly the same as a traditional toilet. If you close the pump system behind a wall, your guests may not even notice the difference.
Some up-flush toilets have a ” maceration ” feature that grinds waste before pumping it out, reducing the chance of clogging and making pumping more efficient.
Considerations
Upflush toilets solve a very specific problem in areas where a traditional gravity toilet would not work. But there are a few things to consider:
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Higher cost per unit. While up-flush toilets may be cheaper overall when you factor in the plumbing work you didn’t have to do, they are usually more expensive than traditional toilets.
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Electricity. For a top flush toilet, you will need a GFCI plug. If the place where you want to install the toilet does not have one, you need to connect it. However, most up-flush toilets do not require a dedicated circuit. This also means that during a power outage, your up-flush toilet will not work, but gravity-flow toilets will.
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Service. Flush toilet pumps need to be maintained like any other motorized equipment. Their tanks also need to be descaled from time to time to remove mineral deposits that can impair performance and cause foul odors.
If you want to enjoy the convenience of a bathroom in a finished basement or any area of your home located below sewer lines, an up-flush toilet is your best option.