In most instances, the simplest way to add a bathroom in a garage is to install an upflush toilet system where there is no existing toilet hookup. With this type of system, there is no need to bust up the concrete floor. An upflush toilet has a pumping station (located behind the toilet) that the toilet is connected to. The pumping station sends the wastewater into a 1-inch pipe that is connected to the sewer line.
These appliances can be connected to most upflush systems
- kitchen sinks
- bathroom sinks
- dishwashers
- bathtubs
- showers
- laundry sinks
- clothes washer indirectly *recomended that it be drained into the laundry sink first*
The pump
There are 2 types of pumps used in the pump station.
- Macerating pump, This pump is used in the less expensive pump stations and are known to plug more frequently.
- Grinder pump, This pump cost a little more and can handle larger items that might get flushed. They are less likely to get plugged.
Are upflush toilets hard to install
No, they are not hard to install.
- The water supply line to the toilet is a standard hookup
- The pumping station plugs directly into a standard wall outlet
- The piping from the pumping station uses standard pvc piping available from any building supply store
- The hardest part is attaching the toilet to the floor using anchor bolts
Does the upflush toilet system look like a regular toilet
Yes, it can.
The complete system can be made to look just like a regular toilet when you use an extension pipe to place the pumping station behind a wall hiding it from view.
Yes, the toilet looks and works just like a regular toilet. The only difference between a regular toilet and an upflush toilet is that when you flush the upflush toilet the waste comes out the rear of the toilet bowl and travels to the pumping station where a regular toilet the waste exits the bottom into the sewer pipe.
Without the extension pipe, the pumping system attaches directly to the rear of the toilet and is visible inside the bathroom.
Does the toilet sit directly on the floor with the upflush toilet system or do I need to build the floor up
The upflush toilet systems I am talking about in this article have the pumping station attached directly to the rear of the toilet.
The toilet sits directly on the finished floor and is connected to the floor using bolts.
If you install a bathtub or shower unit draining into the toilet pumping station the bathtub or shower unit will need to be on a raised platform. Minimum 6 inches, recommended 8 inches. You need to raise the units to provide room for the trap and the required 1/4 inch per foot slope on the drainpipe going to the pumping station.
Is there a upflush system that I use a regular toilet with
The system is called a Low Profile Sewage System
We are not talking about this system in this article.
Here is a short overview of the low-profile sewage system.
The system sets on top of the floor 6 inches and the toilet sits on top of that. You can hook up a sink or shower to the system just like the upflush toilet. Both systems use the same technology, a pump, and switch housed in a pumping station.
How many different parts are there with a upflush toilet system
- The toilet, which looks just like a regular toilet except the waste or drain hole comes out of the rear of the toilet and not the bottom.
2. The pumping station, is located behind the toilet and the toilet connects to it by a rubber sleeve or an extension pipe, The pumping station has a pump and a micro switch inside to operate the unit.
Do I need to have access to the upflow sewage pumping system
Yes, you will need to have access to the pumping station if something gets clogged in the pump or the microswitch malfunctions.
The standard toilet is connected directly to the pumping station. The pumping station is visible inside the bathroom.
You can add an extension tube between the toilet and pumping station placing the pumping station behind a wall. You will need access and a space large enough to work on the pumping station when it requires servicing.
What size pipes does a upflush toilet system use
The pumping system hooks directly to the rear of the toilet if you leave it exposed
If you hide the pumping station behind a wall a 3-inch connecting pipe from the rear of the toilet to the side of the pumping station as an extension to place the unit behind a wall (special item purchased separately with the system)
2-inch piping if you hook any sinks or bathtub/shower units to the pumping station
1 1/2 inch piping for venting the pumping station
1-inch pipe for the discharge line from the pumping station to the sewer line
Do you need to vent the upflush toilet system
Yes
A 1 1/2 inch vent pipe is required on the pumping station. You will want to run the vent directly outside or into the sewer vent piping.
If you leave the vent pipe open to the room it will smell really, really bad.
Does a upflush toilet system use electricity
The pumping system plugs directly into a standard 110 – 115 volt electrical outlet. The manufacturer recommends that the circuit be protected by a ground fault circuit.
A 1/2 horsepower pump draws 4.5 amps
A 1 horsepower pump draws 9 amps
Can a home owner install the upflush toilet system
Yes if you have a basic knowledge of plumbing you could install the system. the pump plugs into a regular wall outlet (ground fault interrupt circuit protected preferred)
The hardest part for most D.I.Y.er’s would be attaching the toilet to the floor. If you have a concrete floor that the toilet will be going on you will be drilling into the concrete and installing anchor bolts. Anchor bolts can be found at most stores that carry hardware or you can order them off the internet. To drill into concrete a hammer drill with a carbide tip drill bit works the best.
The plumbing is outlined in the instructions along with the pipe sizes required for the waste lines. The water supply line is just like a standard toilet install.
If one is handy or has some family and friends that are handy yes you could install the upflush toilet system.
The stuff you never want to flush down a upflush toilet
- personal hygiene products
- cotton swabs
- dental floss
- condoms
- diapers infant or adult
- paper towels
- razor blades
- cat litter
- news papers or candy wrappers
- hair or pet fur
All uplift toilet systems use a pumping system to lift the discharge waste up into the sewer pipes. The pump chops the material into very small pieces and makes a slurry out of the material. The pump then forces the slurry through the 1-inch discharge line up into the sewer line.
If any of these items are flushed down the toilet they will get lodged in the pump’s impellers. The pump system must be dismantled and the foreign objects removed. Cleaning the objects out of the pump is not a hard job, just a nasty one. A homeowner can complete the cleaning if they follow the owner’s manual.
Human waste and light toilet paper are the only items recommended to be flushed down an uplift toilet system.
Can I hook up a bathtub and sink to the upflush toilet system
Some upflush systems are designed to accept wastewater from
- vanity sinks
- showers
- bathtubs
- utility sinks
- cloths washers
When a cloths washer is using the upflush system the manufacturer recommends that the washer drains into a utility sink first. I believe this is to reduce the suds and flow rate into the pump.
How does a bathtub or shower hook up to a upflush toilet system
It is recommended by the manufacturer that a bathtub or shower be elevated on a platform to a height of 8 inches of the floor. The platform is required to get the drain trap and pipe pitch to the pumping system.
The platform is made with a 2″ x 8″ lumber set on its edge with plywood on top.
The 2-inch piping goes directly to the fitting on the side of the pumping station.
Can the upflush toilet system run 2 toilets
The simple answer is no.
The upflush toilet system is designed to operate a single toilet.
For multiple toilets, you will need to install a sump sewage system with a grinder pump. Installing this system requires piping under the concrete slab. The sump sewage system is designed to discharge the entire household waste.
How many feet up will the upflush toilet system pump the waste
15 to 25 feet is how high a upflush pumping system will push the waste material.
A 1 horsepower pump motor (1 hp 115v 9 amps) will lift the waste up to 25 feet.
A 1/2 horsepower pump motor (1/2 hp 115v 4.5 amps) will lift the waste up to 15 feet.
The horizontal push of waste material with a 2% slope is from 60 feet to 150 feet and that depends upon the distance the material needs to be lifted.
What does a upflush toilet system cost
$1,000 to $2,300 is the average cost range for a upflush toilet system which includes the toilet and pumping system.
Add
- piping to sewer line
- piping for venting
- piping for additional fixtures
- dedicated electric outlet
- extention line from toilet to pumping station if you want to hide the unit behind a wall
*This is an estimate and does not include any labor.
coming soon a products page*
Do upflush toilets smell
Upflush toilet systems will occasionally smell if they are not cleaned and descaled regularly with the manufacture recommended products.
With proper cleaning and descaling no one should be able to tell if you have a up flush system.
Descaling is the process of removing the mineral buildup inside the pumping system by letting the pump sit in a special solution for 2 hours or more with the power turned off to prevent the pump from operating.
How long do upflush toilets last
The system should last 10 years or more with proper maintenance and cleaning. The items that fail are the pump and microswitch. These items are serviceable and can be replaced as needed. The entire unit does not need to be replaced if the microswitch or pump fails.
The entire system will last for several decades as long as parts are available.
How long are the warrantees normally for the upflush toilet systems
2 to 3 years are the industry standard for warranties on the up flush system.
The toilet is not the item that fails, it is the pumping system behind the toilet.
Which system is better a Macerating sewage pump or a Grinder sewage pump
A grinder pump will handle larger items including a limited amount of plastics and larger amounts of paper products.
Macerating pumps work just fine for human waste and a light amount of toilet paper. These systems are good for a house with adults.
If you have children or the toilet is used as a rental you should get a grinder pumping system.
What is the best upflush toilet for a bathroom
There are several very good toilet systems on the market today.
I am fond of the Sanibest Pro upflush system by Saniflo. the reason I like this model is that it houses a true grinder pump. the grinder pump can handle larger material and some plastics and cotton swabs which makes it less likely to malfunction. The system does cost a little more than the Macerating pump but it is worth the added expense because sometimes you can’t control what will get flushed.
Upflush toilet common problems
The pump makes a horrible noise after you flush the toilet.
- object stuck in the pump blades like dental floss or plastic.
The pump runs at random times on and off
- material lodged under the micro switch or the rubber switch membrane could be damaged
The pump keeps running
- micro switch could be stuck up, material lodged in the discharge pipe, material lodged in the pump discharge, bad micro switch
The unit has smells coming from it
- requires descaling and cleaning, bleach or toilet bowl cleaner may damage the pump or rubber gaskets, use only suggested cleaner recommended by the manufacturer
The pump is not running
- check power supply, ground fault could be tripped, check outlet for power, micro switch could be not functioning
Foam seeping out of the top of pumping station
- rubber gaskets failed and need replacing
Material backing up into the shower unit
- discharge line blocked or pump not running check power supply
Will a upflush toilet system flood my basement with sewage
No, there is a check valve in the discharge line that will prevent the mainline from pushing sewage back into the area where the pump is housed.
What kind of maintenance is required for the upflush toilet system
The toilet itself is built just like a normal toilet except is a rear discharge, the waste flows out the rear and not the bottom of the unit. The toilet will require the normal maintenance that your standard toilet requires because the parts are the same, just the bowls are different.
The upflush system does require regular maintenance including cleaning. This is where the pump and electronics are located.
A special product is used for cleaning the internal of the pumping system. Saniflo has a descaled and cleaner that they recommend using regularly. The way it is used is you unplug the unit, turn the power off to the pump so the material can soak the pump’s internal parts. Add the descaling material to the toilet bowl and flush the toilet. Now the cleaner is inside of the pump area. Let the material rest inside the pump area for a couple of hours then plug the unit back in, turn the power back on.
Unless there is a problem with the pump or electronics the maintenance is really simple.
Where does the waste go from a upflush toilet
When you flush the toilet the waste travels to a chamber that houses a pump. The pump activates reducing the size of the waste along with pushing it into a 1-inch discharge pipe that is connected to the building’s main sewer line (3 inches or 4 inches) that flower to the septic tank or municipal sewer line.
There is a check valve in the 1-inch discharge line, just above the pump, that prevents the discharged waste material from flowing back into the area where the pump is housed.
How much will a bathroom increase my house value
Adding a bathroom in your basement will increase the value of your house and it depends upon
- what region of the country you are in
- what other rooms were added
- what type of finishes were used
- is the basement a walkout or garden level
- is the basement a full or partial basement
According to Remodeling cost vs value 2020, national data did not have a basement remodel in their listings. I had to go back to 2016 to find that they put a return on investment of 70% on average for all the regions
If you are going to add just a toilet to the basement the value you receive will be limited compared to if you added a full bathroom off from a bedroom or office.
It is hard so say with certainty how much value will be added to your house but we can say your house will be worth more with the added bathroom than without.
I hope you found this article helpful
Good luck
Gary
3/5/2021 updated 2/15/2022