The installation is a basement toilet is a fairly straightforward procedure that can be accomplished by a moderately skilled homeowner or handyman. It is identical to installing a toilet anywhere else in the house with the slight addition that allowance must be made so that the toilet has proper access to the house’s waste lines. For the purposes of this article, we will assume that the water supply and drain have already been “roughed in.” If it hasn’t we recommend calling your local plumbing company to do this work.

Access to Waste Line

Modern toilets use a gravity assist system. For this system to work, the waste pipes must be below the level of the toilet. This is not a problem for the upper stories and in homes with a half basement as the sewer main is buried in the ground.

In homes with a full basement and a sewer line that is above the level of the basement toilet, a pump system must be included to help the waste into the sewer line and to keep it from backing into the basement toilet.

The most common solution to this problem is to purchase and install an “upflushing” toilet. This toilet contains a pump and that pushes the waste directly into the sewer line. These toilets are actually quite easy to install.

Installation of the Toilet Itself

Regardless of toilet you choose, installation is fairly easy. The fixture must be attached to the floor and then the drain must be connected to the sewer line. In the case of a traditional toilet, the fixture will either be placed on a pedestal or the slab will have to be penetrated to accommodate the drain.

In an up flush system, the toilet will merely rest on the slab. In either case, do not flush any of the other toilets in the house nor use any of the sink drains, until installation is complete, as the waste water may flow out of the uncapped pipe in the basement.

Once the attachment to the drain is accomplished, connect the water supply to the toilet. Turn on the water, plug in the pump and test the system. All basement toilets operate just like a traditional toilet.