Greetings everyone, and thank you for viewing my post.

I want to install a bathroom in my basement, but before I start ripping things up (and buying everything in sight at the home store), and after reading lots of posts on this site already, I want to ask a few questions.

First, some information. My basement is currently not plumbed for anything, although the water lines and drain pipes for the upstairs are readily accessible on the unfinished basement ceiling. I have my own septic system and my own well. The main out to the septic is about 4 feet up from the floor. There is a sealed pit (with nothing in it) under the spot in the wall where the septic goes out, and the builder dropped a power outlet just above this. In the electric box, this circuit is labeled "sump pump", but there is not one installed. The basement is always dry! Our 15-year-old home is built on and in beautifully draining sand (not so good for the grass, though). I don't even see any evidence of tiles in the basement floor-strange for Michigan, but no trouble so far. There are two vent stacks that are visible in the attic, going up through the roof. I assume the entire upstairs system is tied into these, as everything drains fine up there.

I know from reading the past few years worth of posts on this site that I will need a dedicated vent stack for a masticating pump if I install one in the empty pit that goes all the way up to the roof...

My first question is, can I avoid such maneuvers for the tub, toilet, sink, dishwasher, and bar sink that I want to install (bar will be on the other side of the wall from the proposed bathroom), or will I need to find an additional way up to the roof?

My second question is, what other hurdles will I have to installing plumbing down here?

Thanks for any help you can send my way. I am impressed with the quality and friendliness of this site!

-Jeff in Michigan

HI Jeff,

"My first question is, can I avoid such maneuvers for the tub, toilet, sink, dishwasher, and bar sink that I want to install (bar will be on the other side of the wall from the proposed bathroom), or will I need to find an additional way up to the roof?"
By "maneuvers" if you're referring to venting the above fixtures the answer is that every fixture that has a trap will have to be vented. The good news is that if local codes will allow it you may revent the fixtures back into one AAV (Air Admittance Vent) cheater vent instead of running all the way up through the roof.
"My second question is, what other hurdles will I have to installing plumbing down here?"
A holding tank will have to be installed in the sump pit. While a sump pit's open the holding tank will have to be closed and sealed with its own dedicated vent.
Next question? Regards, Tom

Thanks for your speedy and helpful reply, Tom. So if code allows, no need to seek the roof for the vent (I have a spot to run the 2 inch for the holding tank, but I'm not so sure about pushing two vents through). So far so good.

My next question involves a problem the builder and previous owner left me. The gas furnace and air conditioning unit weep into an open floor drain, which simply drains into the sand beneath the basement foundation. During hot, humid Michigan days in the summer, the pit cannot drain fast enough, creating a puddle on the floor (which I shop vac away). During the winter, the same thing happens when I try to run the humidifier attached to the furnace. No matter how much I turn down the water supply to the humidifier unit, the pad (which I replaced) supersaturates and water fills the pit (via a plastic drain hose) and creates a puddle on the floor (shop vac to the rescue again).

I want to put a sump down there to handle these little drips, but I don't know where to pump it to. My washing machine stack is upstairs and on the other side of the house, and would be 12 or 13 feet above the proposed sump. Can I tie into the existing basement plumbing on the ceiling? Can I simply run plastic hose out the side of the house (next to the air supply and exhaust lines that go to the high efficiency furnace)? Is there a better way? I am afraid if I simply spill it out the side of the house that it will freeze solid...

Thanking you in advance for any suggestions!

-Jeff in Michigan

OK Jeff,
You can tie all the basement fixture vents together and use a AAV, (see image) That's out of the way. You MAY NOT connect a sump pump, rainwater runoff, AC condensate lines or a discharge line back to your septic system. "I am afraid if I simply spill it out the side of the house that it will freeze solid."
I don't see where you have much choice. You could dig in a drywell to drain the sump into instead of out on the ground and that might solve your problem. Good luck, Tom

You MAY NOT connect a sump pump, rainwater runoff, AC condensate lines or a discharge line back to your septic system. "I am afraid if I simply spill it out the side of the house that it will freeze solid."
I don't see where you have much choice. You could dig in a drywell to drain the sump into instead of out on the ground and that might solve your problem.

Hmmm, a below frost-line drywell. That's a good idea, thanks again Tom!

-Jeff in Michigan

OK Jeff,
You can tie all the basement fixture vents together and use a AAV, (see image) I didn't get the image of the AAV up in my last post. Here tiz! Good luck, Tom