I am in the process of thinking about adding a full bathroom to my currently unfinished basement and have a few questions about the rough-in. The bathroom was not roughed in when the house was built 3 years ago. A quick synopsis of what I do have:

-I have a sewage ejector pit (17” diameter, 22 inches deep) in the basement with a floor drain that runs into the pit (4” cast iron line entering the pit). Condensate from my furnace and the drain line from my humidifier run into this floor drain. There is a pump with a limit switch in the pit that operates as necessary to pump the pit to my overhead waste lines. The waste lines run in the ceiling of my basement and then drop down to about 3 ft above the basement floor to exit the house. The discharge of the pump is a 1 1/2” line that feeds from the pit to the waste line in the ceiling. The pit and the floor drain (floor drain is located less than 1’ away from the pit) both have 2” vents that come out of the pit and floor respectively, tie together and run into a vent line in my basement ceiling and up through the floor (to the roof, I assume).

From the other postings that I have read at your site, I think I understand conceptually how the waste and vent lines have to get installed:

-Toilet will have a 4” waste line that runs from the toilet to the ejector pit (in the slab). The P-trap off the lav will have a 2”x2”x 1 1/2” tee with (1) 2” line that goes down into the slab and ties into the 4” main line back to the ejector pit. The other 2” line off the tee will be the vent that ties back into the existing vent line I already have in the basement. The 2” waste line from the tub will tie into the lav drain with 2”x2”x2” wye prior to tying into the 4” waste line from the toilet.

Is this correct?

My other questions are:

1. Is there any requirement or reason to use cast iron lines vs. PVC for the lines in the slab? I received an estimate from a plumber and he included cast iron lines.
2. Do I need to change the size of my ejector pit? The estimate I received showed an 18” x 30” deep basin.
3. Is there a way to tell if the pump that is in the ejector pit is suitable for waste? What size should it be? The plumber that gave me an estimate stated that the pump would have to be changed to a 2” discharge and was not the right style. But this was done without looking at the pump.
4. Based on the price, I plan on attempting to install the rough-in myself. After I dig the trench for my waste line, what is the best technique to establish the correct pitch of the waste line? 1/4” per foot, correct? Is it OK if the pitch is greater?

Your answers to other questions on the website have been a great resource. Sorry so long winded and thanks for any help you can provide.

Steve

Quote:

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Originally Posted by schbohn

I am in the process of thinking about adding a full bathroom to my currently unfinished basement and have a few questions about the rough-in. The bathroom was not roughed in when the house was built 3 years ago. A quick synopsis of what I do have:

-I have a sewage ejector pit (17” diameter, 22 inches deep) in the basement with a floor drain that runs into the pit (4” cast iron line entering the pit). Condensate from my furnace and the drain line from my humidifier run into this floor drain. There is a pump with a limit switch in the pit that operates as necessary to pump the pit to my overhead waste lines. The waste lines run in the ceiling of my basement and then drop down to about 3 ft above the basement floor to exit the house. The discharge of the pump is a 1 1/2” line that feeds from the pit to the waste line in the ceiling. The pit and the floor drain (floor drain is located less than 1’ away from the pit) both have 2” vents that come out of the pit and floor respectively, tie together and run into a vent line in my basement ceiling and up through the floor (to the roof, I assume).

From the other postings that I have read at your site, I think I understand conceptually how the waste and vent lines have to get installed:

-Toilet will have a 4” waste line that runs from the toilet to the ejector pit (in the slab). The P-trap off of the lav will have a 2”x2”x 1 1/2” tee with (1) 2” line that goes down into the slab and ties into the 4” main line back to the ejector pit. The other 2” line off of the tee will be the vent that ties back into the existing vent line I already have in the basement. The 2” waste line from the tub will tie into the lav drain with 2”x2”x2” wye prior to tying into the 4” waste line from the toilet.

Is this correct?

My other questions are:

1. Is there any requirement or reason to use cast iron lines vs. PVC for the lines in the slab? I received an estimate from a plumber and he included cast iron lines.
2. Do I need to change the size of my ejector pit? The estimate I received showed an 18” x 30” deep basin.
3. Is there a way to tell if the pump that is in the ejector pit is suitable for waste? What size should it be? The plumber that gave me an estimate stated that the pump would have to be changed to a 2” discharge and was not the right style. But this was done without looking at the pump.
4. Based on the price, I plan on attempting to install the rough-in myself. After I dig the trench for my waste line, what is the best technique to establish the correct pitch of the waste line? 1/4” per foot, correct? Is it OK if the pitch is greater?

Your answers to other questions on the website have been a great resource. Sorry so long winded and thanks for any help you can provide.

Steve

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Good morning Steve,

You should look at this first. It will explane a lot of things; http://www.pumpshop.us/sewage-pumps.html

First I'll address your questions and concerns and then I have a few of my own.

"Toilet will have a 4” waste line that runs from the toilet to the ejector pit (in the slab). The P-trap off the lav will have a 2”x2”x 1 1/2” tee with (1) 2” line that goes down into the slab and ties into the 4” main line back to the ejector pit. The other 2” line off the tee will be the vent that ties back into the existing vent line I already have in the basement. The 2” waste line from the tub will tie into the lav drain with 2”x2”x2” wye prior to tying into the 4” waste line from the toilet."

This configuration works for me. The tub and toilet will be wet vented by the lav vent. However, I have a real problem with the word "pit". ( more about that later).

"1. Is there any requirement or reason to use cast iron lines vs. PVC for the lines in the slab? I received an estimate from a plumber and he included cast iron lines."

Since PVC is easier to work with and I consider it more durable I would convert to plastic.

"2. Do I need to change the size of my ejector pit? The estimate I received showed an 18” x 30” deep basin."

What you have is a sump., what you must have is a closed holding tank. If you use the present pit for sewage you would be installing a open cesspool in your basement. (I'm suprised your plumber didn't point this out to you.) You will have to install a sewerge holding tank with a seperate vent, this vent can not be tied into any other existing branch vent due to the fact when you discharge into the closed holding tank it belches sewer gas out its vent,( your house venting system was designed to relieve vacume not accept pressure,) while when the grinder pump, (see the link I provided) discharges it sets up a vacume in the tank that's relieved by the vent so the tank needs a separate vent.

"3. Is there a way to tell if the pump that is in the ejector pit is suitable for waste? What size should it be? The plumber that gave me an estimate stated that the pump would have to be changed to a 2” discharge and was not the right style. But this was done without looking at the pump."

I don't have to look at the pump to tell you it must be changed.
This is why I gave you the link to study. Since you are planing a full bathroom you will have to have a grinder ejector pump to reduce the solids to a slurry that can be pumped.

"4. Based on the price, I plan on attempting to install the rough-in myself. After I dig the trench for my waste line, what is the best technique to establish the correct pitch of the waste line? 1/4” per foot, correct? Is it OK if the pitch is greater?"

The acceptable slope is 1/4" to the foot although if you're in a tight situation 1/8" is acceptable. Too little slope and the discharge won't have the required velocity to carry the solids. Too much slope will have the liquid flowing so fast it will drop the solids. it's better to stick with 1/4" slope on the run and if you come out too high 45 down to the connection.

I hope this answers your questions. More questions? I'm as close as a click.
Good luck on your project. Tom

Tom,

Thanks for the information. The web site you directed me to was excellent. However, I have a couple of clarifications and follow-up questions.

I probably used the wrong term when I said I have a “sewage ejector pit”. What I have is a fully encased basin, with a pump and sealed lid, very similar to what was shown in the drawing on the web site you referred me to. From the web site, I was able to determine that I do have to change my basin size.

The sewage basin I have now, which is only being fed by a floor drain, has a common vent line with the floor drain, and I believe by looking at some pre-construction video, is also sharing the vent line with another lav on the first floor.

1. From your response, I am assuming that this really is not allowed, or is that only when you start putting sewage into the basin?

2. Do I have any options for venting the basin (once I put sewage into it) that don’t require me to run a vent up through the roof of my 2 story house? Can I vent it out the side of my house in the basement?

Thanks,
Steve

Quote:

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Originally Posted by schbohn

Tom,

Thanks for the information. The web site you directed me to was excellent. However, I have a couple of clarifications and follow-up questions.

I probably used the wrong term when I said I have a “sewage ejector pit”. What I have is a fully encased basin, with a pump and sealed lid, very similar to what was shown in the drawing on the web site you referred me to. From the web site, I was able to determine that I do have to change my basin size.

The sewage basin I have now, which is only being fed by a floor drain, has a common vent line with the floor drain, and I believe by looking at some pre-construction video, is also sharing the vent line with another lav on the first floor.

1. From your response, I am assuming that this really is not allowed, or is that only when you start putting sewage into the basin?

2. Do I have any options for venting the basin (once I put sewage into it) that don’t require me to run a vent up through the roof of my 2 story house? Can I vent it out the side of my house in the basement?

Thanks,
Steve

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Hi Steve,

Let me give you yet another option and I'll wait on your opinion. And yes you may vent out your side wall with some limitations. Click on or paste this up on your address bar. http://www.terrylove.com/sewage_ejector.htm
What do you think? Tom