Toilet is installed on basement Rain drain

[Williamjhows]

Hi.. I just moved into a house built in the late 1800s , there is a toilet in my basement that is a American standard, date code says 1996, it seems to flush really slow, when I pulled it from the floor to see if anything was blocking, I was stunned to see it was installed on a basement rain drain! I don't know how this is even possible but it seems like if I decide to reinstall it, there is no way any solids would fit down the drain! I was wondering if it would be okay to put the toilet back down on the small rain drain and use it only for liquids? I am guessing since it has been there since '96 it must have been used for 20+ years. thanks so much!

 

[Cacher_Chick]

I would really wonder where/what the drain line is connected to. It might not be connected to a sewer line at all.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

I was stunned to see it was installed on a basement rain drain!

What is a basement rain drain?

 

[Williamjhows]

What is a basement rain drain?

It is a drain that looks like it is a opening, but it is really small, again i do not really know anything about plumbing, but i have no clue how a big toilet can drain or flush into that small hole, but it seems for 20+ years it has been able to do that

 

[Reach4]

It is a drain that looks like it is a opening, but it is really small

Is it smaller than 2.5 inches diameter (across)? Is it smaller than 2.5 centimeters?

 

[Williamjhows]

Yes, i just measured it, it is 2.5 inches diameter. I measured the American Standard toilet where the water exits, it measures 3 in

 

[Williamjhows]

Is it smaller than 2.5 inches diameter (across)? Is it smaller than 2.5 centimeters?

Yes, i just measured it, it is 2.5 inches diameter. I measured the American Standard toilet where the water exits, it measures 3 in

 

[Williamjhows]

Sorry! I meant to say the American standard measures 2in

 

[Cacher_Chick]

What is a basement rain drain?

It was pretty common in old homes to have the roof drains piped to a cistern in the basement for stored water. The overflow was piped to a drain that went back to the outside of the structure.

 

[Reach4]

Yes, i just measured it, it is 2.5 inches diameter.

What you have may be perfectly normal. Some closet flanges are that size. I suggest you post a photo (800 pixels or less).

 

[Williamjhows]

my only problem that i notice is that the drain is 2.5 at the top, but then it gets increasingly smaller as it goes down, it almost looks like a dip on the drain and it looks really small at the end, i cant figure out how to upload a picture but i found one online, mine looks exactly like this, i guess i can understand liquid coming from a toilet going down this drain, but anything else? i dont think so!

 

[Reach4]

That picture is a floor drain, and I would be surprised if the clearance was 2.5 inches. So, not normal if yours looks like that. But go ahead and post a picture of your own. Somebody you know is probably pretty good at posting photos. Maybe metal holes in the floor tend to look alike to you.

If yours has visible standing water like that photo, it is not a working toilet flange. That "really small at the end" sounds odd, but really small initially was 2.5 inches, right?

 

[Williamjhows]

Should i just take the toilet all the way out and plug up the drain? I am so amazed that a toilet was in that basement! Never seen anything so crazy!!

 

[Reach4]

Should i just take the toilet all the way out and plug up the drain? I am so amazed that a toilet was in that basement! Never seen anything so crazy!!

You don't want to do it yourself. If you plan to sell your house, a toilet is a selling feature, even if it is in an odd place.

Whatever you do, I think you want to involve a plumber.

 

[Williamjhows]

Okay! thanks so much for the help!!