Could very old toilets have 2-inch waste pipes?

[gadolphus32]

There is a room in an old house that I own that looks like it was at one time a bathroom, although now it is empty and used for storage. I'm curious about its history.

In addition to abandoned water supplies that serve the room, there is a waste line running to it that has multiple outlets. One I assume would have been for a sink, and the other for a toilet. The only strange thing is that the line is only 2 inches in diameter.

So my question for you experienced plumbers is: Do you ever encounter old, old plumbing where they used a 2-inch waste pipe for a toilet? I know you absolutely can't do that today (and I wonder how it even would have worked back in the day). But I'm just curious.

I realize it's possible that the multiple drain lines in this room served fixtures that did not include a toilet. I'm just trying to figure out what is possible based on the information left in the plumbing lines.

 

[Reach4]

I am not a plumber, and I don't know the answer to your history questions.

I know you absolutely can't do that today (and I wonder how it even would have worked back in the day).

There are toilets and systems that have grinder pumps. Those can pump the ground up toilet waste via pipes smaller than 2 inches.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[gadolphus32]

There are toilets and systems that have grinder pumps. Those can pump the ground up toilet waste via pipes smaller than 2 inches.

Good point. I forgot about those. But while I don't know the history of grinder pumps, I suspect they did not exist, or at least were not in household use, 100 years ago.

 

[Jadnashua]

Who knows really what was done 100-years ago before plumbing codes came into existence. Today, though, you'd need at least a 3" drain line to install a toilet. I think a 2" line would be problematic, but maybe better than going to an outhouse in the middle of winter in NY.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Someone I know who had traveled in Greece told me that the toilets there had 2" drains. Used tissue goes in a waste basket.

 

[hj]

They did not even use 3" pipes for toilets in the "old days".

 

[gadolphus32]

They did not even use 3" pipes for toilets in the "old days".

Do you mean they used larger pipes?

 

[Sylvan]

The MIN line even in the NYC 1938 code was 4" for a toilet

 

[Stuff]

May have been at the time when people didn't put toilets in bathrooms. Some thought it was unsanitary. It might have been a washroom with sink and tub. Probably where the laundry was done as well.

 

[hj]

of course. 4".