Sump Pump & Sewer Pump Service in McDonough, GA

For a basement bathroom, everything comes down to one fact: waste below the building drain has to be pumped up, and unlike a sump pump, the equipment that does it handles sewage. There are two common ways to do it. A sewage ejector sits in a basin set into the floor and collects everything from the bathroom. A macerating toilet, often called an upflush toilet, grinds waste in a compact unit behind the bowl and pumps it through a small pipe. For McDonough homeowners planning a lower-level bathroom, or living with one that misbehaves, the differences matter.

How an upflush unit works

The toilet empties into a box behind it that holds a blade and a small pump. When water enters, a switch starts the motor, the blade breaks waste into a slurry and the pump pushes it through a narrow discharge pipe to the nearest drain line. Many units have extra inlets for a sink or shower. Because nothing has to be buried below the slab, an upflush toilet can often go in with little or no concrete cutting.

How an ejector basin works

An ejector system gathers drainage by gravity into a sealed basin below the floor. A pump inside, triggered by a float or sensor, lifts the contents up a larger discharge pipe, through a check valve, to the building drain. The basin is vented and closed with a gasketed lid. It can serve a full bathroom, a laundry and a bar sink at once, but installing one means breaking out the slab and trenching drain lines to the basin.

Comparing the two

• Capacity: an ejector handles more fixtures and heavier use; an upflush unit suits a half bath or a lightly used small bathroom.
• Installation: upflush units avoid most concrete work; ejectors need a basin dug into the floor.
• What can be flushed: both dislike wipes, but macerators are especially sensitive to anything besides waste and toilet paper.
• Noise: a macerator runs right behind the toilet with every flush, while an ejector's motor sits down in the basin, which muffles it somewhat.
• Power: both stop during an outage, so neither bathroom works without electricity.

Common upflush problems

Most service calls on macerating toilets involve a blockage in the grinder: dental floss, wipes, cotton swabs or hair wrapped around the blade. Others involve a worn switch that makes the motor start and stop by itself, a leaking seal or check valve, or mineral scale building up inside the unit. Because the discharge pipe is narrow, a clog downstream shows up quickly as slow flushing. Some units can be serviced in place; others are easier to replace once the motor is worn.

Common ejector problems

Ejector calls tend to start with the high-water alarm or a basement toilet that will not drain. Jammed impellers, failed floats, worn motors and check valves that let waste slide back into the basin are typical. Grease and wipes cause many of these failures, just as they do in macerators. Service means emptying and cleaning the basin, lifting the pump out through the lid and resealing everything afterward. If basement fixtures back up while the ejector runs normally, the building drain beyond it may be blocked, and main sewer line repair or a sewer camera inspection would show where.

Permits for a basement bathroom in McDonough

McDonough's Building & Inspection Division reviews plans, issues plumbing permits and inspects construction in the city. Adding a basement bathroom with either system is the kind of project to discuss with the division before work starts.

Questions about basement bathroom pumps in McDonough

Can an upflush toilet handle a full bathroom with a shower?

Many models accept a sink and shower in addition to the toilet, so a small full bathroom is possible. The limits are flow and use: a shower draining into the same unit makes the motor work longer, and heavy daily use wears it faster. For a bathroom used every day by several people, or one that also serves a laundry, an ejector basin is usually the sturdier choice.

Can I replace a failing upflush toilet with an ejector later?

Yes, though it is a larger project. The slab has to be opened for the basin and new drain lines, a vent must be run and the discharge connected to the building drain. Some owners start with an upflush unit to see how much a basement bathroom actually gets used, then move to an ejector during a later remodel when the floor is being opened anyway.

What should never go into a macerating toilet?

Anything except human waste and toilet paper. Wipes of every kind, paper towels, feminine products, floss, cotton swabs and cat litter are frequent causes of jams. Harsh chemical cleaners can also damage seals, so stick to the cleaning products the manufacturer recommends. A small lidded trash can next to the toilet, and a note for guests, prevents most service calls.

Planning or fixing a lower-level bathroom

Before calling, note which system you have, or which you are considering, and how many fixtures it serves. Ejector alarms, and the sump pumps that often share a basement with them, are covered in Alpha's Georgia sump and sewer pump overview. For a basement bathroom pump in McDonough that needs repair or a second opinion, Alpha Plumbing and Sewer is at (404) 409-4448.