No stinkies, please

I recently attempted to find the answer to my impending question online. My usual plumber is out of town and I was quite enlightened to find this forum in the process. Of course, I joined. Yep, a newbie. Glad you're here and thanks for taking time to help people like myself!

My question is in reference to an investment house I recently purchased. I have built a bathroom in the basement where there was plumbing and a a basin already in place. I plumbed everything properly, purchased a solids waste pump and, following the instructions, managed fairly well. The basin lid provided came with three holes in it's lid. Before permanently plumbing the pump and exhaust pipe, I bacame concerned with how to seal off the basin. I am concerned with odor before I start using this bathroom. My question is; What is the proper method for sealing off the basin? The three holes loosely accommodate the plumbing pipes and then another hole for the electrical source. That leaves a lot of room for gases to escape into the unfinished part of my basement. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

If you have the proper sump and lid actually intended for sewage, the lid has a seal between it and the sump and fasteners to hold it down tight, and there are rubber bushings that fit in the holes in the lid to seal around the pipes as well as a watertight connector for the wiring.

Doc Henley said:

... in the basement where there was plumbing and a a basin already in place... I plumbed everything properly, purchased a solids waste ....

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whoa wait a minute, what kind of solids and odors are you worried about?

There was already a drain "in place", and now you want to pump bathroom solids upwards instead of sending them down the drain.

That isn't easy to understand.

If you want to pump toilet waste upwards, you need the holding tank and pump kit made for that. It needs a lot of venting too.

david

sealing a sewage pit

the quick easy way to be sure you
got a pernament seal on your lid and on the
holes for the wires and drains that come up through
this lid.....

you got a main pump discharge

some electrical lines and

I assume you have rna vent too??


just go to LOWES and buy yourself about three large
tubes of ALEX CLEAR dap.....


simply put it in a caulking gun and LIBERALLY go at it....

use your hand or finger to sort of mold the caulk into
all the seams that need filling....


it works great and turns clear in a few days...

it is supposed to be good for 35 years.

OK, from the top here...
First, thanks for the replies.

LEEJOSEPHO: I shall attempt to find these proper rubber bushings that I was hoepfully suspiscious were available. Lowes? Home Depot? or a plumbing supply house?

GENIESCIENCE: The basin in question is desiged for a sump pump and, yes indeed, I have installed a ventilation pipe exiting the roof. That being said, I'm not real happy that there doesn't seem to be much of a good fastening system for the basin lid. This is all set in original 25 year old foundation concrete. Any suggestions on how to get a really good seal and fasteing for the lid? It does have a rubber gasket where it makes contact with the basin. It also just appears to lay atop the basin which I am not so comfortable with.

MASTER PLUMBER MARK: If I am not able to easily find the correct bushings, then plan B will go into effect; Liberal portions of Alex clear dap.

Thanks again guys.

Doc Henley said:

I shall attempt to find these proper rubber bushings ...

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I got mine from a septic tank manufacturer who also sells all the accompanying pipe, fittings and so on for anything related to the basics of a sewage system.

Doc Henley said:

I'm not real happy that there doesn't seem to be much of a good fastening system for the basin lid.

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My suspicion is that you have a sump basin intended for gray water rather than sewage, and if so, its lid was never intended to seal air-tight. Is that lid a single piece of heavy plastic or steel that sits down into the top of the sump, or is it but a thin piece of sheet metal (and possible even a two-piece lid) that only sits loosely on top? In any case, and again as supplied by the septic tank store, I sealed my lid with the black butyl caulking strip that is used to seal the halves of a septic tank together, then snugged it down with stainless fasteners.

It is possible that you are correct. Unfortunately, here in the south, it is far to common to find less than adequate building practices underway. I am however certain that the basin was "intended" for sewage use as the toilet stub was plumbed to it. Rather or not the maufacturer intended the basin for that use is another story. Either way, it appears to have a good seal on it and is of a fairly heavy gauge metal. I'll see what I can do to find this black butyl to be on the safe side and fasten it down well.

If you cannot find what you need, let me know and I can send you some of my extra butyl. Also, I could go get some of those bushings for you if you cannot find them. The idea of DAP might be okay, but that could also make things a little tough if you ever had to pull the lid to remove some kind of pump-plugger someone had flushed without first eating it.

Also, what is the size or volume of that sump, what kind of float switch do you have, and how/where is it attached? The issue here is about having the pump run just as *long* as possible as well as just as *infrequently* as possible.

container for toilet waste.

somebody else, who knows this from first hadn experience, can comment on whether or not you need an officlal container for toilet solids.

I wouldn't feel right continuing this thread without telling you this.

A container prevents that human excremetn water from seeping into the concrete. Even a $10 plastic pail with holes cut into the top for the pipes.

Then, a big vent, which you have already, and a sealed top, which seems to be a minor challenge, all things considered.

Smells you mentioned in your first post are not sewer gases, just fresh excremetn gases.

David

preemptive odor control

Ok Dave, to be very clear here, I have not yet put to use this bathroom. Therefore, the "odors" and " gases" are something I am concerned with preventing when I do start using the bathroom. I am hoping for a cure before there is a problem. That is just so not a smell I wish to endure in my basement. I too am concerned with the intended purpose of the basin. Do you have any suggestions on how I might be able to determine this?

Butyl and bushings

Thanks a ton for the offer. I'll be checking out some local sources this evening and in the morning to see what I can find. I really should develop a rapport with a local plumbing supply house considering the business I'm in. I'll let ya know how it goes and may take you up on your offer anyways if the search proves to be exhaustive, especially considering tomorrow is Saturday. This is proving to be most helpful and I'm glad I've signed up for this. I guess its a good thing my usual plumber is out of town. hehe

Doc Henley said:

I too am concerned with the intended purpose of the basin.

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A magnet would let you know whether it is steel, but it is quite more likely a heavy plastic or something like fiberglass and should be fine as long as you are able to seal it up.

Basin is indeed plastic of some form and the lid is fairly heavy gauge metal. I'll assume that is sufficient and no longer worry about that part of my dilema. I will also see what I can find for bushings and black butyl on Monday as the plumbing supply houses are closed today. Thanks and have a great weekend.

What you might do is to take your lid along with you to be sure the bushings fit properly in its holes, and do not insist on black butyl. Ask the folks at the supply house about the best way to seal and fasten your lid, and they might just have a ready-made kit or packet of some kind that will work just fine.