Table Of Contents
Bathroom Plumbing
A common question among people looking into bathroom renovations is whether or not they should add a toilet to existing plumbing. Sometimes, when a building is being erected, you may set the piping for more than one bathroom in place. It can be easy and inexpensive in buildings where this is done to add a second or even third toilet.
However, suppose buildings are not built with extra tubing for an extra bathroom in mind. In that case, a homeowner may have to install additional running pipes for a second toileting spot to become functional. Plumbing fixtures such as toilets use up a lot of water in a short time compared to other home appliances such as showers. Installing a toilet to existing plumbing can cost as much as $100-$300 for labour and materials if there is a need for additional piping.
Suppose you do not want your child spending too much time using the bathroom because it scares them or they feel uncomfortable using it. In that case, you should consider the addition of a children's toilet seat. The padded cushioned seats are available in all shapes and sizes, so you can find one that fits your child's needs. You can comfortably add a second toilet with an elongated bowl size or even an oval shape for adults instead of the standard round style.
If you plan to renovate your bathroom by adding to existing plumbing, there are some things to consider before beginning the process. The important thing is whether the home's structure can support another load, which means supporting another water supply line, floor joists (if it requires installation through the floor), and ventilation (in case it is necessary).
Another critical factor is drainage; if efficient drainage is already in place within the current plumbing system, then something like adding a shower will not affect it. But if you are adding a small 25-centimetre x 45 centimetre or 10-inch x 14-inch toilet, while that won't require additional floor joists for support, the drainage system might not be able to handle it because of its size.
However, it is not difficult to add a toilet to existing plumbing. Once you have the proper guidelines, you will have no problem executing the project.
Steps To Adding A Toilet To Existing Plumbing
Step One: Get a water supply
If you are planning to put a toilet in your house, you need to think of a water supply for the toilet. If it is an addition to existing plumbing, the water supply comes from a water heater or pump. You can have professionals install one for you.
Step Two: Connect the water lines
If water is supplied from the water heater, connecting water lines would be easy as they come already attached together. However, the water heater size determines how many gallons per minute (GPM) come out of the toilet faucet. The bigger the GPM on your toilet, the more water it would use, which could also tire you if there is low water pressure coming out of your faucets in other locations.
Step Three: Flush your toilet
Flush your toilet and drain your sinks to see if there are any leaks. If necessary, keep flushing until all of the water has drained out of both fixtures. Make sure no water puddles are forming outside or inside the home.
Step Four: Remove the shutoff valve
Use a hacksaw to remove the shutoff valve currently supplying water to your shower; it should be located next to the existing toilet on the wall line that separates it from the shower. If there is no existing toilet where you want to install a new one, then you will need an additional shutoff valve for the new one.
Buy a replacement T-valve, and install it onto your copper piping in the exact location as the old one. Ensure not to use tape or putty when attaching it since both can degrade and result in leaks over time. If needed, use compression fittings instead.
Step Five: Attach the T-fitting
Proceed with attaching a "T-fitting" onto the cut line. You will use this to secure your new toilet to existing plumbing. After that, you can take measurements for your new lavatory. Check the measurement from the center of the T-fitting on one end of a piece of string, and hold it up to where you want the bathroom fixture to be added to existing piping.
After that, make a mark with a pencil at both ends and the same string piece. These marks represent how far apart each wall stud needs to be for them not to interfere with the installation.
Step Six: Drill a hole on the wall stud
Find an empty room and drill a hole through each wall stud at the spot for your new toilet. You will have to do this one at a time to ensure no water pipes are running through the location of each mark before drilling through it. Measure the distance between wall studs for both marks and make sure they match up. If they do not, repeat the previous step until they do.
Step Seven: Turn off the main shutoff valve
Now it is time for installations! Turn off the main shutoff valve and attach a PVC pipe onto each mark on its respective side. Ensure it reaches back into the "T-fitting" on one end and all the way up to the bottom of your new toilet on the other end.
Attach a rubber gasket onto each piece of PVC pipe, then attach another "T-fitting" to that same spot for connecting with existing plumbing. Also, join a short section of PVC pipe into each T-fitting so that it reaches down to where you have measured from step five. You will use these sections as support for attaching your new toilet.
Step Eight: Connect the PVC piping
Now you can proceed to hook everything together. Connect a longer length of PVC piping to the top of each T-fitting on both ends, and thread them up through holes in wall studs or roof rafters. Make sure not to drill too far into the rafter that goes all the way down. Connect a T-fitting onto each end of this piping, and thread a length of PVC pipe into each one — it should also reach down to your rubber gasket from earlier.
Step Nine: Attach your new toilet
Finally, attach your new toilet! Put a bead of silicone caulk around its base before doing so. Make sure both sections of PVC piping reach up through holes in wall studs or roof rafters to their respective T-fittings at either end. Use clamps or screws if needed for extra support.
You can, after that, turn the main shutoff valve back on and flush your home's plumbing systems to check for leaks. If everything seems to be in order, proceed and have a seat on your brand new commode! Remember, there are a lot of hazards involved with plumbing a bathroom, but some ways to minimise the problems can make your life a bit easier.
One way is to never place a towel under your dish drain and garbage disposal. Also, do not pour grease into either one of these drains because they will eventually harden inside your system. To avoid having your home's plumbing system constantly in use, consider adding a second shutoff valve in the basement or a nearby closet if you already do not have one.
Which Toilet Should You Add To Your Existing Plumbing?
The most common toilets to add to existing plumbing are one-piece or two-piece toilets.
One-Piece Toilet
A one-piece toilet is the easiest installation in an existing bathroom because it has everything in one box; a tank, bowl, and cistern. It also doesn't require cutting into the floor or wall to fit a large tank through a small doorway. It all fits together quickly and cleanly due to its integrated design.
The only downside is that you must thread the water supply line for a one-piece toilet directly into the bottom of the toilet's cistern. This can be messy if you have hard water mineral build-up from frequent use without descaling. Newer models have solved this problem by creating a threaded fitting inside the tank.
Two-Piece Toilet
A two-piece toilet is more common than a one-piece toilet, and it has all the components of a one-piece except for the cistern. The tank has an integrated cistern making it more convenient to replace an old two-piece toilet with a new model without having to chip out old caulk or grout around the base of your bowl and tank like you would with a one-piece.
A traditional two-piece toilet will always have some connection between the bowl and cistern, which can be as simple as plastic push-fit connectors, braided metal hoses, rubber hoses, flexible PVC piping, etc. However, this requires cutting through tile or concrete slab to fit a large tank through a small doorway.
Emergency Plumbing
Many people are uncomfortable with the concept of emergency plumbing when it comes to adding a toilet to existing plumbing. Working on this type of bathroom installation can indeed be pretty dirty and grimy work, but it doesn't have to be an ordeal. Many remedies exist for making your experience easier, so you should always use them.
If you want an easy solution without any changes to the structure of your home, then adding an extra toilet or bathroom to your home is a perfect idea! Many options are available for this bathroom renovation: one-piece elongated toilets, two-piece round front toilets with standard bowl size, and even smaller sizes such as compact elongated toilet bowls.
Adding a toilet to existing plumbing has been made easier over time by professionals who have had a business out of remodelling a bathroom or toilet repairs without needing significant structural changes or increased costs. With modern technology, you can install an efficient round front or elongated bowl-style seat anywhere in any bathroom, regardless of whether there is enough space or not. You can speak to professional bathroom renovators and plumbers to get this properly done.
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