How To – Basement Sinks

Many people have a need for a sink or toilet below ground in their basement. If you are lucky your waste water pipe will be in your slab or low enough that you can simply install a sink with a check valve and get to washing. If not you will need to install a brown water pump.

Brown water pumps are able to pump dirty water up from your basement into your waste water line. It is important that you install the pump lower then the sink or washing machine and then make sure that the exit line extends well above the waste line you are attaching it to.

Brown water does not include water from toilets. If you want to install a toilet in your basement you will need to purchase a sewage pump that will shred the toilet paper and pump it out to the waste line.

As you can see we have installed a brown water pump on our utility sink. you first plumb the sink as you would any other by installing a trap and exit line then you install the connection to the pump.

The pump runs on a regular 15 amp circuit. Dedicated would be preferred. When the sink is turned on it will pump out any water just like a sump pump would. When the drain is clear the motor will stop automatically. Water will remain in the trap and in the vertical pipe to the waste line.

A check valve is necessary on the exit line of the pump to stop backflow and constant pump cycling.

This is not a difficult task but the hardest part is cutting into your waste line. If you have a cast iron line you will probably want to have a plumber do the work. PVC is easy to work with for the home owner and as long as your joints are dry and clean you should have no problem.

If you are having work performed in your house or if you are purchasing a new home it may be a good thing to have an extra access point plumbed and capped so you can do the work yourself at a later time.