A High Pressure Toilet for a Drain Pipe With a Low Slope

Power Toilets

• Commercial power toilets use compressors to supply air pressure needed for a forceful flush that cleans the bowl thoroughly using less water. Power toilets designed for residential tanks that use water pressure of 25 to 60 pounds per square inch to compress air. As of the time of publication, residential power toilets typically cost from $100 to $150 more than a standard gravity flush toilet. Most power toilets are found in restaurants, bars, commercial establishments and public restrooms.

Drain Pipe Standards

• Drain pipes work best with a slope one-eighth to one-fourth inch for 1 foot of pipe. Slopes at the bottom of that range or lower can cause drainage problems. Most drain pipes are 3 or 4 inches in diameter. A 4-inch pipe is less likely to clog than a 3-inch pipe.

Low Slope Problems

• Water necessary to push solid waste can build up in a low slope pipe so waste is not eliminated efficiently. If the slope is too steep, water can run around solid waste allowing it to collect and clog the pipe. If your house has settled it may no longer have sufficient slope, and pools of water may collect in the pipe. When you flush the toilet, the waste can stall in the stretch of sitting water and back up into the bowl. A power toilet shoots water forcefully into and out of the bowl. It does not power the water forcefully through the length of the drain pipe thereby correcting low slope issues along the way.

Low Slope Corrections

• Low slope pipes are easiest to correct if you have a basement with a drop ceiling or one that is unfinished. If your pipe slopes in the wrong direction, check the supports. If they sag or are broken, you can fix them with perforated metal plumber’s tape. If the pipe runs inside a wall or under a concrete slab, you face a major expense in getting it corrected.