Basement bathroom.

[Robert Jones]

So, this morning's inspection had a home that was 60 years old. Utility basement, with a 3/4 bath added much later than 1953. The sink and shower have separate drain tubes which empty into a basement floor drain(below utility sink). Have never read anything that specifically disallows this. Can anyone verify either way?

Thanks.

[Jim Katen]

Do you mean to say that they're plumbed into the same pipe that serves the basement floor drain? If so, I see that *all the time.*

Or do you mean that the spill their water on the floor and it finds its way to the drain? That would be bad.

[Robert Jones]

They are both "plumbed" separately and openly empty at the drain "cover".

[kurt]

When I find these, I always point it out to the customer, explaining that it's not "right", no plumber is going to bless it, but if one wants the sinks, they're going to have to live with it or spend a lot of money gutting the bathroom to provide proper connections.

I spend a lot of time figuring out the toilet connections, though, because if they'd do this, they also might not vent the toilet correctly or some similar stupidity.

I give them my opinion, and I tell them to get an opinion from a plumber just so they have all sides.

I call it the "it's wrong, but how bad is it really?" approach to defect analysis. It's just a house, someone is washing their hands into the floor drain, so what's the significant downside? Not much.

[Charles46]

Robert:

I just took a walk through the plumbing code section of the IRC and I did not see anything that says it cannot enter the drain/waste system via an air break like you have. I am with Kurt on this. The way it is done is "not right", I would tell them such and recommend they get a second opinion from a plumber. Kind of like going to a general practitioner doctor who sees something in the test results that aren't right and doesn't feel comfortable sending you home without sending you to a specialist for further evaluation first.

[Marc]

Just wondering what's 'wrong' with it if the IRC has nothing against it.

Does it not work well?

Marc

[Tom Raymond]

It's missing the appropriate fixture for the connection.

It could be plumbed with fittings, or keep the air gap and install a floor sink.

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[kurt]

That's a good idea; never thought about floor sinks.

[Jim Katen]

They are both "plumbed" separately and openly empty at the drain "cover".

Ah, an improvised "indirect waste receptor."

Some people spend a lot of money to have those installed.

[rjbrown2]

You see this all the time in industrial settings, but they are controlled environments. One immediate thought is little kids. Although we are dealing with gray water here a high percentage of the time, you wouldn't want your grandbabies playing near the spout where the nasty comes out. I know, I know..they shouldn't be there unsupervised, but it can happen.