What is an upflush toilet and when should I use one?

Saniflo, a major maker, describes the Saniplus like this. When you flush, the water flowing into the unit trips a micro switch that starts the motor. Stainless steel blades spinning at 3600 RPM reduce the water and waste to a slurry, and an impeller pumps it out. A normal cycle takes about 10 to 12 seconds, and a non-return valve on the discharge elbow keeps waste from flowing back.

The bowl sits on the floor like any toilet, but the outlet goes out the back into the pump unit instead of down through the floor. The Saniplus must connect to Saniflo's own rear-discharge toilet, which Saniflo says only works with its systems. Water use is small: Saniflo's FAQ lists 1.28 gallons per flush for the Saniplus, and 1 or 1.28 gallons for the dual-flush Sanicompact.

### What are the pumping distances?

These figures are from Saniflo's own product pages, and the horizontal distance assumes gravity fall in the line.

Saniflo says the Saniplus can serve a complete bathroom up to 15 feet below the sewer line, through a 3/4 or 1 inch discharge pipe. The pipe rules matter as much as the numbers. Saniflo says to pump straight up to the highest point, then run horizontal at a slope of at least 1/4 inch per foot into the main drain. It recommends against 90-degree elbows on the discharge line, and suggests two 45-degree elbows back to back or long sweeping elbows for turns. You can only increase the pipe size once the waste is draining by gravity.

Use one when gravity can't do the job, or when making it do the job means a torn-up floor. Saniflo's FAQ says there's no need to break up the floor to install one, and that it can go on a finished floor.

The classic case is a basement bathroom. Saniflo describes a contractor who put a Saniplus bathroom under a basement stairwell, with the drain line rising 10 feet vertically and then running 20 feet horizontally to the existing sewer line.

Here in the Valley the same logic applies wherever a new bathroom would need a drain the concrete slab doesn't already have, such as a garage conversion or a casita. The other route is a sewage ejector pit, which we compare on our page about sump pumps, ejector pumps and lift stations, and our page on whether a building needs a sewage ejector or lift station covers when low drains need one. If gravity can reach the sewer, a gravity drain is simpler. An upflush toilet solves a specific problem, and it costs you a few trade-offs covered below.

Code allows it when the unit is listed to the right standard, and Phoenix requires a permit for a new bathroom. The rules come in three parts.

### What does the plumbing code require?

Section 405.5 of the International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2024 edition, says: "Plumbing fixtures with a pumped waste shall comply with ASME A112.3.4/CSA B45.9." It adds that the fixture "shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions."

So check the label. Saniflo says the Saniplus is CSA certified and IAPMO (UPC) listed to ASME A112.3.4, with CSA B45.9 as the Canadian standard. Its Sanicompact page lists CSA certification for the IPC and NSPC, without a UPC listing. Phoenix says the Uniform Plumbing Code or International Plumbing Code, as amended, applies to plumbing in the city, so match the listing to the code your inspector will use.

Saniflo's FAQ lists the install rules that go with the unit:

• A vent. Its products need a 1-1/2 inch vent tied into the main vent stack, except the self-contained Sanicompact and Sanistar. Saniflo does not recommend air admittance valves.
• A P-trap on fixtures that drain into the pump. Saniflo says most codes require one even though the unit has a built-in trap.
• A GFI outlet. The units plug into a 115-volt GFI receptacle, which doesn't have to be a dedicated circuit.
• A legal discharge. Saniflo says the waste goes to a city sewer, a septic tank or a soil stack.

### Is a permit required in Phoenix?

Almost certainly, for a new bathroom. Phoenix's Section 105.1 requires a permit to install, alter or repair a plumbing system. Section 105.2 exempts clearing stoppages and replacing a toilet with a new one in the same place, but says a permit is required for relocating any valves, pipes or fixtures. Adding a bathroom in a basement or garage is neither of those exemptions.

Phoenix's Section 110.3.10.1 says building service equipment that needs a permit must be inspected, and can't be connected to the sewer until the building official authorizes it. For plumbing, a rough-in inspection is required for sewer, drainage and vent piping before it's concealed, and a final inspection once the fixtures are set. Ask the city or a licensed plumber which inspections your setup needs. Our page on what plumbing work needs a permit in Phoenix has the exemption list.

It makes some noise, and it accepts less than a regular toilet.

### Is it noisy?

Saniflo lists the Saniplus at 53 dB(A), and says its redesigned Quiet Range operates about 10 decibels below the previous generation. Saniflo's own words are that a Saniflo macerator "is no louder than a normal toilet flushing", which is a manufacturer's claim, so listen to a demo unit if a bedroom shares the wall.

Saniflo ties noise to the install: eliminate contact between the unit and the wall, use the anti-vibration pads under the tank, and mount the piping at intervals. A loud buzz after a flush usually means something is caught in the blades. Saniflo says to turn the unit off, remove the lid and pull the object out with small pliers.

### What should you never flush?

Saniflo says a macerating pump handles human waste and toilet paper only. Its grinder pumps, a different product line, also handle sanitary napkins. Saniflo says the warranty is voided by foreign objects in the macerating unit, and lists antifreeze, solvents, paint, acids, plastic bags, metal, plastic and wood. Wipes aren't toilet paper either, and our page on flushable wipes explains why to keep them out.

### What does upkeep look like?

Saniflo says none of its products require maintenance, though it recommends its descaler, a cleanser and descaler. It estimates the units last about 10 to 15 years. Phoenix Water Services says minerals such as calcium and magnesium contribute to hardness in the city's water, and scale is what a descaler is for, so the descaler earns its keep here.

The toilet stops working. Saniflo's FAQ says that in a power loss you shouldn't use the toilet or any fixture connected to the pump until power returns. Summer monsoon storms can knock out power in the Valley, so if this would be the only bathroom in the house, plan around that.

A licensed plumber can size the vent, the discharge line and the permit for a job like this. HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates and quotes an upfront price before starting work.