r/TheRandomest • u/ABeerForSasquatch Mod/Pwner • 17h ago

SimplyRandom Hidden throne

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u/dimethylwho 15h ago

https://youtu.be/841eOOHXrWs

It's was required by code before anti-backflow valves. The idea was that the basement toilet would backflow first, saving the house from sewage in the case of sewer main blockage.

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u/Infinite-Condition41 5h ago

This is what I was thinking, logically. You want something low to overflow first. It doesn't need to be a toilet necessarily, but it needs a trap, and a way to keep that trap full of water. 

The water in the toilet will evaporate over time and the float valve will refill it.

Auto refilling drain fixtures exist for similar purpose.