I have lived both in Australia and in Taiwan. In both countries, bathroom floors had drains to avoid serious flooding in the case of overflows. The bathroom floor drain in Australia even dealt with the problem of blockage of the regular drains/sewers: the floor drain went straight out through the wall above the ceiling of the lower story and had an angled flap to prevent drafts but allowed the water to escape.
Why have I never encountered such in US bathrooms?
Perce
That's an interesting question. I had a sewer stack freeze years ago, and when the toilet overflowed, it caused $8,000 in damage to the kitchen below!
And laundry rooms. My mother's toilet at her house stuck, the sewer line was partially clogged outside. The floor wound up flooded and I don't know what it cost the insurance company. I drilled a bunch of small holes in the top of the cleanout cap so if it happens again it the water will flow out onto the ground instead of on the floor. I did this years ago on my rent houses. Much better to have the waste outside on the ground than on the floor. Broken water lines, clogged pipes, overflows are a matter of when not if.
Americans do plumbing to a much higher standard, making such things unnecessary
Quote: nobody wrote on Sat, 21 June 2008 14:49
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It's probably a risk management issue. You could of course add the extra plumbing for such a drain but that is added cost and would only get used in the emergency situation. Plus it is not so aesthetically pleasing to have a drain in the middle of your bathroom in many cases. So folks live with the risk and hope for the best! I have seen more drains and catch pans used in laundry rooms and for hot water heaters.
-- Richard Thoms President - Top Service Pros, Inc. Connecting Homeowners and Local Service Professionals
The one in Australia wasn't in the middle of the floor. It was in the corner closest to the bath and shower and farthest from the door. The floor had a slight slope toward that point.
Perce
I think the authors of the two preceding responses (and perhaps their insurance companies too) would disagree with you.
Perce
I'll agree with him, we do have higher standards. lou
I'd say it's not done because it's an added cost and IMO, it's not very practical or aesthetic. You wind up with a drain, which isn't attractive somewhere. And unless it's in the middle of the floor, it may have to be a good distance away from all the possible overflows, eg sinks, tub, shower.... To get the geometry right so that the floor will slope to some obscure corner drain ain't trivial. Plus, you'd have to make sure the floor is watertight along the way, or some water is still going to go where it shouldn't.
Because we don't pee on the floor?
I don't know but I think we *should* have them. If it were up to me I'd have floor drains in each room and suspend all furniture from chains so the whole place could be hosed down.
Reminds me of an episode of Home Improvement.
You're right. Tim Taylor though of these things.
some handicap bathrooms have no step into shower, shower drain is lowest spot in bathroom. takes care of both issues
being 51 years old, i want one of those, in case i live long enough to need it.
Not from what I've seen in "men's rooms"
Oh yeah. And I just got back from the vacation of stinky restrooms of the USA. Good to be back home.
Because the traps would dry up and stink would come into the room or rodents could crawl up them.
Now that is a laugh!
Same reason people build homes in flood plains.
You didn't read my description of the Australian one, did you? No trap; it didn't need one, because it wasn't connected to the sewer. No way for things to crawl up it, because of the metal flap on the outer end.
Perce
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