Toilet underneath the staircase?

[myfs_135646]

Master Lee,
I've been seeing a lot of townhomes/apartments with powder rooms/toilets underneath the staircase. Is it okay to have a powder room/toilet underneath the staircase?

[Cecil Lee]

1. These are some of the considerations:-

1.1 Sewerage pipe
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Most toilet or powder room often have a toilet bowl. And even if it does not have one, the "drainage" e.g. the wash basin in a powder room often has to drain into a sewerage pipe and not into the home's rain water catchment drain.

Often, a good designed home often always have a toilet or a power room, sharing one EXTERNAL wall. If so, it almost guarantees that the sewerage pipe often would not run from a "critical" area of a home to the toilet (or powder room).

Imagine, if we have a guest or a study room at the rear of the home. And often, a sewerage pipe need to reach the toilet (perhaps as you had mentioned) close to the staircase. It has to run somewhere from the exterior and cutting thru be it a bedroom (guest or study) or the dining area or even living room area - the shortest cut to it!

"In a very old article of mine" something like "Dangers of Underground water", there was a real life situation where, in Germany, it was found that there was a higher incidence of cancer especially for those bed is immediately above a sewerage pipe!

Thus, it makes more sense to have a toilet SHARING one external wall. Here, it is hoped that the sewerage pipe can run from the exterior wall rather than intrude into the interior of the home.

In addition, ONE EXTERIOR wall will ensure sufficient ventilation for a toilet - air / or gas or german gas to dissipate out of the home! If so, make sure that family members don't eat too much garlic or onions or else they will pass off too much gas... and certainly your toilet will end up a "stinky" place! Yucks!!

1.2 The "thirsty Hippo"

In Singapore, the TV ad says to buy the "thirsty Hippo". It is a dehumifier where it is sold with crytals to absorb humidity or moisture!

Imagine, if one has a toilet smack below the staircase, without ventilation (assuming) it does not share an external wall! And imagine if family members have a habit to wet the toilet, and no amount of "thirsty hippo" would help as many of the items e.g. store room closeby would be mouldy! Imagine storing your precious Luvi Vitton or Channel leather bags! They would be useless in no time!

Thus, honestly, only lousy "architects" would dream of such a configuration for our home! Please put a stop to this!

[Cecil Lee]

Further to what I had mentioned, other than what I had described or illustrated, from a technical point of view, a toilet below a staircase is NOT as bad as a kitchen (or stove or anything that can catch fire).

As the staircase is an important emergency exit, at least if (touch wood) there is a fire, maybe the pipes may burst and it is still water, as opposed to inflammable objects.

The above is only my silly argument (as one of the good) reasons for the toilet below a staircase. Otherwise, please see my earlier comments.

The above is to PACIFY those who already have a toilet (powder) room and cannot change it. Thus making those with these feel easy about it!

[Cecil Lee]

This article I wrote around 1996 (thereabout) shows the danger of underground water. (Underground water may include underground water channels or even sewerage running below a bedroom:-

http://forum.geomancy.net/resources/art/art-under.php

For those who are building their dream home should take serious note of it.

And for those who stay in landed property, it is good to find out where your sewerage pipe is running on the ground level. Hopefully, it is not running below your living room sofa, or even a specific bedroom in the ground floor!