Sump setup- Bad Idea?
#1
04-19-14, 10:55 AM
Sump setup- Bad Idea?
We are allowed to drain into sanitary sewer. I would like to be able to shoot out the side of the house in case of a sewer backup.
I am unclear about valve placement.
Is it a bad idea to put valves as I describe in the 1 1/2" discharge as seen in the photo with red lines?
In case of sewer backup, the one valve would be closed and the other opened to allow flow to outside.....
what is wrong with my installation and please suggest an alternative if you see one?
I am unclear about valve placement.
Is it a bad idea to put valves as I describe in the 1 1/2" discharge as seen in the photo with red lines?
In case of sewer backup, the one valve would be closed and the other opened to allow flow to outside.....
what is wrong with my installation and please suggest an alternative if you see one?
#2
04-19-14, 06:47 PM
Member
I'm surprised you're allowed to drain ground water into sanitary sewers. I'd check your local codes on that. Even in my neck of the woods we're not allowed to pump ground water into storm sewers much less a sanitary sewer, but many do it anyway.
However, what you propose will work. What you want to do is ideally pipe that outside water to a storm sewer or at least far enough away not to have that same water come back into the house via drain tiles.
However, what you propose will work. What you want to do is ideally pipe that outside water to a storm sewer or at least far enough away not to have that same water come back into the house via drain tiles.
#3
04-20-14, 05:41 AM
my concerns were....
check valve should go between sump and the Tee?
Also, I need two valves to accomplish this correct? If I only have a valve on the discharge to outside end, a partial clog on the sewer would not allow water to flow out correctly? The idea would be a partial clog of sewer I turn off the one valve and allow full flow to the outdoors.
Also the sump is the lowest point obviously and a sewer backup would mean check valve failure and sewage to end up in basement. Is a basic 1.5" pvc ball valve adaquete for keeping the sewage in that event out of the sump?
check valve should go between sump and the Tee?
Also, I need two valves to accomplish this correct? If I only have a valve on the discharge to outside end, a partial clog on the sewer would not allow water to flow out correctly? The idea would be a partial clog of sewer I turn off the one valve and allow full flow to the outdoors.
Also the sump is the lowest point obviously and a sewer backup would mean check valve failure and sewage to end up in basement. Is a basic 1.5" pvc ball valve adaquete for keeping the sewage in that event out of the sump?
#4
04-20-14, 06:53 AM
Member
The location in your diagram is fine. I'm not a big believer in check valves on sump pumps. Too messy and sooner or later will fail. Yea, so some of that water you just pumped out comes back in, so what?
Manual ball valves as you suggest is the way to go. The only problem is that you need to be there when its necessary to turn them on and off. Use whatever size ball valve that is your pipe size. If you have 1 1/2 pipe, use 1 1/2 ball valve. The only limit is pressure and the integrity of the pvc glue used.
But I still question the legal use of dumping into the sanitary sewer?! Show me where it says that its OK to do it?
Manual ball valves as you suggest is the way to go. The only problem is that you need to be there when its necessary to turn them on and off. Use whatever size ball valve that is your pipe size. If you have 1 1/2 pipe, use 1 1/2 ball valve. The only limit is pressure and the integrity of the pvc glue used.
But I still question the legal use of dumping into the sanitary sewer?! Show me where it says that its OK to do it?
#5
04-20-14, 07:01 AM
thx norm. The discharge issue is besides the point. Generally we are grandfathered into a situation where its acceptable. Also there are different rules in our area about the use of sumps to discharge laundry and condensate vs. storm runoff. The former is allowed in new installation where the later is not in new installation. None of that applies here.
Do you or anyone else see anything wrong about the situation if there was a sewer backup? What would likely occur?
Do you or anyone else see anything wrong about the situation if there was a sewer backup? What would likely occur?
#6
04-20-14, 07:10 AM
Member
If there is a sewer back up, with your setup no sewage will get in from the sump area provided the connections don't fail (I've seen it happen). However, any other open drain will be susceptible such as sinks and toilets.
I keep harping on the possible joint failure only because if the sewer back-up is neighborhood wide it usually means a lot of pressure is being generated and most household connections won't stand that once inside the house. It all depends if its a slow backup or a fast catastrophic problem. Sometimes flash flooding will cause a sewer back up in very quick time.
I keep harping on the possible joint failure only because if the sewer back-up is neighborhood wide it usually means a lot of pressure is being generated and most household connections won't stand that once inside the house. It all depends if its a slow backup or a fast catastrophic problem. Sometimes flash flooding will cause a sewer back up in very quick time.
#7
04-20-14, 09:50 AM
So the floor drains in my basement (persumebly) drain into the sump. The laundry drains into the sump. The main sewer cleanout is about 3 feet ABOVE the sump.
Every place I ever lived I seen the storm drains back up in the streets during torrential rains, I never seen the sanitary sewer back up.... what would likely occur?
Would the sanitary sewers back up into the storm sewers and the run off I get in my sump on an normal day would now be sewage.... is that the right train of thought?
Every place I ever lived I seen the storm drains back up in the streets during torrential rains, I never seen the sanitary sewer back up.... what would likely occur?
Would the sanitary sewers back up into the storm sewers and the run off I get in my sump on an normal day would now be sewage.... is that the right train of thought?
But yea that is pretty much what would happen.
#9
04-20-14, 07:25 PM
Sanitary sewers should not back up into storm sewers. But if they back up onto the surface then the sewage will find its way into storm sewers.
Level flow into the sewer with no sump pump is very susceptible to sewer backups into the basement. But a sump pump with the outlet pipe going up a few feet above floor level and back down will be no more susceptible to sewer backups than existing plumbing fixtures in the basement.
Level flow into the sewer with no sump pump is very susceptible to sewer backups into the basement. But a sump pump with the outlet pipe going up a few feet above floor level and back down will be no more susceptible to sewer backups than existing plumbing fixtures in the basement.
