treefort
12-18-2004, 11:49 AM
I live in an area that can get a fair amount of snow. My water problems seem to happen during the wet seasons (early spring and late fall) and are more pooling and seepage rather than outright flooding.
I have heard conflicting advice about whether it would be appropriate to have a sump pump drain to the septic system. Some say that it is a very bad idea, that it can damage the septic field. Others say that with my volume of water it should be okay, and warn that the sump outflow could get blocked with snow or ice, in which case the motor would eventually burn out.
I prefer to err on the side of caution. A pump motor is much cheaper to replace than a septic field. However, I'm looking for more advice before I decide what to do.
I am on a hill, so another opinion is that, instead of using a sump pump, I should run a drain pipe under the foundation and downhill to daylight. This would then protect me from power failures and sump burnouts. The problems with this approach are that the existing exterior draintile could be damaged and also it would mean a bobcat rolling across my septic field. I would also have to be careful not to drain too close to the neighbor's property. Also, this option is a little more expensive than a high quality pump system like SuperSump.
I have heard of IceGuard. I realize that is an option but I am looking for opinions on the other options:
1) Supersump to septic. (Probably bad.)
2) Supersump to daylight, with some kind of pressure release valve that sends water to septic if sump drain is blocked. (Could that work?)
3) Supersump to daylight, with outflow punching through under my front step where snow does not tend to drift. Maybe I could let it free fall a short distance to a gutter, from there to a corner and finally away from the house.
4) Excavate a trench (carefully), lay a pipe under the footing to a sump pit, and let gravity do the work.
By the way, my Basement Systems local representative has been an excellent resource - pragmatic and helpful.
Also FYI, my solution is very likely to also require WaterGuard, as there is some leakage along the cold joint. The thought of jackhammering so close to the foundation footings worries me, but the risk of mold and water damage if I finish the basement is even more worrisome. Any comments about busting up the slab so close to the footing, other than that your representatives are very, very careful?
Thanks,
"treefort"
I have heard conflicting advice about whether it would be appropriate to have a sump pump drain to the septic system. Some say that it is a very bad idea, that it can damage the septic field. Others say that with my volume of water it should be okay, and warn that the sump outflow could get blocked with snow or ice, in which case the motor would eventually burn out.
I prefer to err on the side of caution. A pump motor is much cheaper to replace than a septic field. However, I'm looking for more advice before I decide what to do.
I am on a hill, so another opinion is that, instead of using a sump pump, I should run a drain pipe under the foundation and downhill to daylight. This would then protect me from power failures and sump burnouts. The problems with this approach are that the existing exterior draintile could be damaged and also it would mean a bobcat rolling across my septic field. I would also have to be careful not to drain too close to the neighbor's property. Also, this option is a little more expensive than a high quality pump system like SuperSump.
I have heard of IceGuard. I realize that is an option but I am looking for opinions on the other options:
1) Supersump to septic. (Probably bad.)
2) Supersump to daylight, with some kind of pressure release valve that sends water to septic if sump drain is blocked. (Could that work?)
3) Supersump to daylight, with outflow punching through under my front step where snow does not tend to drift. Maybe I could let it free fall a short distance to a gutter, from there to a corner and finally away from the house.
4) Excavate a trench (carefully), lay a pipe under the footing to a sump pit, and let gravity do the work.
By the way, my Basement Systems local representative has been an excellent resource - pragmatic and helpful.
Also FYI, my solution is very likely to also require WaterGuard, as there is some leakage along the cold joint. The thought of jackhammering so close to the foundation footings worries me, but the risk of mold and water damage if I finish the basement is even more worrisome. Any comments about busting up the slab so close to the footing, other than that your representatives are very, very careful?
Thanks,
"treefort"