Plumbing in a shop sink in detached garage

gravygrabber · Oct 15, 2009

Anyone ever do this? I want to run hot/cold water and probably use one of those plastic garage sinks from HD. My garage is detached from the main house about 10ft. or so. Any ideas?

nissan_crawler · Oct 15, 2009

Not really any different than if it was attached. What specific advice are you wanting?

Torque1st · Oct 15, 2009

Location? Distance? Heat/cold, Freezing????

Lippyp · Oct 15, 2009

Ideally I'd say run a cold supply underground (at least 2'6" deep over here but depends on building codes where you are) using plastic pipe and then maybe look at an instantaneous electric hot water heater over the sink. I'd have thought running hot from the house will be a PITA.

truck · Oct 15, 2009

I agree with the above. Don't know where you are, but the frost line makes a difference on how deep you bury the line. 1 cold line "T"d of the house, buried however deep the county says, then run a on demand water heater or a small 10 gal tank (it will fit under the utility sink).

Truck

gravygrabber · Oct 15, 2009

I'm actually in CA. so freezing pipes don't usually happen but I wouldn't be opposed to using insulated pipe though just to be on the safe side. I'd like to tap into the house if possible to cut my costs down. I guess I need specific advice about how to go about it. I'm a mechanic and I never did this type of thing. My father was a contractor and as a kid I watched him solder copper pipes and what not but I'm not sure if that's still something that's done these days for water.

bimmer1980 · Oct 15, 2009

go to home depot or lowes and buy a basic plumbing book. it will do wonders. you can also go to the library and check it out free of charge. The book will have more pictures and descriptions than any of us can easily type......

srmofo · Oct 15, 2009

I was gonna do this on my new garage but the city frowned upon plumbing in detached garages and I have about 60 ft to the garage. Appearently people like to pour oil down the drains. It was just another headache I didnt wat to deal with. So Im gonna install my shop sink, then plumb a piece of pvc for the drain into a catch basin out in the yard, then install a fitting on the outside so I can just hook up a garden hose in the summer time....maybe one day Ill even get fancy and install one of the instaheaters on the sink.

Hell I know EXACTLY where my sewer line is now so maybe Ill just plumb into it

NUTTSGT · Oct 15, 2009

I ran the water line from the house to my garage. It had a water line at one time but was unhooked or something similar by one of the previous owners. This is what I used.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/home-i...lene-flexible-coil-pipe-1-in-x-100-ft-3151664

I ran it to a frost free hydrant, so I could shut the water off and not have to worry about the system if I needed to winterize the garage.

mdadgar · Oct 15, 2009

Lippyp said:
Ideally I'd say run a cold supply underground (at least 2'6" deep over here but depends on building codes where you are) using plastic pipe and then maybe look at an instantaneous electric hot water heater over the sink. I'd have thought running hot from the house will be a PITA.

I second the recommendation of an instantaneous electric water heater. Easy, super convenient, and energy-efficient (since they heat the water when you need it, not all the time).

I used an EEMax SP-95. About $200.

- Mark

rwhite692 · Oct 15, 2009

+1 on the electric point-of-use H2O heaters.

rsanter · Oct 15, 2009

I would use one of those instant hot water heaters, unless of course you think you will be using a ton of hot water in there

bob

King Me IRL · Oct 15, 2009

If your sewer/septic line is too far away, just dig a six foot hole about six feet off the garage about three feet across. Then, put a foot of gravel in the bottom, and a 55 gal barrel full of 1/2 inch holes (bottom and sides) on the gravel. run your 2" drain line into the top of the barrel. cover with gravel with a foot of dirt to top it off and BAM you got your own septic. Just dont put any solids in the sink.

dankeenan · Oct 15, 2009

Here is what I did.
- Run cold water pipe from house to garage (use PEX tube for easy install -more money, or CVPC for less money, but harder to install ).

- look on amazon.com for CPO bosch hot water heater - single point can be had for close to $100 - factory refurb - full 10 yr. Ebay also carriers CPO Bosch.

radelow · Oct 15, 2009

Run one line and use an inst-hot. BAM!

gravygrabber · Oct 17, 2009

ok ok maybe you guys are right. It's better in the long run using an instant hot system and it would be less work to install. Where can I tap into?

nissan_crawler · Oct 17, 2009

gravygrabber said:
ok ok maybe you guys are right. It's better in the long run using an instant hot system and it would be less work to install. Where can I tap into?

wherever a pipe is available?

As for the drain, you'll have to figure out legalities for yourself, but I installed an "infiltrator" system.

I put in three of these sections, I doubt I needed more than one, and my washer is hooked up to it, even. After 4 loads of laundry, the water is about 3/4" deep in there. :spit:

Oh well, I always was one for overkill.

p.s. It's legal to do that here for graywater.

nate379 · Oct 17, 2009

If you are just 10 ft away, I'd think about running the hot water line from the house too.
Insulate it and I don't think it would take that long to get hot water. I have worked in buildings that had a water heater 75-100ft from the sink and it didn't take too long.

Reading the posts and looking at pics makes me realize how much a PITA it is for dealing with cold temps.. water/septic lines have to be 10ft down here so they don't freeze. The top of my septic tank is about 12feet down.

King Me IRL · Oct 17, 2009

what ever line/lines you run, even though one fixture calls for 1/2 inch, you should run 3/4. If you run 1/2 you won't be happy with the flow rate, and if you decide to add another fixture in the future, you will have flow issues if you run them both at the same time.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

Hi Folks,

Tons of great info on this forum happy to be aboard and finally posting...I have a detached garage that is about 25' away from my house. I would like to get a shop sink in the garage and the drain is already tied into the sewer. My trench will be dug out next week 4' under but what Im trying to determine is if I am better off running a hot and a cold line or a single line and leverage an instant hot water heater as discussed in this thread.

It seems the consensus is to run a small 110v hot water heater vs 2 separate lines however given that the run will end up being only about 30' I wonder if running two lines may be a better solution?

My plumber thinks two lines is the way to go but that answer doesn't surprise me coming from a plumber. From a cost standpoint it's sorta a wash as we're talking a difference of a couple hundred bucks so that doesn't concern me. Im more concerned with the time it'll take for the hot water to come out of the faucet and potential issues with leaks given running two lines.

Keep in mind this sink is strictly for me to wash my hands so I don't need a huge volume of hot water. What would you do in my shoes? Thanks in advance for any feedback you'll may provide!

Falcon67 · Sep 24, 2015

Our kitchen sink is 25' from the water heater. The house is plumed with copper pipes. It takes a long time - several minutes - to get hot water out of the tap in the kitchen. That's from a big 50 gallon electric water tank. Same in the little bath down the hall. Run one line, use instant hot at the location. Water is high buck here, so running the tap for a while = $. Cost is about $100/mth for 3500~4000 gallons, with trash and sewer.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

Great info thanks for your feedback! I was thinking the same thing as far as how long it takes me today to get hot water in the upstairs bathroom being that the water heater is in the basement.

As far as a flow perspective the plumber was planning on running a 5/8" PEX granted this was x2 with a hot and a cold. Do you think 1 5/8" line will suffice? I will be coring into the foundation in the basement 4' under and tapping into the washing machine; I don't have the size of that pipe off hand but I'm guessing I should match as going any larger wouldn't yield additional flow?

And do you have any recommendations on a solid 110v hot water heater given that this thread is ~6 years old now?

Thanks again for your feedback!

Jon_E · Sep 24, 2015

Can't afford a lot so this is what I am going to do. It's only for handwashing and paint brushes. Garage is 70' from nearest water spigot on house so a hose will reach. Going to install small slop sink w/ 5-gallon bucket underneath drain. Above sink, on heavy-duty shelf, install clean plastic barrel with fill valve and overflow. Plumb barrel to faucet on slop sink. When barrel is empty, fill barrel with hose. Empty 5-gallon bucket under sink after use. Don't need hot water.

pmiranda · Sep 24, 2015

Rheem makes a 3kW one I'd thought about using. Only 110V but it does need it's own 30A circuit. I've seen places where they only have a single-handle faucet plumbed through one of these.
If you live in a place with winter, even for just a sink you probably want to step up to a 7kW unit since the incoming water can be alot colder... still just 30A but 240V.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

Good to know thanks for the info. My house is in Massachusetts so it'll certainly get cold. Along with running water to the garage I am upgrading my electrical to a 100amp service. With that being said I will have my electrician wire in the necessary circuit if needbe. Just dont want to go overkill given that I wont be showering in the garage or anything like that.; it's merely a shop sink.

But seems like 1 line with instant hot water heater seems to be the way to go. I will start looking into those units and see what I can dig up.

Any feedback on the ID of the water line or should I just simple match what Im tapping into?

dw1 · Sep 24, 2015

gravygrabber said:
Anyone ever do this? I want to run hot/cold water and probably use one of those plastic garage sinks from HD. My garage is detached from the main house about 10ft. or so. Any ideas?

Here is a pic of mine, but still working on the rest, my sink is right outside my bathroom.

sberry · Sep 24, 2015

You don't need a lot of hot for washing in a shop. I think they have a 120V tank type of 5 or 6 gallons for 100$ or so. The electric demand is low. 3/4 is standard to feed a structure.

sberry · Sep 24, 2015

If you are using it often the cost of some standby hot water in a small tank is minimal. I am not a huge fan of on demand for everything where we have to design the electric to take a sock in the gut just so we can wash hands. A 1000 watt or so were hard to find back in the day, now I see something cute in the box store that is affordable.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

I saw the brand Rheem recommended and this one looks promising: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Pe...t-Of-Use-Water-Heater-XE06P06PU20U0/204318372

I'd like it to fit under the sink and plan to pick up one of those utility sinks at HD. Seems like for a couple hundred bucks I can find a solid water heater that'll meet my demands and will be superior to running two lines out to the garage.

And good info about 3/4 being the standard to feed a structure. I'm pretty sure my plumber quoted me for 2 5/8"'s lines and the plan was to tap right into the feed for my washing machine as it's right there. I'll poke around tonight and take some measurements and see if its indeed 5/8" or 3/4" I do know that its copper pipe in the house and Im pretty sure its 5/8" in that area.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

sberry said:
If you are using it often the cost of some standby hot water in a small tank is minimal. I am not a huge fan of on demand for everything where we have to design the electric to take a sock in the gut just so we can wash hands. A 1000 watt or so were hard to find back in the day, now I see something cute in the box store that is affordable.

Sorry for the novice question but can you please expand upon this statement? I was under the impression that a small point of use electric water heater like the one I linked has a storage tank of hot water that it keeps within its target temp? As such wouldn't it only kick on when its gets below that set point or the reservoir is depleted?

Im not looking for a large volume of hot water on demand like if I were to take a shower. Just trying to find a good solution to obtain hot water in a timely manor for a shop sink in the garage and it seems a simple electric water heater is the way to go vs running two lines and waiting a minute or two for the hot water to arrive from the house...

sberry · Sep 24, 2015

It could well be 5/8 to the laundry and this wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if it was for handwash. Convenience rules and ultimate speed isn't important. I have 5 sinks and 3 partial bathrooms. One is a laundry sink smack in the foot traffic raceway and it doesn't get any easier to wash hands than I have it.

Heel2toe · Sep 24, 2015

Yep just trying to keep things simple here. I don't need crazy flow just as long as its not a drip...and dont mind waiting 20 seconds for hot water to arrive but if it can be instant then why not? A separate water heater is added complexity but so is running a 2nd line underground that could possibly freeze or spring a pinhole leak.

Plumbing in a shop sink in detached garage

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