floor drain design

[hetkind]

I am finishing up my floor drain design and concrete imbedments...

Thinking of 3" schedule 40 pvc running the length of the shop, with a drop of 1/4" per foot run for the 34x40 finished area, with a cap, cleanout and provision for extenion for the 34x30 area to be concreted later (value engineering at it's best!). The one cleanout will be at the end of the pipe, past the concrete in the compacted gravel area.

Two 3" heavy duty floor drains, with traps, on the floor, with a 2" line extending out to the NW corner for a cold water utility sink and a light duty 2" floor drain in the 6' x 6' external mechanical/electrical room for air compressor drain and domestic water line drain. The undrained section of domestic water will be heat taped. I will be using all swept T's and Elbows so I will be able to pull the covers off the floor drains and snake to the central line if needed.

The outflow will be to a stone filled "dry well" with some 4" leach lines and a overflow to a nearby dry steam bed. Since all that will go down these drains will be rinse water, and condensate water, are traps really required?

Anyhow, looking for any input, will probably visit the local plumbing supply house with a picklist on Friday afternoon. I know I am missing something...

Howard

 

[BillK]

Howard,
Dont know about your part of town but in this area floor drains in garages are not allowed, period. You might want to check before you spend too much time. And no matter how careful you are, if its in a garage, junk will get in it that should not be going into the ground

 

[hetkind]

Howard,
Dont know about your part of town but in this area floor drains in garages are not allowed, period. You might want to check before you spend too much time. And no matter how careful you are, if its in a garage, junk will get in it that should not be going into the ground

Excellent point...the floor drains will NOT be in the mechanics area of the shop, but will be there for indoor rinsing of vehicles during winter weather and drainage of snow and ice off vehicles...

And in reality, this will be simply not a garage, but a multiuse facility. A seperate sanitary septic system will be installed later, when the second level is finished out.

Also, this facility is being built in an unregulated area of the county and will be constructed to meet all local codes.

Howard

 

[redsky49]

You might consider an oil interceptor for the drain line, though they require regular maintenance.

 

[walrus]

Awhile back the State of Maine made commercial garages fill their floor drains with concrete. I think if it went into a oil water seperator you could keep it. The shop I was in at the time had to fill it. Not sure what it helped as we washed the floor out the door anyway

 

[hetkind]

I remember when the EPA made everone get rid of the floor drain connections to the sewers because of intentional dumping of oils down the drain. Personally, I have been recycling my waste oil for over 20 years now...

Since the drain will be going on to my pristine mountain property, you can bet I will be taking good care of it...

And what I am really trying to achieve is a dry garage floor in the winter

Howard

 

[dps]

I would guess that the traps might be good to keep for two reasons. The entire line could, over time, develop a moldy smell that would otherwise keep wafting up. Even my utility sink trap builds up with muck that gets a pretty rich smell without an occasional dose of bleach. And a trap might give you the easy retrieval for some small part that drops into the drain accidentally.

 

[kbs2244]

You will not need the traps.
They are designed to be sewer gas blocks.
You will not have any sewer gas with your design.

 

[Tman]

I have a system like you described. Floor drain to outside.works great, I dont run anything but water and dog hair. Works great. as said, to trap is needed. I sloped the floor slightly to the drain.

 

[mtwaterguy]

When I built my shop in Oregon I wanted a drain for the same reasons you have outlined. I was told by the builder and also the inspector that drains were not allowed because of the possibility of an explosion due to trapped vapors. Evidently it is possible for contaminates to leak from a vehicle and the fumes to collect in the drain. My insurance agent, a personal friend, said that the insurance company would not cover any claims related to floor drains.

 

[hetkind]

yes, you can collect flammables like gasoline in a floor drain trap, and have it set off by a spark as the vapors travel. The real issue is environmental and contamination of public operated water treatment facility.

I will have a private water treatment facility with a trickling filter seperator/filter located in a underground "drywell"

 

[Steve in Mi]

Maybe consider something like this;
8.5" x 5" SHOP FLAME PROOF FLOOR DRAINS
OSHA approved with flamable liquid traps. A must for new shop floor construction.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/mat/1123389654.html

 

[hetkind]

Maybe consider something like this;
8.5" x 5" SHOP FLAME PROOF FLOOR DRAINS
OSHA approved with flamable liquid traps. A must for new shop floor construction.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/mat/1123389654.html

the craigs list guy is peddling air...

OSHA does not approve items, items can be OSHA compliant. In this case, the code would be an NFPA code, and actually, I am building my shop to aircraft hanger requirements (NAS 3306 and NFPA 409 and 410), with no energized equipment or spark producing items below 18" of floor level...

Howard