A sink with no drain line

[joelowrider]

Has anyone ever had a garage sink with no drain line.

I have cold and hot water in the garage but no access to the drain. I was told by the city if I want to connect to the sewer I have to get my house rezoned to commercial or I have to add a lot to the garage that I don't want to do. I just want a sink.


I was thinking like a 5 gallon bucket but I know someone has a better idea.

 

[SteveeP]

If the sink is on an outside wall, why not poke the drain pipe through the wall and go into the ground with a drywell (pit filled with crushed stone)?

 

[joelowrider]

If the sink is on an outside wall, why not poke the drain pipe through the wall and go into the ground with a drywell (pit filled with crushed stone)?

worried if I have oil on my hands or something like paint or something

 

[LuvAZ]

My buddy put one his garage as one of the walls in his garage has his clothes washer & dryer on the other side of it (in the house). He had a plumber run the hot & cold lines through the wall out to the garage tapped off of the washer lines, along w/the drain line tied into the washing machine drain.

HTH,
Will

 

[aka Larry]

If the sink is on an outside wall, why not poke the drain pipe through the wall and go into the ground with a drywell (pit filled with crushed stone)?

^^This is what I did. I only use my sink for hand washing so I doubt I'm killing baby seals or anything with my discharge.

 

[alecmcmahon]

How about a sink pump system? maybe run some flex pipe an few inches under the ground and tap into your house plumbing? Not perm. easily removed.

just think a 5 gallon bucket with a small sump pump in it, once the bucket gets full it pumps it out down whatever line into whatever drain

 

[gorilla]

I've install a couple of temporary sinks in areas where drains weren't available by using a 5 gallon bucket with a small sump pump in it. The waste water was piped into an overhead space and routed to a drain stand pipe. I don't recommend using this method, it often required a bit of floor mopping when the sump pump switch stuck or the pump inlet got clogged up. Depending on the volume of the discharge line and the height of the discharge outlet a check valve in the discharge line may be needed.

 

[joelowrider]

the issue with the sump pump idea is I am 150 ft from the house and I am not permeted to pipe a drain to the house.

I think I am going to try to find some kind of oil water separator and drain it into the yard

 

[alecmcmahon]

the issue with the sump pump idea is I am 150 ft from the house and I am not permeted to pipe a drain to the house.

I think I am going to try to find some kind of oil water separator and drain it into the yard

Understood, but who would find out about a say a garden hose line going through a basement window into a slop sink....

Good luck with finding a solution.

 

[JimVonBaden]

I use a 5 gallon bucket in it. It has several very small holes about 5-6" from the bottom. The sediment settles to the bottom, and the water drains out through the holes. I use an old towel hanging over the holes on the inside of the bucket to prevent anything but water from getting out. The little bit of hand cleaner that gets away doesn't hurt since it is biodegradable, and there is such a minor amount of oil that it is not an issue. I have mine outside draining into the grass, but you could either just dump the bucket, or plumb a small line from the bucket through the wall into the ground or shallow gravel pit.

Jim

 

[SteveCh]

worried if I have oil on my hands or something like paint or something

Well, if you're worried about those substances, you should worry about wherever you're gonna dump/pipe the effluent. I personally like the through-the-wall dry well solution. But paint and petroleum products are no good for any drain path. Municipal water treatment or a hole in the backyard or pouring a five-gal. bucket of water down a storm drain. Same pollution.

 

[joelowrider]

I use a 5 gallon bucket in it. It has several very small holes about 5-6" from the bottom. The sediment settles to the bottom, and the water drains out through the holes. I use an old towel hanging over the holes on the inside of the bucket to prevent anything but water from getting out. The little bit of hand cleaner that gets away doesn't hurt since it is biodegradable, and there is such a minor amount of oil that it is not an issue. I have mine outside draining into the grass, but you could either just dump the bucket, or plumb a small line from the bucket through the wall into the ground or shallow gravel pit.

Jim

so you have 2 buckets the one with the holes sits in the one that has the drain in it or does the small holes just each have drain lines to outside?

 

[joelowrider]

Well, if you're worried about those substances, you should worry about wherever you're gonna dump/pipe the effluent. I personally like the through-the-wall dry well solution. But paint and petroleum products are no good for any drain path. Municipal water treatment or a hole in the backyard or pouring a five-gal. bucket of water down a storm drain. Same pollution.

I thought that local water company filtered the oil and such out of the water.

I mean don't get me wrong I don't pour oil down the drain but I do get oil on my hands.

 

[JimVonBaden]

so you have 2 buckets the one with the holes sits in the one that has the drain in it or does the small holes just each have drain lines to outside?

One bucket with holes. I let it fill. As the water level reaches the holes it starts to drain out. Remember, I have mine outside. You could, instead, plumb a 1" pipe to the bucket at about 6", stuff it with a bit of SS steel wool, and plumb that line outside.

Jim

 

[joelowrider]

One bucket with holes. I let it fill. As the water level reaches the holes it starts to drain out. Remember, I have mine outside. You could, instead, plumb a 1" pipe to the bucket at about 6", stuff it with a bit of SS steel wool, and plumb that line outside.

Jim

thanks

 

[Larwyn]

My garage "sink" is a galvanized oil drain pan sitting on a tall 3 legged stand made of rebar. It has no drain, I step outside and dump it in the wife's rock garden. Been using it that way for years, it serves for hand washing, quenching hot metal, checking small tires and tubes for leaks, etc.

When I started doing a little leather work in my woodworking shop I added a little bar sink which drains into a 5 gallon bucket which I dump outside in a similar manner to the garage "sink".

 

[CNGsaves]

All depends whether OP is in CA or a strict HOA where there are "water police" to slam you with the most miniscule infraction . . . ie like a dry well.

I just keep the hose turned on low (w/ sprayer shut off) over near garage and just wash off muck, paint, etc outside the garage with the hose (bar of Lava soap or container of Gunk gets all the real dirty stuff off hands, including paint). If I want hot water, just have another hose full of water sitting in the sun. Of course this doesn't cover wintertime, but's that minimal for me.

The sump pump idea sounds good if you can snag a cheap used sump pump. I'd just put the sink on top of say a 30 gallon plastic barrel and sump pump the water outside when it's nearly full. Poor's man hot water heater could be a hose up on roof in sun with low pressure from house hose.

 

[Highbeam]

You're going to be breaking a law nomatter what you do. If that is running a pipe to the house sewer or if that is dumping the sink discharge outside onto the ground or into a drywell.

Which is the worst penalty? Which is the most expensive? Most likely to get caught?

If you are really afraid to break any laws then don't put in a sink, or collect all wastewater and properly dispose of it somewhere else. Maybe have a company come and collect your wastewater.

I think it is a stupid rule that you can't discharge garage waste to your house sewer.

 

[ez-duzit]

You could drain it into one of these; then dump it down a proper drain.
http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...te-and-smarttote-lx-portable-waste-tanks/6073

 

[joe_padavano]

Just so we're all clear, the OP is worried about oil from his hands (which the soap will have already broken down, by the way, or the water would not have removed it) going into a dry well, but has no problems running it down a city drain line? Seriously?

Look, this isn't a real problem either way. Pick one, don't brag about it on twitter (or whatever), and just do it.

 

[JimVonBaden]

All depends whether OP is in CA or a strict HOA where there are "water police" to slam you with the most miniscule infraction . . . ie like a dry well.

I just keep the hose turned on low (w/ sprayer shut off) over near garage and just wash off muck, paint, etc outside the garage with the hose (bar of Lava soap or container of Gunk gets all the real dirty stuff off hands, including paint). If I want hot water, just have another hose full of water sitting in the sun. Of course this doesn't cover wintertime, but's that minimal for me.

The sump pump idea sounds good if you can snag a cheap used sump pump. I'd just put the sink on top of say a 30 gallon plastic barrel and sump pump the water outside when it's nearly full. Poor's man hot water heater could be a hose up on roof in sun with low pressure from house hose.

Has anyone ever had a garage sink with no drain line.

I have cold and hot water in the garage but no access to the drain. I was told by the city if I want to connect to the sewer I have to get my house rezoned to commercial or I have to add a lot to the garage that I don't want to do. I just want a sink.


I was thinking like a 5 gallon bucket but I know someone has a better idea.

Jim

 

[Highbeam]

Don' think for a minute that the sewage treatment plant is not capable of accepting and dealing with oil in the quantities that might be on your hands. Don't go dumping quarts of used oil into the sewer but washing soiled clothes, rags, hands, even parts in a dishwasher down the sewer line is totally acceptable for a city sewer system. In waste, there are vast quantities of FOG (fats, oils,grease) that are part of the waste stream from cooking and cleaning.

The OP's AHJ has decided to control land use by restricting connections of garages to the sewer. This is pretty stupid IMO, and will lead to more environmental damage.

 

[Clik]

Oil! OMG! THE SCOURGE OF THE EARTH! Heaven forbid!

Oil is so biodegradible that algae grows in diesel fuel tanks and cloggs filters. Oil spills are often remediated in hard to reach areas by simply fertilizing it.

Run a discrete hose through the wall and into a large planter with the typical gravel and weep holes typical of planters. The root system will break down just about anything and alot of the water will simply evaporate.

In the pollution abatement world we call that bioremediation and evapotranspiration. Sort of like calling a garbage man a ...well, you get the idea. People have been brainwashed into thinking Big Government, big machines and giant concrete buildings and lagoons are required to treat wastewater. A simple septic system does alot better job than those big treatment plants. Believe me. Forty plus years in the biz.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Oil! OMG! THE SCOURGE OF THE EARTH! Heaven forbid!

Oil is so biodegradible that algae grows in diesel fuel tanks and cloggs filters. Oil spills are often remediated in hard to reach areas by simply fertilizing it.

Run a discrete hose through the wall and into a large planter with the typical gravel and weep holes typical of planters. The root system will break down just about anything and alot of the water will simply evaporate.

In the pollution abatement world we call that bioremediation and evapotranspiration. Sort of like calling a garbage man a ...well, you get the idea. People have been brainwashed into thinking Big Government, big machines and giant concrete buildings and lagoons are required to treat wastewater. A simple septic system does alot better job than those big treatment plants. Believe me. Forty plus years in the biz.

Ohhhhh, I like that! Gives me a few ideas!

Any preference for specific plants that are more hearty, or does it matter?

Jim

 

[garboui]

Weeds are harty and will take no involvement to get started

 

[Clik]

Ohhhhh, I like that! Gives me a few ideas!

Any preference for specific plants that are more hearty, or does it matter?

Jim

Alot depends on climate. If you plant vines you can get have them covering a whole wall or crawling accross a wide area and get plenty of evaporation or evapotranspiration. If you plant a variety Mother Nature will figure out what likes your waste best.

For those rabid anti oil environmentalists out there, look up the history of that stuff yo mamma rubbed on yo little bare baby ****: Vaseline.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I think you are way overthinking this. If you wipe your hands of excess oil or grease before you begin washing them (like I hope almost everyone does) then there is really no issue. The hand cleaner and soaps will break down the grease and oil residue, what very little of it there is, a couple of drops of it basically, so it would take years to accumulate enough to even begin to look like a oil spot, if it ever did at all (and I doubt you would ever have a problem)

Charles

 

[Jomo]

I'm also currently using the 5-gallon bucket method.

 

[Ed Litsch]

Just run a hose out through the wall and onto the ground and forget it. Put a screen on the end to keep the insects out...... I have a 2 liter pop bottle hanging upside down from a tree outside my shop. I cut the bottom out of it, put the cap on it, drilled a hole through the cap and have a 3/8" rubber hose about 5" long struck through it. When I want to wash my hands (oil, grease, food or anything) I just put Dawn on my hands and rub my hands together. (I keep two gallon milk jugs full of water outside my shop) Then when my hands are clean and the soap is rubbed all over them, I pour water into the bottle about 1/4th of the way and rinse them off. The bottle hangs over my flower garden and they are thriving- lamb's ears, morning glories, and roses. The soap is degradeable and that little bit of oil won't hurt a thing. When the bottle is not in use, I turn it right side up and tie it that way with a twisty tie. If you have it hanging upside down from the tree all the time- birds have a tendency to sit on it and poop down onto it. So, I keep it tied upside down.

 

[ez-duzit]

Simple Green works extremely well on greasy hands and it's non-toxic and biodegradable.

 

[atfulldraw]

they actually make a pump for rv's to pump waste water uphill and such.....it's called a macerator pump.

you could use a temporary line (garden hose) to pump it into one of your sewer clean outs from the garage.

 

[djjsr]

How about a second container as a "settlement" container. Some things float on water and some things sink. If the water could drain from somewhere in the middle it would be somewhat cleaner.

Maybe get one of those rectangular plastic tote containers. Put a hole in the middle of one side. Attach a pvc 'P' trap upside down. The height of the P trap would keep the water level above the hole.

Dirty gritty stuff sinks to the bottom, oil, solvents and lighter stuff floats to the top. Then you have to figure out how to clean it out when the time comes.

 

[Scott 351 Wins]

I would do the " French Drain " technique and not worry about it anymore, plus the oil originally came from the ground.

 

[PugetDude]

I'd take the best of these ideas and combine them...

Put a 5-gallon bucket inside a 30-gallon drum. Sink goes on top.
Water drains into 5 gallon bucket, overflows into 30 gallon drum. Sediment settles out in 5 gallon bucket. Drill a hole in side of 30 gallon drum just below the top of the 5-gallon bucket, hook up a small drain line and drain it through the wall into a raised planter box.. Could add a small automatic condensate pump above the height of the 5-gallon bucket for a fail-safe.

Let us know whatever solution you implement; lots of folks have asked similar questions.

 

[ez-duzit]

Oil and grease will float on water, not settle out.

But I agree that the waste from washing hands with biodegradable cleaner should not be a concern if it is simply allowed to soak into the ground.

 

[bczygan]

Call the EPA!

Your hands are now a Superfund site!

I think the thinking about drains from a garage into a home sewer are to prevent wholesale dumping of petroleum products (Gas and oil) and paint products and volatiles. Thus the commercial classification with all the then required rules and regulations.

Do what's reasonable.

 

[drmarkr]

Just so we're all clear, the OP is worried about oil from his hands (which the soap will have already broken down, by the way, or the water would not have removed it) going into a dry well, but has no problems running it down a city drain line? Seriously?

Look, this isn't a real problem either way. Pick one, don't brag about it on twitter (or whatever), and just do it.

Spot effing on, brother.....