Dry Well for garage drain

[climb.on]

I have a garage drains in both the attached garage and the workshop. Both drain to daylight, have enough slope to drain good, but the both end terminate right at grade. This will be my first winter using them, but I think they will be problematic, not having any space really for them to drain to...especially in the winter where it will build up with ice. I'm thinking about a dry well, but am curious if others in northern climates have had success with them in this situation. Particularly in the winter. The soil is sandy and drains well, but I do have a high water table so I can't go deeper than about 2'-3' and expect it to drain. Of course it's not really going to drain in the winter either, so maybe this is the wrong approach?

This is a simple and affordable drywell I am looking at using.

I'm starting to think maybe I might need to dig it up and reduce the slope so I can get the pipe up above the grade more, where it daylights out of the sidehill next to the garage.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I can't speak for Minnesota, but a sink draining into a drywell is illegal in NJ. You might want to quietly check into what your regulations are like.

Tommy

 

[maxpat82]

whatever happen...if it's not deep enough it will freeze.

Think about your gutter downspout.

I had a daylight drain in my old garage and it was blocked with ice for the almost the whole winter.

even a good slope to drain, there's always be a bit of water the freeze and after multiple "flush" it would get clogged.

 

[rburke65]

This is just water off the floor of the garage/shop? Do you find that you get a lot of water in your garage and shop? Is this just from snow or washing a car?

 

[climb.on]

I can't speak for Minnesota, but a sink draining into a drywell is illegal in NJ. You might want to quietly check into what your regulations are like.

Tommy

Not a sink. It's a garage floor drain. Code says it has to daylighted. I guess I don't "know" if a drywell is considered daylighted or not, but I don't see any difference.

 

[climb.on]

This is just water off the floor of the garage/shop? Do you find that you get a lot of water in your garage and shop? Is this just from snow or washing a car?

Yes, just water off the floor of the garage/shop. We just moved in, so I'm not sure how much we will get, but it will be a fair bit of snow melt off I'm sure.

 

[climb.on]

whatever happen...if it's not deep enough it will freeze.

Think about your gutter downspout.

I had a daylight drain in my old garage and it was blocked with ice for the almost the whole winter.

even a good slope to drain, there's always be a bit of water the freeze and after multiple "flush" it would get clogged.

Just to give me a shot, I have heat tape run down the pipe, so I can at least get it to thaw if (when) it freezes up. But the melt will still need somewhere to go.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Not a sink. It's a garage floor drain. Code says it has to daylighted. I guess I don't "know" if a drywell is considered daylighted or not, but I don't see any difference.

Where the heck did I come up with it being for a sink?

Floor drains not connected to the sanitary line and using a grease trap in a garage are a no-go in many towns in NJ, too...

I just found this when looking for specifics about the NJ codes:

https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-wwists4-05.pdf

To me it reads like a dry well is a not allowed.





Tommy

 

[Movover]

Not a sink. It's a garage floor drain. Code says it has to daylighted. I guess I don't "know" if a drywell is considered daylighted or not, but I don't see any difference.

Daylghted means it needs to be open to daylight and open air, not a septic or leaching system

 

[Boilerhouse]

I have a buried pipe for my garage drain. It is used pretty much exclusively to direct vehicle snow melt out of the garage. It drains under the slab and about 4 feet from the back of the garage, maybe a foot down, and terminates in a dry-well which is basically rocks, stones, sand and gravel. The property slopes away at that point. It does not freeze and has been in place for 15 years through -30 winters. (I marked the dry-well with a post in case I ever need to access it)

 

[climb.on]

Daylghted means it needs to be open to daylight and open air, not a septic or leaching system

That makes sense...hence the name "daylight". Duh!

Any idea why it can't drain into the ground via drywell vs. drain into the ground via surface of the ground? Just curious.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

According to the link I posted, the MN requirement is "Discharge area must be easily visible to the homeowner".

Tommy

 

[Radix2]

The salt and **** off your car will keep it from freezing IMO.

I'd say try it and see if it will be an actual problem

 

[climb.on]

The salt and **** off your car will keep it from freezing IMO.

I'd say try it and see if it will be an actual problem

I wondered if the salt will do that. Probably good advice just to wait and see. The heat tape will be a little insurance at least.

 

[rlitman]

That makes sense...hence the name "daylight". Duh!

Any idea why it can't drain into the ground via drywell vs. drain into the ground via surface of the ground? Just curious.

Because flammable heavier than air vapors can collect in it if it isn't daylighted.

 

[Bretny]

With that high of a water table i would def not use a dry well. More than likely you will not have an issue. Most peoples septic and leach fields are not below frost.

Daylighting is prety ideal as when the spring comes and all the ground is saturated with water your drain should still work. A drywell will not.

Keep it as it is. If you have a problem (i dont think you will) i believe they make heat tape for this situation. You wouldnt even need to leave it on full time.

 

[4 FN 27]

I have the same thing in my Shop. I just pour a 16 oz cup of Salt Crystals down each Drain. Add as required. Going on my 5th winter with no issues.

If I had it to do over again I would have routed the Water Softener discharge down that same daylight system. Have a buddy who did that at his house some 20 years ago and he has never had an issue with freezing.

Note I am right here in MN too...

 

[kbs2244]

I would wait a year and see if you have a problem or not/
You may have a classic case of
"Fixing what isn't broke."

 

[HoosierMark]

Is this a new house or existing that you just moved into. If existing ask your neighbor or the former owner if there was ever a problem. If new ask the city or county your questions, since they should have approved it when they gave you an occupancy permit. No need to reinvent the wheel just ask the locals how things work.

 

[BuffettFan]

Because flammable heavier than air vapors can collect in it if it isn't daylighted.

Here is why you DON'T want to have a dry well for your drain!

You never plan to have a fuel leak, but you never know when you just might.


EDIT:
Sorry, retired firefighter who has seen what happens when gas vapors explode.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

If I had it to do over again I would have routed the Water Softener discharge down that same daylight system. Have a buddy who did that at his house some 20 years ago and he has never had an issue with freezing.

Note I am right here in MN too...

Does the brine kill off any of your vegetation? Around here it would be a violation. The discharge from the softener has to go to an indirect waste drain. IDK if it's the same by you.

Tommy

 

[climb.on]

According to the link I posted, the MN requirement is "Discharge area must be easily visible to the homeowner".

Tommy

Thanks Tommy. I didn't read that post closely enough. That is a very informative document. It's fairly logically laid out too.

 

[climb.on]

I would wait a year and see if you have a problem or not/
You may have a classic case of
"Fixing what isn't broke."

Yup. I have enough on my plate before things freeze up around here. This is small potatoes. Just been on my mind on what works for others and didn't want to run into something unexpected this winter.

Is this a new house or existing that you just moved into. If existing ask your neighbor or the former owner if there was ever a problem. If new ask the city or county your questions, since they should have approved it when they gave you an occupancy permit. No need to reinvent the wheel just ask the locals how things work.

New house. I built it and are just moving in now. It meets code and has been approved, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee performance.

 

[4 FN 27]

Does the brine kill off any of your vegetation? Around here it would be a violation. The discharge from the softener has to go to an indirect waste drain. IDK if it's the same by you.

Tommy

I haven't noticed anything at his place...and back when he built the house the inspector thought he was a genius for doing this...know the great state Minnesota, "the California wannabe of the Midwest" may have issue with this today...

I know at my place the minimal amount of salt I put down the drain has no effect on growth...I have to constantly knock the vegetation back.

My lawn mowing cause more 3 legged frogs than the discharge from my shop.