Continue to Site

Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations GregLocock on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

sump basin replacement

Status
Not open for further replies.

BeachyT

Computer
Jan 2, 2004
7
I'm trying to fix the previous owners mistakes. I need to replace the sump basin. The original basin was a metal canister with no bottom. I want to replace it with a larger basin . The new basin (bought at home depot) has no weeping holes in the sides. What i need to know is:

1) WHERE TO PLACE THE WEEPING HOLES

2) HOW MANY WEEPING HOLES

3) WHAT SIZE

Tom
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

Sorry Tom, No one can answer your question from the information provided. What is this "sump" supposed to do? Is it some kind of drainage device ? Where does the water that enters it come from ? If it is meant to allow infiltration into surrounding soils, what are thos soils; clay, silt sand, gravel ? What quantity of water must be disposed of?

Try adding more explanation of what it is you're trying to do. Sump has many meanings in engineering parlance.

Good luck
 
Sorry... This is your typical sump pump pit located in the basement of my house. I collects ground water from under by basement floor. This is a 50 yr old house.

Tom
 
Sorry Tom,

Still not enough information. I'd suggest you find a local engineer, either a Civil or Geotechnical, who is familiar with your geographic area, local groundwater elevations, local regulations, if any, and other such details. He or she will also want to know the size of the pump and its capacity and discharge head, the types of soils under your basement and the pattern of surface drainage on your lot. There are no simple universal standards for such things, although there are principles of design your engineer can apply to a solution.

Good luck
 
This is just for a house so you should not have to do a whole lot of subsurface investigation. Builders do it all the time and they do not have engineers on staff (usually)

You cannot just put weep holes in the sump without adding some piping or some other means to direct flow fromt from the outside. Or else you will just get mud/sludge in your sump.

You basically want to keep the groundwater at a level below the bottom of your foundation so that there is no buoyancy or water pressure thrust on your foundation which will cause problems

Dig out around your existing sump and set the new sump at a level so that 3/4 height of the sump is below your slab. Back fill with some kind of loose but packable fill.

Prior to the backfill, cut your weep hole so that top of pipe or hole is about 6-12 inches below the slab. Put in the pipe, but place a sheet of geotextile fabric (to keep the mud out) over the end of the pipe or across the hole.

You do not talk about the pump so I am assuming it is existing. You may want to keep an eye on it to make sure it is big enough or not too big.

Hope that helps.



 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor