The attached image is next to the furnace in my unfinished basement. It leads to the sump pump and was left this way by the builders. There is water at the bottom of the hole. My question is, does this hole need to be closed/sealed (to avoid critters getting in) or is it OK to leave it as is.
Seal Sump Pump
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Tuttles Revenge
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If there is water in the pipe, it seems likely that it would be from water in a p-trap, which is normal and good. The water you see is what keeps sewer gases from entering your home. It likely keeps out most critters too.. But then I would think that if the drain is connected to a sump, and that is sealed, then yes, that whole system keeps out critters.
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The installer should have used a funnel and sealed it tight
The 3 smaller lines should empty though an air break which is an indirect connection of a drain line to the drainage system where the drain line terminates below flood level.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...LQdqCpa20YwZCqo-3ahoCZkAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
The 3 smaller lines should empty though an air break which is an indirect connection of a drain line to the drainage system where the drain line terminates below flood level.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...LQdqCpa20YwZCqo-3ahoCZkAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Usually when people use the term "sump pump", that is for ground water in a non-sealed pit.
For sealed pits (septic pits etc), people usually use ejector pumps or grinder pumps. Those its need real vents to the roof.
Feeding laundry and condensate into a groundwater sump pit may be ok. Depends on what happens to the water. Mine goes into a "dry well" so OK.
Some places allow adding sump pump water into the city sewer. Some want it outside on the ground. Some have separate storm sewers people can use, and in that case, I don't think laundry drainage is allowed.
For sealed pits (septic pits etc), people usually use ejector pumps or grinder pumps. Those its need real vents to the roof.
Feeding laundry and condensate into a groundwater sump pit may be ok. Depends on what happens to the water. Mine goes into a "dry well" so OK.
Some places allow adding sump pump water into the city sewer. Some want it outside on the ground. Some have separate storm sewers people can use, and in that case, I don't think laundry drainage is allowed.
Thank you for the responses. The three pipes going to the hole are for condensation from the HVAC and water heaters. The sump pump is just for ground water and is pumped outside the house vs into the sewer system. You mentioned sewer gases, this system and the sewer system are completely separate so how would they mix?
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Condensate and water heater relief are OK to dump into that drain. But as Sylvan mentions above, if the water heater Temperature and Pressure relief drain is one of those, then it should be protected by an Air Gap which is a physical separation with air space between the bottom of the discharge pipe and the top of the receiving drain. This air gap prevents creepy crawly bacteria from getting into your water heater in the off chance that the drain were to flood and the water heater relief were open and the water system were to back siphon.
If its not used for sewage then you wouldn't get sewage gas per se, but you still could get funky water sitting in there which could smell bad. The trap prevents any weird smells from travelling out of that sump into your living space.
For example bath tub spout or sink faucets have an AIR GAP to protect potable water supply
An air gap, as related to the plumbing trade, is the unobstructed vertical space between the water outlet and the flood level of a fixture. ... This arrangement will prevent any contaminants in the sink from flowing into the potable water system by siphonage and is the least expensive form of backflow prevention.
AIR BREAK an indirect connection of a drain line to the drainage system where the drain line terminates below flood level.
They ask what is the difference between air gap and air break on two of the master plumbers exams I took
the T&P Discharge should always be at least 4" above the drain NEVER inside a pit /sump or connected to the drainage system
An air gap, as related to the plumbing trade, is the unobstructed vertical space between the water outlet and the flood level of a fixture. ... This arrangement will prevent any contaminants in the sink from flowing into the potable water system by siphonage and is the least expensive form of backflow prevention.
AIR BREAK an indirect connection of a drain line to the drainage system where the drain line terminates below flood level.
They ask what is the difference between air gap and air break on two of the master plumbers exams I took
the T&P Discharge should always be at least 4" above the drain NEVER inside a pit /sump or connected to the drainage system
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