Does anyone know what this is? A dry well?

Roishe Cheng

Roishe Cheng

New Member
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Riverhead, NJ
I've always had this pipe sticking out of the ground in my backyard, right next the foundation of the house, surrounded by cinder blocks in a rectangular shape. I was wondering if this is some sort of dry well? When I put a garden hose into the hole and try to fill it, it drains very well. The previous owner said the pool company used it once to backwash the swimming pool once, but I don't want to do that if I don't know what it is. I don't want water going under the house and cracking the foundation or something. Nor do I want to dump DE in there from a backwash hose as it can clog pipes.

I mean it's exposed and it rains quite heavily on this part of Long Island and the water drains right down. It drains fast too, I mean a garden hose running in there at full strength struggles to fill it up to the top, so the water is being channeled somewhere very well..

The house is slab on grade construction (no basement or crawl space).

Anyone ever seen this type of setup?

4112114361_7533f6ca4a_b.jpg


4112114995_6688c99101_b.jpg


4112116159_2c17177c43_b.jpg


4112116731_f60011ffe0_b.jpg
 
Hi Jim, someone else mentioned a radon vent. Is this common on houses that don't have basements?

If so, why all the concrete blocking around it? Just to protect it?
 
Roishe Cheng said:
Hi Jim, someone else mentioned a radon vent. Is this common on houses that don't have basements?

If so, why all the concrete blocking around it? Just to protect it?
Click to expand...

I never even knew what a radon vent was until I saw this post!!! I did some reading and I don't think what you have there is a radon vent (unless it's a poorly designed one). It should go up atleast 10' from the ground!

I found plenty of info on Radon vents here:

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/17/radon/pubs/consguid.html
 
pipe

It is located and shaped like the vent for a house trap, and since this Long Island, and New York uses house traps, I would assume that is what its purpose is.
 
Here is what someone else mentioned on another site. Perhaps you guys can validate if it's true or not.

"That appears to be a gas line sleeve vent.

Per code, whenever a gas line is run under for through a slab within the confines of a structure the line must be enclosed in a conduit of schedule 40 steel, iron or plastic pipe.

If the sleeve is steel or iron pipe, the pipe MUST BE factory wrapped and all fittings field wrapped to prevent contact with the soil.

The interior end of the conduit must be sealed.

Under the IRC the exterior end must extend a minimum of 4" outside the structure, while under the UPC it must extend a minimum of 12" outside the structure.

The exterior end of the conduit MUST HAVE a vertical vent riser extending upward with a 180deg bend on top to prevent rain from entering the pipe. The vent riser must be equal to the size of the conduit and the lowest portion of the vent opening must be a minimum of 4" above finished grade.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER INJECT WATER INTO THAT LINE."
 
Roishe Cheng said:
Here is what someone else mentioned on another site. Perhaps you guys can validate if it's true or not.

"That appears to be a gas line sleeve vent.

Per code, whenever a gas line is run under for through a slab within the confines of a structure the line must be enclosed in a conduit of schedule 40 steel, iron or plastic pipe.

If the sleeve is steel or iron pipe, the pipe MUST BE factory wrapped and all fittings field wrapped to prevent contact with the soil.

The interior end of the conduit must be sealed.

Under the IRC the exterior end must extend a minimum of 4" outside the structure, while under the UPC it must extend a minimum of 12" outside the structure.

The exterior end of the conduit MUST HAVE a vertical vent riser extending upward with a 180deg bend on top to prevent rain from entering the pipe. The vent riser must be equal to the size of the conduit and the lowest portion of the vent opening must be a minimum of 4" above finished grade.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER INJECT WATER INTO THAT LINE."
Click to expand...

I can't help you here because in BC we are simply NOT allowed to run a gas line under a footing or slab. Gas lines must enter the building above grade.

HJ will probably know more about it!
 
vent

WE do not have any reference point to tell what size the pipe is, but IF it were a gas vent, which is highly unlikely, it would NEVER have worked for an pool drain dump. The ONLY thing they could have used was something connected to the sewer system, and the only thing connected to the sewer system that has to look like that is a house trap.
 
hj said:
WE do not have any reference point to tell what size the pipe is, but IF it were a gas vent, which is highly unlikely, it would NEVER have worked for an pool drain dump. The ONLY thing they could have used was something connected to the sewer system, and the only thing connected to the sewer system that has to look like that is a house trap.
Click to expand...

I think I should clarify my statement. They weren't dumping the water directly into the pipe. They were dumping it into the rectangular space surrounded by the concrete blocks that are mortared together.
 
Hmm. So have you tried sticking your nose next to it and taking a whiff? If its a sewer vent you'll know.

And I'd really stop dumping water against your foundation. The underneath of your slab is filled with gravel. That pit also appears to be filled with gravel. When you pour water in there it could very likely be making its way into the gravel under the slab which would explain why it drains so well. However this is not a place where you want to dump water as it can cause irreversable settlement problems.

-rick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Thetruck454
Ideas for slow recovery well
Replies
3
Views
971
Thetruck454
Thetruck454
Tomdude
Fill swimming pool from my well ?
Replies
6
Views
3K
JohnCT
JohnCT
abearatemyparents
New pump installed in apparently dry well, trying to figure out what to do.
Replies
14
Views
2K
Reach4
Reach4
C
New homeowner and new to well system need advice with my setup
Replies
7
Views
971
Bannerman
Bannerman
K
What are ways to reduce electrical consumption with a well?
Replies
7
Views
1K
KimG
K
Back
Top