Having your own bathhouse is the dream of most homeowners. Many of them begin self-construction to make their dream come true. One of the most important moments during construction, the organization of water drainage is considered. A properly designed and installed structure will protect the foundation and wooden parts from destruction, and prevent the possible appearance of fungus and unpleasant odors. How to drain a bathhouse according to all the rules? Let's figure it out.
Collection waste water can be carried out in the bath in different ways. The choice of the optimal option depends on what kind of floors you plan to lay. They may or may not leak. In the first case, it is assumed that a special reservoir will be installed to collect water, from which the wastewater will go into the sewer system. In the second case, an inclined floor is installed, and gutters and ladders are installed through which the water will drain.
In any case, the drainage system must be installed before laying the floors. The general installation diagram is as follows:
At this point, the installation of the sewage system inside the bathhouse can be considered complete. All that remains is to connect to the system sanitary equipment and a toilet, if necessary. Now it's time to tackle the outdoor drainage.
Video - the process of installing a sewer system in a bathhouse with your own hands
How to choose a wastewater disposal method?
There can be many options for organizing an external bath sewer. When choosing one of them, be sure to consider the following points:
- expected intensity of use of the bathhouse;
- dimensions of the building;
- type of soil on the site;
- soil freezing depth;
- the presence or absence of a sewerage system on the site;
- Possibility of connection to a centralized sewerage system.
These are the most important aspects that will determine the optimal method of drainage. For example, for a small bathhouse, where two or three people will wash once a week in the warm season, it is not worth equipping a complex sewer system using ground filtration. A drainage hole or even a pit under the building will be quite sufficient here. Whereas for a bathhouse in which you plan to wash all year round, you will need a more complex drainage system.
The type of soil is also important. For highly absorbent sandy soils, a drainage well is the optimal solution. This is not suitable for clay soils. Here, the best option would be to install a drainage pit, from which wastewater will be periodically removed. When installing the system, do not forget about the level of soil freezing. If this is not taken into account, the water in pipes laid above this level will freeze in extreme cold and destroy the sewer system.
Methods for arranging wastewater disposal
There are several effective and relatively low-cost ways to organize the drainage of water in a bathhouse. All of them are quite easy to do on your own. Let's look at their main advantages and disadvantages.
Drain well
It is a sealed container in which wastewater coming from the bathhouse accumulates. When the well is full, it is emptied using a special machine. Advantages of the system:
- simplicity in arrangement;
- does not require special care;
- low cost.
The disadvantages include the following:
- need for regular calls sewage treatment plant cars, which entails certain expenses.
- organizing convenient access for special equipment to the well;
- the drainage well should be installed at the lowest point of the site.
Drainage well
It is made in the form of a pit filled with filtrate, which cleans the wastewater. Sand, crushed stone, small fragments of brick or furnace slag can be used as filler. Design advantages:
- low cost;
- simplicity in arrangement.
Drainage well - as an element for draining water from a bathhouse
The system has one drawback - the need to change the contaminated filtrate or clean it approximately every six months, which requires serious labor costs.
Pit
A hole dug directly under the floor of the washing room in a bathhouse. Its bottom is filled with filtrate, through which wastewater passes, is cleaned and gradually passes into the lower layers of the soil. Advantages of the system:
- the use of pipelines and other structural elements is not required;
- low installation cost.
A pit is the easiest way to arrange a sewer system in a bathhouse
Disadvantages include:
- low throughput;
- the technology is unsuitable for use in the construction of a bathhouse with a slab foundation;
- Suitable for use only on highly absorbent soils.
Using the ground filtration method
It is a system consisting of a septic tank and pipes diverging from it, through which purified water is discharged. The pipes are laid at a slope so that the liquid flows by gravity and is absorbed by the soil. Design advantages:
- completely autonomous operation;
- can be used to equip a full-fledged sewer system with several points for collecting waste;
- the ability to purify not only “gray” but also “black” wastewater; in this case, at least an anaerobic septic tank is installed.
Significant disadvantages:
- the need to allocate a site for a septic tank;
- labor-intensive installation process, the need for large quantity earthworks;
- quite high cost of equipment and consumables.
As an option, you can consider connecting to a centralized sewerage system. This is the optimal solution to the wastewater problem. In this case, no external devices will be needed for receiving and processing wastewater. Another plus is the ability to connect several water intake points at once. The disadvantages of this option include the high cost of contractor services and the bureaucratic red tape that often arises when obtaining permits.
Drain well: manufacturing technology
A drainage pit is a practical solution for draining wastewater. It can be arranged in different ways. The simplest one is to dig a plastic or metal container into the ground. You can make a pit from reinforced concrete rings, fill the walls with concrete or line them with bricks. Let's consider the last option in detail.
A drain well is an excellent solution for draining sewage
We start by choosing a suitable location. It should be located at the lowest point of the site, since the wastewater will have to move by gravity. In addition, we take into account that the pit will regularly need to be cleared of waste, so it is necessary to provide convenient access for sewage treatment plant cars. Having outlined the location, we get to work:
The drainage pit is ready for use.
Drainage well
Such a system can only be installed in an area with deep groundwater. Otherwise in force design features drainage well it will be constantly filled groundwater, and there will be no room left for waste. Before starting work, we determine the place where the well will be located. It is optimal to place it 2 meters away from the wall of the bathhouse. If the distance is greater, certain difficulties will arise with organizing the required slope of the drain pipe, which is necessary for the waste to drain by gravity.
A drainage well is an excellent way to arrange sewerage in a bathhouse
In addition, the close location of the well threatens the foundation with wetting or subsidence. Having decided on the installation location, we find out what materials we will need for installation. It depends on the type of soil. If it does not crumble, we will not need to strengthen the walls of the pit. However, such soils are not found everywhere. Most often, the walls need to be strengthened. You can do this in different ways:
Let's get started:
The drainage well is ready for use.
Tip: If the site has sandy, well-absorbing soil, you can install a horizontal drainage pad instead of a well. It is a trench about 1 m long, 0.3 m wide and 1 m deep. A cushion of crushed stone 20 cm high is laid at the bottom, and soil is poured on top. The wastewater is discharged directly onto this pad, cleaned and absorbed into the soil.
Pit
The pit is a reservoir for wastewater located directly under the washing room. You need to understand that such a system will be effective only for small baths that are used infrequently. Work on arranging the pit is carried out in the following sequence:
- We dig a hole under the future floor, the volume of which will be sufficient to collect water.
- We strengthen the walls of the pit with any in an accessible way: brick, wild stone or slate.
- We place a filter pad at the bottom of the resulting tank. First, a layer of crushed stone, broken brick or expanded clay is laid. Place sand on top of this layer.
- We install logs on top of the pit. We lay a wooden floor on them, the floorboards of which should not fit tightly to each other so that water can drain into the pit.
Tip: The floorboards of a wooden floor laid over a pit do not need to be nailed to the joists. In this case, they can be removed if necessary and taken outside to dry.
There is another option for arranging a pit, which in this case plays the role of a water collector, from which the wastewater, having reached a certain level, is discharged into the sewer or septic tank. Such a system is usually installed under “leaky” floors. Let's get started:
One of the main elements of such a system is an autonomous septic tank, which is both a septic tank and a distribution well. Drainage pipes extend from it, which distribute purified water throughout the area. A septic tank can be purchased at a store or assembled yourself. In the latter case, the simplest option for self-made– construction made of plastic or metal containers. A septic tank made of concrete rings works effectively, as does a structure made of concrete or brick.
A septic tank is an excellent solution for draining sewage
In any case, we begin the installation of the system with the installation of the septic tank. We install the tank at a depth of 1.2-2.5 m. There is no need to lower the tank deeper, otherwise a problem may arise with the post-treatment of wastewater, which is carried out by anaerobic bacteria. We connect a sewer pipe to the septic tank. It must be buried below the soil freezing level. After installing the septic tank, we begin preparing the drains, as drainage pipes are called.
Their length and diameter depend on the number of drains. The most commonly used standard plastic pipes with a diameter of 11 cm. You can take ordinary plastic sewer pipes and make holes in them. You need to know that in the upper part of the part the diameter of the holes should be smaller than those located in the lower part. This is done to ensure that the outflow of water is uniform. The number of holes at the beginning and end of the pipe also differs. At the very beginning, perforations are performed more often, and at the end - less often, and most of them occur in the lower half of the pipe.
To properly arrange drainage, several rules are used:
- the length of each drain cannot be more than 25 m;
- the pipe laying depth is about 1.5 m, always below the soil freezing level;
- the minimum distance between drains is 1.5 m;
- the minimum width of the trench for the pipe is 0.5 m, optimal width– 1 m.
After the pipes have been prepared, you can begin their installation:
Scheme - using a septic tank as an element of sewerage arrangement in a bathhouse
Important: The ground filtration system requires periodic maintenance. It consists of replacing the silted sand and gravel cushion and the soil underneath it. Depending on the load on the system, such work is carried out once every 10-15 years or less.
Properly organized drainage of water in a bathhouse is the key to its long and trouble-free functioning. It will protect the building from the destructive effects of moisture and prevent contamination of the site with sewage. Even for small baths, the installation of a sewer system is mandatory, especially since it is necessary for large rooms with a separate shower room and toilet. The organization of drainage should be taken with full responsibility, avoiding mistakes and omissions. And then the new bathhouse will only delight its owner with long, impeccable service.
The sewerage system of a private house consists of a wastewater drainage line and a septic tank - a cesspool. To install it, you will first need to decide on the location, design and material of the septic tank tank. The sewage line is laid using thick-walled polymer pipes at an appropriate depth and with a slope to the septic tank of at least 5 degrees.
The sewage system of a private house is provided using simple materials. To organize a simplified drainage system for a private house, you will need: polyethylene pipes and material for constructing a septic tank (ceramic bricks, concrete rings or used tires large diameter). It is better to make a septic tank with biological wastewater treatment if the soil is not loam, but the groundwater level is more than 2-2.5 meters. The septic tank will act as a filter well, providing partial treatment of wastewater.
At the first stage of installing a sewerage system, you should decide on the location of the septic tank, that is, a container for wastewater. Here you need to take into account the level of water intake if you have a well or well with drinking water to prevent the ingress of wastewater.
You should also locate the septic tank as far as possible from the residential building, but at the same time take into account the possibility of pumping out wastewater. Putrefactive bacteria in a septic tank - a cesspool, with sufficient volume and low groundwater levels, will allow the wastewater drainage system to be operated for several years without additional treatment.
The installation of a septic tank involves various options. The easiest way is to use old car or tractor tires. A septic tank made from ceramic bricks should be laid without mortar in the side joints to ensure drainage of wastewater. Concrete structures when laid at joints, they must also ensure filtration into the ground. The septic tank cover must ensure safety when located on the cesspool. Therefore, it is optimal to make it from concrete with a hole for a hatch. Modern hatches are made not from cast iron, but from polymer-sand material.
Next, you should measure the length of the sewer line. It is better to use a polymer pipe, preferably more durable, and avoid unnecessary connections when installing in order to prevent deflection during installation. It is optimal to choose the diameter of the pipes as 110 mm and bring it as close as possible to the source (sink, washing machine, bathtub) and already there make adapters for a diameter of 50 mm, thereby reducing blockages.
When laying a sufficiently long sewer line, inspection branches will be required for cleaning in case of blockages. It is important to ensure a maximum angle of decline of the pipe, at least 5 degrees. The depth of the drain line is determined taking into account the freezing of the soil in your latitude, usually at least one meter.
Unfortunately, not everywhere there is a centralized sewerage system and people are forced to install outdoor toilets on their property.
In the warm season, going outside is not difficult, but in the cold season, you don’t want to go out into the cold again.
And that’s why many people think about equipment in the drainage pit area.
Let's consider the topic of a drainage pit in a private house in this article.
Drain pits. Theory
To ensure the installation of a drainage pit, it is better to hire professional workers, but you can equip it yourself.
Volume calculation
The equipment for the drainage pit is considered cheap and in a simple way in order to provide private houses with sewerage.
To calculate the required volume of the drainage pit, you need to multiply the number of people who will live in the house by 1.2 m3. Let's give an example: if there are five people in your family, then the volume of the drainage pit will be at least two and a half meters cubed.
Types and purpose
Drain pits come in different types:
- Fecal. A pit, the name of which speaks for itself, that is, this pit is designed to drain water from a toilet or toilet, which is located on the site.
- Sewage. It is intended for, that is, drainage from baths, showers, and washbasins.
- Combined. The pit is designed to drain both fecal matter and household water.
In rural areas, it is better to equip two pits: a fecal pit and a waste pit.
How to equip a drainage pit in a private house
Determining the dimensions
Depth
First, find out the groundwater level in your area. You can check the groundwater level yourself, or you can check it using a well if you have one nearby.
If groundwater is at a depth of 6-8 meters, then a pit for draining waste must be made at a level of 2-2.5 meters.
Length, width
Once you have decided on the depth of the drainage hole, you next need to determine its length and width.
The average amount of water consumed by one person is taken into account.
For example, for a family from four people it is necessary to equip a pit with a volume of 4 m3 and its width should be 1.8 meters.
We dig, we cover
Whether you dig a hole or hire special equipment is up to you.
How to line the drainage hole?
Let's look at brick. The walls of the pit are laid out in one brick, which is laid on the foundation.
When laying bricks, it is necessary to leave windows; they are needed so that excess water flows into the ground through them and therefore the drainage hole will not fill quickly.
To drainage system worked well, you can fill the distance between the soil and the wall of the pit with broken bricks.
Brickwork is done until the ground surface is approximately 80 cm.
To reduce the water permeability of the brick, the walls of the pit are covered with waterproofing material. For this, bitumen mastic or modified bitumen is used. It is necessary to take into account that bitumen is applied to a completely dry surface.
How to cover the hole?
Usually the drainage pit is covered with a reinforced concrete slab; its thickness should not be less than 20 cm.
Must be installed in advance on the drain pit reinforcing mesh, because the load on it due to the slab will become greater. Then they equip the neck and lay the hatch. This pit can be used both for a residential building and for a bathhouse and other outbuildings.
It's better to cover the hole reinforced concrete slab, since it must withstand good loads.
The side parts of the drainage pit overlap by about 30 cm, but do not forget about the opening for the hatch. The hatch cover must be double and the first cover must be installed at ground level, and the second must be at the ceiling level. The distance between the covers must be insulated with something (expanded clay, mineral wool, slag). But the top cover should not allow moisture to pass through.
This design will save you from the unpleasant smell of sewage in the summer, and winter time- from freezing the contents of the pit.
How much does a drain hole cost?
According to rough estimates, building a drainage pit yourself will cost twelve or sixteen thousand rubles.
Many companies offer their services for the construction of cesspools. These companies make holes 3 meters deep and wide, the work takes about 4-5 days.
Construction companies charge approximately 35 thousand rubles for equipping a drainage pit, which is very expensive and several times different from the amount if they made the drainage pit themselves. It's up to you to decide whether to make the hole yourself or hire specialists.
There are other types of drainage pits; the most suitable is a plastic drainage pit. Plastic tanks can be purchased with a volume of one thousand four hundred liters with a neck, it will cost approximately fourteen thousand rubles.
Think it over carefully.
Looking for a place for a pit
Choosing a pit location for drainage is an important step for its correct device. There are some rules to follow:
- The drainage pit should be at a distance of 12 meters from the building;
- The distance between the drainage pit and the well or other water intake must be at least 30 meters.
- The drainage hole should be at a distance of one meter from the fence.
It is necessary to position the drainage pit so that a sewage disposal truck can drive up to it.
Using concrete rings
Drain pits are planned at the stage when the house is still under construction. Pipes in old houses are laid to a depth of 80 cm and at a slope. The final installation of pipes is done at the final stage.
When a drainage pit is equipped with rings, preference is still given concrete rings, which were produced at the factory!
Laying the rings
For a pit, two rings are enough if their diameter is 2 meters. Sometimes a second one is made with the first drainage hole; rings are also installed on it, but its bottom is not filled with concrete. A pipe is laid between the pits, in this case it functions as a septic tank. When the rings are installed, it is necessary to remove the pipes.
Pipe laying and covering
- It is best to use pipes that have a diameter of 15 cm and the slope at the entrance to the pit should be approximately 20 degrees.
- When the pipes are installed, it is necessary to drain the water for control.
- Special polymer covers are placed on top of the rings; they have special ventilation holes. When everything is ready, the hole is filled with earth so that there is only a hatch on the surface.
Drainage pit made of monolithic concrete
To build a drainage pit from monolithic concrete, reinforcement and formwork are used.
The reinforcement frame is made of wire, the thickness of which is 6-8 mm.
- The reinforcement frame is installed at the bottom of the pit, and the bottom is filled with concrete.
- The next step is to install the formwork, and then pour the concrete.
- After the concrete has hardened, the formwork is removed through the hatch.
Before you are going to make a hole out of concrete, you need to equip the hole with a sewer pipe and a ventilation hole.
Plastic tank for pit
The plastic pit is good option in order to make a sewer system for a private house. Such a pit has many advantages, for example, it is sealed, easy to use and environmentally friendly.
To place a plastic drainage pit, you need to know the characteristics of the soil and landscape.
If groundwater is close to the surface, a plastic container should not be placed underground. In this case, a sealed concrete well is made and a plastic container is placed in it, but this method will be more expensive.
In order for a plastic pit to work well for a long time, the hole under it must be dug so that there is a distance of 30 cm from the walls to the container.
The container is installed strictly horizontally. It is important that the tank has a ventilation pipe, otherwise there will be a danger of the tank exploding, since organic waste releases methane gas when decomposed.
The drainage pit has its positive and negative qualities, but its presence takes country life and life in a private house to another level. For this reason, people are increasingly making cesspools of various designs on their plots.
We wish you good luck in your endeavors!