Floor drain Q in basement refinish article by Engle
We have a basement dating back to the mid-1950s that definitely would benefit from following Andy Engel’s tips in his article in FH#169 as well as other articles addressing insulating along the band joists, etc. along the outside walls. After mentally running through the routine that would be involved in updating our basement, I’ve run into a dilemma: How to handle the two floor drains in our utility room? There is one next to the natural gas boiler in one corner of the basement and another, also in the utility room, closer to the water heater. Both have come in handy when the hydronic system or the water heater needed to be drained. Should the drain opening extended up to the new layers of foam board/plywood layers? How would this affect handling any (and highly unlikely in our house)water that may get underneath the new underlayment? Thank you for any tips of info you can steer me towards.
Replies
Unless the drain is to be blocked off completely you will want to bring it up to floor level or sewer gas will work its way up under the floor as water in the ptrap evaporates.
This is a perfect time to chisel up a little concrete and move the drain to exactly where you want it. A drain exactly under a hyrdronic drain valve or hot water heater drain can extend up off the floor so little water gets on the floor.
As for free water under the floor--that's something you'll have to plan for and hard to say what's best other than to say you don't want a bathtub situation. I'd want either a drain in the slab with an access hatch to replentish water in the trap (fill with mineral oil so evaporation isn't a problem until water has been through the ptrap), or a depression in the slab to collect water and a hose run under the floor so any water can be pumped out if needed.
Seems to me you'd want a
Seems to me you'd want a shower-style drain, with weep holes below the finished level.
I faced a similar dilema in my basement. I intalled the DriCore Panels and placed carpet tiles on top. In the middle was a floor drain. My solution was to cut a square hole in the dricore panels and I bought a decorative grill cover from Reggio Register Covers.
It has worked out very well so far. I have to pour more water down the drain to charge the p-trap a few time a year. All I have to do is unscrew the four screws, remove the cover, and there is the drain hole. I also affixed some black mesh on the back so my kids won't shove crayons down the drain anymore.
The register cover is the grey square in the bottom right quadrant of both pictures.
--Matt
I'm confused: Why put a
I'm confused: Why put a fancy floor in the utility room?