Levitt Ranch Dry Well issue (Hempstead: house, contractor, inspection)
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About 18 months ago, we relocated the washer from the middle of the kitchen (original design of a Levitt Ranch) to the back of the garage, and by doing that , we had someone dig a drywell (just for the washer drain water) outside on the back of the garage. the well is 4'x3' and 4' deep. made with cinder block walls and put gravel at the bottom.
As of a few days ago the water is not draining and the drywell is overflowing.
I am trying to think why is this happening...
-Was the well supposed to be deeper? some people claim the well should go all the way until sand is found..
-Was it lack of maintenance? soap and lint build up?. i'll admit i did not do anything as far as maintenance. i see some filtration systems in amazon in reference to this...
-Was it a 'Well Freeze' I read this may be possible on very cold months, and people use other means to drain while this is happening...
someone familiar with this?
recommendations?
obviously i am trying to avoid paying $10K - $15K for a second sewer connection to the street or loop around the drain to the front of the house by breaking my driveway ....
Should've used a precast.
Block only allows good drainage at the bottom.
If the soil isn't conducive to draining then you're screwed.
If the soil is hard packed or clay it won't drain.
Digging a hole and throwing some rocks in the bottom does not make a drywell.
If this just happened for the first time a few days ago, it is not likely that it is due to frost, although frozen grounds absorb less water. Is there an inspection cover that allows you to confirm that the well is not draining as opposed to the drain lines being clogged? The lint from the washer can clog the water flow paths, but hard to imagine that happened in 18 months.
Is this a front loader washer? The well size you note likely holds +/- 300 gallons. An old, inefficient top-loader might use 40 gallons of water. A hyper-efficient front loader might use 1/3 that amount. If the issue is just slow draining from the well, you might solve the problem by getting a more efficient washing machine.
So how many people are in your family? How many loads are you doing? What type of washing machine do you have? Do you limit the soap and fabric softener to the minimum?
Most likely there is several problems occurring.
Either way:
1) Its way too small
2) Contractor should has used drywell blocks or precast.
About 18 months ago, we relocated the washer from the middle of the kitchen (original design of a Levitt Ranch) to the back of the garage, and by doing that , we had someone dig a drywell (just for the washer drain water) outside on the back of the garage. the well is 4'x3' and 4' deep. made with cinder block walls and put gravel at the bottom.
As of a few days ago the water is not draining and the drywell is overflowing.
I am trying to think why is this happening...
-Was the well supposed to be deeper? some people claim the well should go all the way until sand is found..
-Was it lack of maintenance? soap and lint build up?. i'll admit i did not do anything as far as maintenance. i see some filtration systems in amazon in reference to this...
-Was it a 'Well Freeze' I read this may be possible on very cold months, and people use other means to drain while this is happening...
someone familiar with this?
recommendations?
obviously i am trying to avoid paying $10K - $15K for a second sewer connection to the street or loop around the drain to the front of the house by breaking my driveway ....
any feedback appreciated ....
Is it even legal in the Town of Hempstead to drain laundry water directly into the earth?
You have answered all of your own questions.
1- It is bit on the small side.
2- It should have been dug deeper, and dug down to sand.
You could dig a test hole somewhere else in the yard. Dig down 4 feet in one, and dig down to the sand in the other one. You can clearly see the color of the dig change as you dig. It will be dark which is the loam/topsoil. Then it will look brownish like clay, then a almost rusty brown , then sandy looking, then eventually clean almost beach like sand. Thats where you want to be. Then put hose in each and turn water on and see which one never fills up. The one dug down to sand will be the winner.
Just run a discharge hose, aim it towards neighbors yard.
If you have a party or something just roll up the hose.
During winter months create an ice rink for the kids. In the summer a swimming hole or fishing pond. Cleanest fish ever.
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