cold room under porch issues...

[greeny]

I have a cold room under my porch. It has my main water shut off in it as well as my sump pump. There are two windows on each side of the room and a sealed door. In the winter, if I shut the windows I get a lot of condensation on the ceiling. If I crack open one of the windows I run the risk of frozen pipes or frozen sump pump. Anyone have this issue? What's a good solution? Should I insulate the piping? Should I just keep the windows closed? I like fresh air in there as sump pumps give off radon gas. My sump pump has a backflow preventer (not sure if that's a good thing or bad) but there is always a bit of water at the bottom of the pump.

[Ciel]

At home-a cold room aka cellar under the front step but the water features you mention are not in that room-it's freezing in there! No windows either, just one side screen/louvered vent; veggies are supposed to be kept in cool and dry storage area that is dark. Condensation is ongoing issue when temperatures fluctuate because any snow/ice on front step tends to get downstairs through cracks when weather is milder. That's why I try to ensure step is clear of any snow/ice in morning when sun is on that side, to minimize condensation later. If I notice that there is quite a bit of condensation in the room, I'll put some newspaper down to absorb the moisture and change or remove paper by the next day. There is a floor drain outside the sealed door but I cannot recall when it was last needed to drain water except in the 80s (someone had turned lever off on sump pump fuse box so washing machine's discharged water backed up through both floor drains-boots and mop time). That reminds me, I have to ask the guys at home about that drain...

When we had a sump pump, it was by the laundry room tubs at the back of the house; septic bed was near back door and lead to long T-trench with gravel underground after the main pit. Main water shutoff is also within house but by furnace in another area of basement. I suspect whoever built your cold room had a reason for putting those water features there but it must mean the septic bed is nearby? It's unusual to have incoming water and outgoing water streams so close to each other.

I'd suggest you see if those foam pipe wraps can be used to keep your water shut-off piping and handle warm-you don't want a nasty freeze causing damage. As for the sump pump, I recall that there is always some water in the bottom of holding area plus the floor drain and it can smell unpleasant if water has not been recently pumped out. Do you have some kind of open slat wooden cover over the sump pump pit to prevent any fall/keep objects out?

The other thing is if you ever have a full septic bed, it's going to take you a little longer to realize it needs emptying if you are not near a sink or fixture where you can see water backing up the pipes because the sump pump is far from the sink. Basement sinks don't lie where water movement is concerned!

[greeny]

@ Ciel

Thanks for the info. I am a little confused. I have a sump pump not a septic pump. Not sure what you mean by "septic bed"? We don't live in a rural area, we don't have a septic tank. We have a sump pump which pumps water when it rains so basement will stay dry. I am not sure why the sump pump and water main are both in the cold room. I know sump pumps give off radon gas which is not safe, so I like the fact that it's in a sealed room with windows...just hate it when it gets cold as I worry about freezing. I think I will just go ahead and insulate the pipes and make sure my sump pump is fully covered so nothing can fall in. Thanks again !

[Ciel]

So where does the water go out if not into a septic bed: the municipal sewer system? About three years ago, I heard something odd: some newish homes (built in 80s) had sump pumps yet homes were on municipal sewer systems. Something to do with keeping excess water out. Did not know this. Also about some really large homes having more than one sump pump. Which to me means someone built on a water table or flood plain of some kind!

Septic bed/tank is where greywater/wastewater goes out to gradually get absorbed into the gravel field/dirt because the residence does not have a connection to a municipal sewer system or there is no sewer system yet in the immediate area (unless a big new survey development comes along or enough older properties become subdivided and populated with more homes).

[greeny]

@ Ciel

Yes, we have a municipal sewer system. They were just here a few weeks ago cleaning out all the sewers. The sump pump is used just to keep water out of the basement. Yes some homes have two sump pumps in case one stops working during a storm...they keep it for back up. You can also get a battery put on your sump pump in case there is a storm and the power goes out.