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I have a sump pump without a check valve on the outlet line. I would like to install one but I'm worried about the water in the pipe freezing during the winter.

The outlet exits the house below grade and appears in the yard a few feet from the house on its way to the curb. If I install a check valve, there will be several feet of vertical pipe above the frost line (3.5' in my area). The vertical column of water will eventually freeze and burst the pipe (correct me if I'm wrong).

What I would like to have is a check valve that has some sort of handle that allows opening the valve. This way I can drain the pipe before winter.

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4
  • Can't just blow it out with some air? Even a reversed shop vacuum would probably do.
    – isherwood
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 1:45
  • do you turn the pump off all winter? Or do you want to run sans-check-valve in winter?
    – agentp
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 15:32
  • @isherwood The pump outlet is rigid ABS pipe that goes right into the wall. The pump is effectively immobile so I would never be able to get a vacuum hose in it.
    – succulent_headcrab
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 23:04
  • @agentp The pump is plugged in during the winter but it only runs during the spring thaw. There is never more than a few cm of water the rest of the year.
    – succulent_headcrab
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 23:05

1 Answer 1

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Add a TEE just above the check valve and a valve off the TEE. The valve is closed when the pump is working normally and you can open the valve to drain the pipe any time you want

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  • Usually the pump,is only a few inches below the check valve. If the cold weather would affect that little bit of water what about the pump? Drain the line and remove the pump and take to a warmer place.
    – d.george
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 20:06
  • That's a fair point. I needed to re-read the question.
    – isherwood
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 20:12
  • @d.george Yup, I guess this is what I will have to do. The space is extremely tight though. The pipe bends 90° right out of the sump pit so I have very little vertical space for the check valve and the TEE.
    – succulent_headcrab
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 23:07
  • You could replace the 1st elbow with a tee and add the valve so you would not have to add another fitting to the short pipe length.
    – d.george
    Commented Feb 21, 2018 at 1:14
  • Post a photo in your question if you'd like creative suggestions.
    – isherwood
    Commented Feb 21, 2018 at 2:49

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