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My sump pump discharge is located ~6" above grade and the drain line is on the surface (i.e. not buried). I'd like to create an air gap so that the water has somewhere to go if the drain line freezes. Typically a component like the one below is used to create this air gap. These are great, however all the ones I can find are 5-6" in heigh which doesn't leave enough space to connect the drain line.

I'd like to create my own air gap but I'm not entirely sure what the best way to do this is. The diagram below explains what I'm thinking, with example parts afterwards.

Sump pump diagram

"Bullet" basin: Atrium grate:

I can sink the bottom of the basin into the ground a bit, and cut the atrium to size. Does this make sense, or am I missing something here?

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  • If you "cut the atrium to size", you'll be making the bottom too small to sit in the hole in the bullet basin, or you'll be removing the leaf-protective cover from the top giving an increased likelihood of clogging. Things to consider.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 12:57
  • Yes, you're correct. I would probably cut off the top and set the discharge into it a bit. Although more likely to clog, I don't think that would be an issue. Another option would be a flat drain on the bullet basin, which is more prone to clogging (eg with leaves) but gives a substantial gap.
    – RedSpikeyThing
    Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 14:06

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The trouble with the examples you present are that they're likely to freeze up as well. They don't look designed for winter to me. They'll end up a mound of ice on a truly cold day. You need a proper gap, so that any mound takes a while to accumulate.

Why not just a length of 3" PVC pipe and an elbow? You can set it flush with the ground if you like to gain clearance and just stub it into the corrugated pipe. I'd probably flex a bit of 1/4" hardware cloth into it to catch debris, or use a pre-built cap.

enter image description here

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  • Thanks for your input! I guess the question is "how big does the air gap need to be?" The one on the pre-made ice guards looks like it's ~3". Could you elaborate on "Why not just a length of 3" PVC pipe and an elbow?" Would that be in place of the basin? What about just putting a flat grate on the drain instead of the atrium?
    – RedSpikeyThing
    Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 14:04
  • It's not clear from your question what hardware you have in place now. I basically assumed a bare pipe.
    – isherwood
    Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 14:46
  • I have the sump discharge pipe going on to a splash pad. The discharge pipe is as-drawn, but I can modify it fairly easily.
    – RedSpikeyThing
    Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 15:45

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