Ice dam at end of sump pump discharge line

[SteveScud]

Looking for advice on how to prevent large ice dams from forming at end of my sump discharge line. See photograph from last year.

My pump will run often most of the time. After the pump has completed it's cycle, the last half cup of water will form an icicle at the end of the pipe. Each pump cycle will add to the icicle until it touches the ground and slowly forms a large ice dam which covers the end of the discharge pipe.

This last summer I decided to do what I can to address the problem. I replaced the pump, I hired a plumber to steepen the downward angle of my discharge line and to try and prevent icicles from forming, I added a 45 degree cap to angle the water downward.

My question is, what else should I do?

We are gone for months during the winter so I am not quite comfortable installing electric heating cables on the pipe but if that is the only way to prevent the ice I may need to reconsider. My neighbors do not have any problems like this, but I think my pump runs more often.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

[Twowaxhack]

Heat tape and build an overflow tee onto the outside pipe if the heat tape fails it’ll still work for a while.

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Looking for advice on how to prevent large ice dams from forming at end of my sump discharge line. See photograph from last year.

My pump will run often most of the time. After the pump has completed it's cycle, the last half cup of water will form an icicle at the end of the pipe. Each pump cycle will add to the icicle until it touches the ground and slowly forms a large ice dam which covers the end of the discharge pipe.

This last summer I decided to do what I can to address the problem. I replaced the pump, I hired a plumber to steepen the downward angle of my discharge line and to try and prevent icicles from forming, I added a 45 degree cap to angle the water downward.

My question is, what else should I do?

We are gone for months during the winter so I am not quite comfortable installing electric heating cables on the pipe but if that is the only way to prevent the ice I may need to reconsider. My neighbors do not have any problems like this, but I think my pump runs more often.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

Why are you pumping out so much water?

 

[Doug Mildram]

Looking for advice on how to prevent large ice dams from forming at end of my sump discharge line. See photograph from last year.

My pump will run often most of the time. After the pump has completed it's cycle, the last half cup of water will form an icicle at the end of the pipe. Each pump cycle will add to the icicle until it touches the ground and slowly forms a large ice dam which covers the end of the discharge pipe.

This last summer I decided to do what I can to address the problem. I replaced the pump, I hired a plumber to steepen the downward angle of my discharge line and to try and prevent icicles from forming, I added a 45 degree cap to angle the water downward.

My question is, what else should I do?

We are gone for months during the winter so I am not quite comfortable installing electric heating cables on the pipe but if that is the only way to prevent the ice I may need to reconsider. My neighbors do not have any problems like this, but I think my pump runs more often.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

[Doug Mildram]

Similar to my septic D-box freezing with an uphill pump (my pump sits it the small 100gal? pump tank trying to keep my 1000g tank water flowing to the septic field). I forget exactly but around a 1.5 in diameter hose less than 50ft to D-box. Solution if your length of uphill hose is no worse: drill a 1/8 inch drill bit hole through one side of your hard plastic/? hose on the DOWNhill end near the pump, so the hose will slowly drain back down...most of the water disappears on the uphill end so voila, not much ice forms on the cold end. Yes ...you waste energy and pump cycles as a few gallons dribble back down into your sending tank/hole. To my surprise, my pump survived a few days of trying to pump into an ice block! I spent months digging my yard to discover my real problem...and the plot plan was completely wrong ax to where the field and D-box live...

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Why are you pumping out so much water?

My thoughts exactly. That's way too much water, and as a home inspector, I can tell you it should NOT, under any circumstances, be terminated so close to the foundation. It should be about 5-10' away.

If the OP is away for most of the winter, and that much water is being pumped out, this is just a massive failure of some kind waiting to happen. All heating tape is going to do is have another point of failure, and move the problem a bit further away. The water is going to freeze very shortly after existing the pipe.

I do not know the answer, but I sure can tell a potential problem when I see one.

 

[SteveScud]

Why are you pumping out so much water?

We have been in the house for 4 years and have noticed that my neighbor's pump runs about twice a year and mine runs every 20 minutes (on average). Our theory is that we are sitting above a spring or something.

 

[SteveScud]

My thoughts exactly. That's way too much water, and as a home inspector, I can tell you it should NOT, under any circumstances, be terminated so close to the foundation. It should be about 5-10' away.

If the OP is away for most of the winter, and that much water is being pumped out, this is just a massive failure of some kind waiting to happen. All heating tape is going to do is have another point of failure, and move the problem a bit further away. The water is going to freeze very shortly after existing the pipe.

I do not know the answer, but I sure can tell a potential problem when I see one.

I have the same concerns. btw...every house in our housing development has a similar discharge design. Discharge tube is about 12 inches long with water pumped onto the ground. During summer months most of us run a 30 foot extension tube down the hill.

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

We have been in the house for 4 years and have noticed that my neighbor's pump runs about twice a year and mine runs every 20 minutes (on average). Our theory is that we are sitting above a spring or something.

Wow! You could be right. God help you if that pump fails!