Author Topic: Moving Washout Area from Garage to Basement -Any tips for Leak/Flood Protection?  (Read 3522 times)

Offline sonicweaponprinting

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So my washout area is currently in my garage, it works fine as its a garage space that can get damp from pressure washer overspray, and the plumbing or faucet I hookup to is right outside my garage. For a while I didnt mind having to connect and disconnect the hose constantly (i added quick release to the hoses) however they always leaked anyways outside down into the planter space the faucet was mounted above (no biggie i the planter, but wouldnt work in a basement) now that its winter though, the faucet outside can freeze up, or my hoses will freeze up and get stiff with residual wateri n them and its creating unnecessary hurdles due to my current setup.

The other thing about my washout area being in my garage is that its upstairs, and extra distance I shouldnt actually probably wasting the energy and time travelling to and from conctantly, its just not efficient, or easily repeatable. I dont like that aspect of it.

So, I have a faucet in my unfinished basement. My basement is actually good size, and is mirrored on both rooms of it, its a good size which makes me want to make one side my print and production area, and the other side my screen holding and screen exposure/cleanup side. On the screen zone side of my basement I can hook up to an available faucet,  and Id have to do some minor plumbing so the washout could properly drain, but I am super afraid of either a small leak springing, or forgetting to turn off the hose after Im dome reclaiming, and that backpressure on the hose forming a leak eventually.

Ive worked in several shops, most have had this happen at some point in either a small scale, or a much larger scale, wether it was the shop themselves who forgot, or a shop directly next door that flooded from the next space over into theirs (yikes!)  I started researching for condensation or moisture alarms, or even auto vavle shutoffs, etc.. But am not sure which is totally fail proof.

What would you guys recommend, or have any of you been in the same situation with needing to make sure you dont flood your basement? I have considered building a water catching bin under the faucet hookup with a drain hose or sump pump in the event of a leak, and was even thinking of keeping my pressurewasher in a bin or rubbermaid of some sort w a drain incase the hose hookup area on that ever also leaked... Just trying to make sure Ive got at least 2-3 backup fault free solutions in the event one of those other preventative measures fails, whatever that may be, im just trying to be super cautious.


Offline Frog

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 I don't think that you have a lot more of a problem than most homeowners with washing machines. The inlet hose always provides a possible disaster should it break. Cautious folks turn off the water supply when on vacation at the least.
Most don't give it a thought.

Pressure washers are notorious for blowing seals when the water is left connected and on. Much bigger problem than the connection leaking.
Establish a routine of shutting your water off, and disconnecting your hose. Oh, and find a better connector that doesn't leak, or at least leaks only a minimum.
If you have a main supply shutoff for the basement, even better.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline sweetts

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I would just cut in a shutoff valve is the issue you just want to leave everything on?


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Offline sonicweaponprinting

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Hah, more of my concern is me bein an idiot and forgetting to turn it off if I get distracted or pulled away from my washout process a some point. In the 6 months Ive been running stuff out of my house, I only accidently left my hose on once overnight (outside the garage faucet) and am almost sure it could possibly happen in the future.. One of those only other shop disaster possibilities besides fire I always have to worry about but ive luckily never in my 12 years printing set a shirt on fire ... Knock on squeegee wood.


Offline Frog

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What a cool story of the miraculous timing of a flash dryer starting a fire at the same time as a hose burst putting it out!
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline mooseman

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two thoughts
Like previously mentioned a busted hose or blown seal on a pressure washer will be a water mess if you don't catch it.
I would get a moisture alarm to give you an early warning of a leak especially if you are not going to be in the area to eye ball the situation., they sell them to warn about a blown water heaters,  example here  http://www.glentronics.com/water_alarm.htm .

We have a commercial location and some hose connections for our washout room...we turn the water off EVERY DAY at the end of the day just because hoses & prerssure washers blow.
I had a bronze hose splitter in line last year. turned the water on in the AM when we opened and the bronze body blew apart due to corrosion and metal failure. Upon inspection I could see the bronze had severely corroded on municipal water!!!!!!!
If this had blown overnight it would have flooded the upper floor and the basement.

lastly when we use a pressure washer we find we put a ton of moisture into the air. Think of what you have in your basement that will suffer from increased  humidity in a confined  area.

Best of luck
mooseman
DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES COMPLETELY WITHIN MY CONTROL YOU SHOULD GET YOUR OWN TEE SHIRT AND A SHARPIE MARKER BY NOON TOMORROW OR SIMPLY CALL SOMEONE WHO GIVES A SHIRT.

Offline sonicweaponprinting

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two thoughts
Like previously mentioned a busted hose or blown seal on a pressure washer will be a water mess if you don't catch it.
I would get a moisture alarm to give you an early warning of a leak especially if you are not going to be in the area to eye ball the situation., they sell them to warn about a blown water heaters,  example here  http://www.glentronics.com/water_alarm.htm .

We have a commercial location and some hose connections for our washout room...we turn the water off EVERY DAY at the end of the day just because hoses & prerssure washers blow.
I had a bronze hose splitter in line last year. turned the water on in the AM when we opened and the bronze body blew apart due to corrosion and metal failure. Upon inspection I could see the bronze had severely corroded on municipal water!!!!!!!
If this had blown overnight it would have flooded the upper floor and the basement.

lastly when we use a pressure washer we find we put a ton of moisture into the air. Think of what you have in your basement that will suffer from increased  humidity in a confined  area.

Best of luck
mooseman


Youre totally right Mooseman, this was another concern I had but forgot to mention, I was thinking of running a couple dehumidifiers down there but it is an unfinished basement, essentially the entire living level of my houses floor joists are exposed, so that probably is not the greatest idea maybe? The other reason for running de-humidifiers was to keep the screens nice and dry in the cabinet they end up in once I eventually get around to building a proper screen storage/drying cabinet. I may just end up placing a small one at the bottom inside of the cabinet and keeping a separate much more powerful one near wherever the washout zone will be, most likely as far away from the storage cabinet as possible to avoid moisture traveling over to it ... it is a pretty good size space I have though so I may not have to worry too too much about moisture effecting stored coated screens.

Offline ebscreen

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Those water alarms aren't worth a damn in the real world. I worked at an aquarium that used them and we'd still come in to a flood in the morning, and frequently dead fish.

Had a hose burst two weeks after moving into my new shop. More embarassment than damage, but it could have been bad.

I put a sprinkler solenoid valve as far up the line to my washout as I could. It is on the same circuit as the pressure washer, backlight, and a warning light above the sink. (read:king cobra beer sign)
When it's go home time it's easy to glance and see if everything is off. Hasn't been left on yet.