Basement floor drains

[jtfoxman]

I have a few basement floor drains that I believe need to be capped for code reasons. What is the best way to cap them? Do they make caps to place on them or is there another way? They are surrounded by a little indention so all the water flows into them.

[Redwood]

I would question the reasoning behind capping them...

[jtfoxman]

When I purchased the house the inspector said that they should be capped. Not sure of the reasoninf behind it though. Hopefully someoe on the boards know.

[HayZee518]

probably the reason is that they are part of your effluent drain. a backup of the drain would cause sewage to come up. the floor drains have no traps

[jtfoxman]

So what is the best way to cap them. I have 2 that are in the floor both with screening over them. And I have 1 that used to be a toilet drain that is uncovered due to no toilet.

Forgot to add that the floor is concrete and the cast iron drain pipes are flush with the top of the concrete floor.

[HayZee518]

I went to another screen and searched for drain plugs and didn't find much. I would suggest a chunk of oak log tapered to fit the drain and hammered in tightly. there was one blog that had a plumber install a rubber plug but the thing dissolved after two weeks. wood expands when exposed to water. another way - "rube goldberg" plug use screening then oakum with a plug from hydraulic cement. hydraulic cement expands on curing - regular cement shrinks.

[jtfoxman]

Wow! The plug dissolved, that's amazing. I think I'll try the local DIY store then if not I'll try to find some logs.

Thanks.

[Redwood]

Originally Posted by HayZee518

probably the reason is that they are part of your effluent drain. a backup of the drain would cause sewage to come up. the floor drains have no traps

If they are part of the sanitary sewer system they better have traps.
They also should have trap primers...

The home inspector?

I'm still questioning the need to cap them...
I question the credibility of most home inspectors...
Does this basement ever have a water problem?
Where does the water heater T&P drain go to?
Condensate Drain for A/C?

[jtfoxman]

Basement has a water problem on occassion. It has to rain a lot or have a large snow melt off. Couple times a year in certain areas. Not flooding maybe an inch in one part of the basement that houses the washer and dryer and an old bathroom with no fixtures.

Water heater drain just drains onto the floor near a floor drain, all sloped towards the drain.

No A/C drain

[MajorLinda]

Rain and ground water go to a sump pump, your floor drain should go to your sanitary sewer by either gravity or by a pump. the water holding in the floor drain is normal , a floor drain is trapped under the floor and hold s water so you don't get sewer gas in the house. The elvation of water in the trap doesn't have to be the same as your neighbor,
it all depends on the depth of the sewer under your floor,