Locating and Installing a Water Source

Written by Jack Hudson


Log Cabin Building Tip: Locating and Installing a Water Source for your Log Cabin

Water is one ofrepparttar most important things that you will need for your camp. It can berepparttar 100427 hardest orrepparttar 100428 easiest thing to find. A clear lake and a bucket isrepparttar 100429 cheapest way you'll be able to get a good supply. It is important thatrepparttar 100430 water you use be free from harmful bacteria. Taste is no substitute for a test of good drinking water.

Local health authorities are usually willing to testrepparttar 100431 water for you. Other agencies that will tell you whetherrepparttar 100432 water is suitable include State Health Departments, County Health Offices, and Health Hygienic Laboratories.

Now let's get back torepparttar 100433 problem of how we're going to get running water into your camp without depending upon some leaks inrepparttar 100434 roof. Water can be obtained from a dug well, a bored well, a drilled well, or from surface sources such as lakes, springs, or cisterns.

A dug well is usually used where rocky soil prohibitsrepparttar 100435 use of a driven well, and where water can be reached by simple excavation. Basically it is a hole inrepparttar 100436 ground. Perhapsrepparttar 100437 first thing to do in building a dug well is to inquire from your neighbors whether they have used this type of water source.

If their report is satisfactory, you should start consideringrepparttar 100438 best location for such a well. Be sure that it is located at least 100 feet from your sewage system and drain field. It should also be located on higher ground.

Having foundrepparttar 100439 best location, start digging a hole about 4 feet in diameter. As you dig, be sure that you use cross braces to keeprepparttar 100440 upper earth in place. Eventually you will (maybe) reach water. The lower section ofrepparttar 100441 well should be lined with brick or stone. Do not use mortar.

You want a pervious wall that will let water in. The upper part ofrepparttar 100442 wall must be water-tight to prevent contamination. This wall should be about 10 feet high and extend about I foot aboverepparttar 100443 ground. If you can install your pump within 22 feet vertical distance ofrepparttar 100444 normal water level, use a shallow-well jet.

Choosing the Right Pipes and Plumbing System for Log Cabin

Written by Jack Hudson


Choosingrepparttar Right Pipes and Plumbing System for Log Cabin

Galvanized steel pipe is usually used forrepparttar 100426 line from your well torepparttar 100427 pump. There is another type of pipe that can be used onrepparttar 100428 cold water services of your system. This pipe is made of polyethylene. It looks like a garden hose but is many times stronger. It hasrepparttar 100429 advantage of being much more flexible and lighter than any ofrepparttar 100430 rigid types. Never use this type of pipe on hot-water lines.

One cubic foot of storage space holds 7.48 gallons. The capacity of a round container is 1/2repparttar 100431 diameter multiplied by itself X 3.14 Xrepparttar 100432 depth X 7.48. If a cistern is 10 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep,repparttar 100433 capacity is (5 X 5 X 3.14 X 6 X 7.48) 3,523.08 gallons. Sea level: In talking aboutrepparttar 100434 lift of various pumps, I have said that certain pumps would be satisfactory ifrepparttar 100435 water level was within 22 feet ofrepparttar 100436 surface ofrepparttar 100437 earth.

Such a pump would lose about I foot of suction lift for each 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. Ifrepparttar 100438 altitude at your camp site is 2,000 feet, a shallow-well pump will have to be located within 20 feet vertical distance fromrepparttar 100439 working normal water level, instead of 22 feet.

As you would expect, cottages include space for bathrooms. Some camps show a shower instead of a tub. The plumbing problems are similar for allrepparttar 100440 camps.

The locality in which you build may have some special requirements. Do check with local authorities. You may decide to haverepparttar 100441 local plumber install all your piping and fixtures. If so, you probably aren't interested in this section. But if you have decided to turn plumber,repparttar 100442 description below should be helpful.

Allrepparttar 100443 necessary parts can be bought from your local plumbing dealer, or fromrepparttar 100444 major mail-order houses. It is also possible to rentrepparttar 100445 necessary tools. Where do we start? If I were doingrepparttar 100446 job, I'd start withrepparttar 100447 fitting that drainsrepparttar 100448 seat and tub. Onrepparttar 100449 floor ofrepparttar 100450 bathroom mark where this fitting (I) is to go.

Most seats measure 14 inches or less fromrepparttar 100451 back ofrepparttar 100452 tank torepparttar 100453 center ofrepparttar 100454 closet bowl. Cut a hole large enough to takerepparttar 100455 small end ofrepparttar 100456 closet collar. Install this fitting permanently in position withrepparttar 100457 closet bend sticking up to within 1/2 to % inches ofrepparttar 100458 floor surface. It will be necessary to supportrepparttar 100459 fitting with wood or metal hangers.

The stack base (part 2) is usually connected to part I. Sometimes it is necessary to add an extension piece ifrepparttar 100460 stack base is to be located in a basement or if your camp is on a steep hillside. The stack base has two tappings: to one you can connectrepparttar 100461 drain fromrepparttar 100462 shower or tub; torepparttar 100463 other you can connectrepparttar 100464 kitchen sink drain, if necessary. If concrete slab is used, pipes below floor level must be installed before slab is poured.

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