Chapter 23

Pumps and Plumbing

No matter how far away from civilization you may wish to build your cabin you'll still want fresh water and basic sanitary conveniences.

PLANNING and installing the plumb­ing in your cabin consists of two basic steps: Choosing the cabin site near an ade­quate supply of unpolluted water, then planning and installing as .many fixtures and conveniences as your budget will allow. Once you have your own private water supply, with running water under pressure inside the cabin, the matter of fixtures is easy.

Since plumbing is altogether contingent upon the supply of water available, decide how and where this water is coming from before you start work on your cabin or even obtain the site. In all probability, thecabin will be far and away from a mu­nicipal water main, so you'll need a private system. Now a private water sys­tem can consist of a spring where you dip a pail in and carry the water into the cabin, or it can consist of a well with automatic pump and running water, com­plete with all the plumbing conveniences and fixtures found in most homes.

If your cabin is to be a simple one-room structure merely for the purpose of week­end hunting and fishing trips, etc., you may not wish to invest in any plumbing at all. Of course, you should still build near a spring,  or some source of  fresh water.

Even a weekend cabin needs sanitary conveniences and a supply oi fresh water. The simplest construction is an outdoor privy. You may order the booklet from which this sketch was taken, entitled The Sanitary Privy, from the Superintendent ol Docu­ments. Washington 25, D. C. To pre­vent contamination, water supply should  be  located uphill from tank.

Dig wells as far below surface as possible for a safe,  adequate  water supply.  In  the  diagram  above Well No. 1 may be dangerous since surface water penetrates easily. Wells Nos. 2 and 3 are much safer.

At left, a prefabricated septic tank is lowered into pit.  This is easiest type of installation.

Septic tanks are often cast in place with a plank framework used as guide and to prevent caving in.

Workman measures to make sure form is centered so that all exterior walls will be of equal thickness.

The top of the fresh concrete wall placed between interior form and earth is evened with woodfloat.

and outlet are both made from T-section sewer pipe mortared into special notches of wooden form.

You'll also need an outside privy, as this is extremely important from a health and sanitation standpoint. See the sketch on the model recommended by the Depart­ment of Health. Of course, where you build your cabin, you may not be able to obtain the materials to the exact specifications of this privy. But it gives you a suggested plan.

Running water usually means either a connection to a municipal main, or an elec­tric pump. There is one method, however, of running water in the cabin, without either. This is used sometimes where elec­tric current is not available, and the builder wishes to invest in piping the water in­doors. The means by which this can be brought about is by locating the cabin downhill and below a fresh water spring, and piping the water via gravity flow di­rectly to the cabin. By building a small concrete reservoir around the spring, and leading off with a 1½-in. or 2-in. pipe, then bringing the pipe size down to the usual size of ½in. at the cabin, some pressure can be had. Chlorine may be added at the reservoir. In this manner, you get running water inside the cabin, but you will not have ample pressure for an electric water heater.

There are several ways to use the elec­tric pump to provide the running water to your cabin. A well is preferred, either a deep or a shallow well. Or you can use a cistern, which means collecting the rain water from the roof, filtering it into a reservoir, and then pumping it into the plumbing system. Other methods consist of pumping from a spring, stream or lake, adding a chlorinator to assure purification.

For the small cabin, the under-the-sink. tankless pump is ideal, since it is easier to install, costs less, involves less dangers from freezing, and requires less piping. Several models of this type are available. By turning on the faucet, you turn on the pump, bringing water directly from the source.

It is only after you decide where your water will come from and if you'll have a pump, electric or hand-driven, that you will be able to plan your fixtures and sew­age disposal. If you plan a bathroom, com­plete with a flush toilet, then you must plan your drainage system and septic tank before you start work on your cabin. You also must know exactly where your well, cistern or spring will be, so you can locate the cabin to best advantage. For instance, the water supply should come from the upper or higher side of the cabin, while the septic tank and absorption field should be planned downhill and away from the cabin. To get help on this consult your local and state Health Departments and con­tractors in your area engaged in business of installing sewage disposal systems.

You may dig your hole for your septic tank, and have the tank delivered and set in place by a prefabricator of such tanks, or you may build the forms in your pit and pour the tank. The former method is simpler and less expensive, but your cabin site must be accessible via truck, and there must be a tank manufacturer near enough to make deliveries. There are also metal septic tanks on the market that are quite suitable.

The septic tank system consists of a watertight tank into which the sewage is discharged via the main cabin drain, a dis­tribution box that distributes the tank effluent among branch lines of the soil ab­sorption field, and the absorption field. The latter is a field of open jointed or per­forated piping, buried in gravel-packed ditches for the distribution of the liquids discharged  from  the septic tank.

The size of the tank and the length of the absorption field will be determined by the size of the cabin, how much time it is to be occupied, and the number of people to occupy it. It is much better to install a tank larger than the size re­quired than a tank exactly or smaller than recommended. A tank 6 ft. long, 5 ft. deep and 3 ft. wide has a capacity of 500 gallons and will serve a sewage disposal system designed for four or less persons. Size of the tank should be increased about 100 gallons for each additional person.

For the smaller tanks, as the 500 gallon size, a single line of absorption pipe 100 ft. long is sufficient. This may run in a straight line, or a winding one, as shown in the sketch. This pipe should be 4 in. in diameter, of clay or cast iron. It may be open jointed or perforated, and should be buried in a gravel-packed trench from 12 to 18 inches deep; deeper if the frost-line requires it. A maximum depth is 36 in. Cleanouts should be placed wherever necessary for future cleanings. A drawing of the entire system should be made, so that later you will know exactly where each part is, should you need to dig into it for cleaning or repairs.

Having your well drilled may be the most expensive part of installing your plumbing system. Local well-drilling con­tractors usually have information as to the probable  depth,   or  you  can  consult  the State Health Department or write your state university.

The location of the pump in relation to your well or water supply source, and your cabin, is very important. You can house an electric pump with a pumphouse State Health Department or write your state university.

The location of the pump in relation to your well or water supply source, and your cabin is very important.  You can house an electric pump with a pumphouse or pump pit, and build it right over the well. Another method is to install the pump beneath the cabin, or, in the base­ment, if it is a shallow well pump. It is also possible to install a deep well pump beneath the house, but it must be an off-set type pump. Still another method is to build a basement extension or a lean-to alongside your cabin.

A deep well pump will require a motor of about ½ hp. motor. A "package unit," involving  the  double-pipe system,  complete with a 30-gallon tank, will cost less than $200. This is for a first-line pump. Others may be had a little cheaper. A shal­low well pump will operate from a V4 hp. motor, and can be bought complete with 30-gallon tank for about $120. This is the single-pipe type. These prices may vary, according to your area. Incidentally, when buying your pump don't consider the first cost alone, but keep in mind the possible future repair service. It is much better to pay a little more to a local dealer who operates his own repair service than order from a distant dealer.

If you plan to do some or all the plumb­ing work yourself, you will probably find it to your advantage to use flexible piping. such  as copper  tubing and  plastic pipe.

The advantage here is that fewer tools will be needed, and what tools you do need are simple. There will also be less connec­tions to make, due to the fact that turns can be made without the usual fittings. This will speed up the job. Plastic piping will cost slightly more than metal pipe, while copper tubing costs about twice as much. Whether it will be worth it to you to invest in copper pipe or tubing depends on amount of money you have to sink into your cabin, and the geographical location. In some regions, corrosion of metal pipe is more of a problem than in others, mak­ing the use of copper pipe advisable.

Once you have your well, or other water supply source, and your pump located, and piping decided upon, you can go ahead with your fixture planning. This, too, should be fully planned ahead of actual construction.

There are many prefabricated cabins being sold and assembled all over the country these days. These cabins are built in sections of logs or other materials at the factory, and are shipped directly to the camp site. Following the manufac­turer's instructions, the owner who is handy with tools can soon "build" his cabin. In most of these, rooms are allowed for a kitchen, and a bathroom, with the drawings showing the recommended loca­tions for each fixture. It is by all means advisable to follow this advice, if you are erecting a cabin of this type. After all, the cabin was designed to occupy a mini­mum of space, with a maximum of con­venience.

Where you must plan the location of plumbing fixtures yourself, the "back to back" arrangement is usually best. This means that you will locate the kitchen and bathroom with one partition wall in be­tween. Concealed in this one wall will be all the plumbing, saving you time and money. This method is especially to your advantage where your cabin is built of logs or other "single or solid" wall con­struction. It is not practical to locate a fixture on a solid, outside wall, due to the fact that the piping must be left ex­posed. If the shower, lavatory, and com­mode are on one wall, and the kitchen sink, water heater, etc., on the other side of that partition wall, then all supply and drain lines can be concealed.

The selection of fixtures will not present any problem. It will depend of course on the size of the cabin, and the use it will get. And, the amount your plumbing budget calls for.

First   diagram   shows  hand  pump,   second  shows motor driven pump. Photo is of shallow well pump.

Where electric power is not available you may use a three-quarter or one hp engine-driven centrifugal.	Wool   felt   pre-shrunk   pipe   insulation   is   suitable for hot and cold water piping exposed to weather.

Generally, you will want the smaller size fixtures,  because  in  all your planning, saving space is a must. For example, a bath with all three primary fix­tures can be worked out in a 5x7-ft. space. Line up the shower stall, lavatory, and water closet on the partition wall, with the commode in the center. A corner lava­tory is a space saver, as is a corner closet. A shower stall of about 32x32 in. is about as small as you can go. These can be ordered along with the other fixtures, of enameled metal or galvanized iron, or you can build it in yourself. For the walls you can use plywood or galvanized iron sheets. The entire inside of the stall should be caulked and painted with enamel or other waterproof paint. The floor should be concrete, sloped about 2 in. toward the drain in the center, with a not-so-smooth finish. A shower curtain of plastic mate­rial, or a glass door should be over the front.

The conventional water closet and com­mode may be used, or, if water is at a premium, you may want the electrically flushed water-saver shown in the picture. This requires no water closet, and uses only about one-half gallon of water with each flushing.

Incidentally, if your cabin plumbing plans do not call for a bathroom of any description, here is one idea you may want to use. There are a number of folding bath­tubs on the market of rubber, canvas and other materials. These sell for about $12 to $16. You just set them up much in the same manner as a folding cot, and fill with water, heated by any means available. They are equipped with a drain, to which you can attach a hose. After using, just fold up and put away. Although it may seem a rather crude method of taking a bath, it's much better than no bath at all.

In the kitchen, a one or two-compart­ment sink built into a cabinet will serve you nicely. The built-in cabinet will con­ceal the plumbing underneath, and also furnish the location for at least one type of pump. This is the under-the-sink type, or tankless type, that turns itself on when you turn on the faucet, drawing water directly from the source into the piping.

A square, table top water heater set right beside the kitchen sink will make the plumbing simpler, and give you more working space right around the sink. Unless you intend to house more than four people at once, or install laundry equip­ment, a 30-gallon tank will be large enough. Now if electricity or gas is not available for your cabin, but you still have running water via a gasoline driven pump, you may want to install an old fashioned water heater, in a shed or lean-to. This type is the cylindrical kind with a firebox in the bottom. You simply build a fire in it when you want hot water. In cabins large enough for a central heating plant, it is possible to use a tank like this and run a coil into the firebox of the furnace or boiler, with a supply and return lines from the tank to the coil. Such a method of heating water may also be used with a wood or coal burning cookstove, and it may well be that this type of cooking is the only means available at your cabin location.All piping should be buried below the frostline or insulated, where it is exposed to the weather.When you insulate your hot water lines, make sure you have the right type material, and use the right thicknesses.

Trench   may   b«   straight,   or   curved   for   burying plastic  pipe in rocky soil.  Dig  below  the  frostline.	It's simple enough to cut plastic pipe to the right length   with   an   ordinary,   well sharpened   knife.

This should especially be ad­hered to in regions where zero or below weather is reached. Incidentally, if you are building your cabin for summer use only, with perhaps an occasional trip to it dur­ing winter, be sure that you shut off the water supply and drain all lines before leaving. And drain the pump, too. You'll have to prime it when you start it back up, but where freezing dangers are in­volved, it is better to drain everything.

In case you plan to build a full-sized family cabin for use the year around, the blueprints you have had drawn or pur­chased will probably cover the plumbing adequately. Actually, the only basic dif­ferences will be a larger pump with greater capacity, and other fixtures and appli­ances, such as a washer for clothing and one for dishes. The laundry equipment and the water heater will probably be located in the basement or utility room, or perhaps the kitchen will be large enough to accommodate these. And of course for a large cabin it will not be practical to use one wall only for plumbing conceal­ment, or necessarily an inside wall.

The accompanying chart gives the ap­proximate cost of each of the fixtures and phases of a cabin plumbing system. Ship­ping charges will vary according to the cabin location, so these have been omitted. By studying this price list you can make a reasonable estimate of how much it will cost you, for materials and fixtures. Labor costs will vary, according to scales and how much of the work you intend doing yourself. And you can surely save yourself quite a sum, just by digging the pipe trenches and septic tank pit.

These booklets may be obtained from the Supt. of Documents, Washington 25, D. C:
Individual Water Supply Systems…….$0.25
Pumps & Plumbing for the Farmstead 0.65
The Sanitary Privy .............................  0.05
Plumbing Fixture Arrangement……..0.15
Planning the Electric Water System      0.15
CHART FOR ESTIMATING COSTS
Bathtub   .............................................. $90-100
Shower Stall.............................................. $45.00
Lavatory   ................................................  28.00
Commode   ...............................................  35.00
Kitchen Sink ............................................  45.00
Medicine cabinet ....................................     5.00
Water heater, 30-gal.,
tabletop, electric..................................... $100
Water heater, 30-gal.,
tabletop, gas .........................................    130
Water heater, 30-gal.,
cylindrical, electric ...............................     85
Water heater, 30-gal.,
cylindrical, gas    ....................................     65
Pumps, with tank, deep and shallow well, automatic, from $100 to $200.

Pipe, plastic or metal, galvanized. One-half-in., 12c per ft.; 3/4-in., 15c per ft.; 1-in., 22c per ft.; 1½-in., 37c per ft. Fit­tings, extra.    Copper tubing, double.

Septic tank, concrete or steel, prefabri­cated, with fittings, $50.

Hand pumps, from $15 to $25.

A good plumbing job will add greatly to your overall enjoyment of the use of your cabin down through the years. 

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