clothes washer drain backs up/only 2 feet long

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#1

Originally Posted By: Tom Cameron
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Hi,


I have a clothes washer that backs up from time to time and it only has 2 feet of waste line before the trap. I just was looking at a post here that says at least 4 feet of pipe before the trap are needed. I have snaked everything out and the waste line can easily handle a garden hose discharge on full blast but can’t seem to handle the larger amount of water coming out of the washing machine.


The mashing machine is in the kitchen under a window and 4 feet of pipe would put things in the middle of the window. If I relocated the supply lines and the waste line the most I could get might be about 3 to 3.5 feet of drain pipe before the trap.

Can I use larger diameter pipes to act as a ballast of sorts...ie. instead of having 4 feet of 2 inch pipe have 3 feet of 3 inch pipe???

Does anyone have any suggestions. Apparently the original owners here had the same problem but failed to tell us about it when we asked. (I'm a homeowner looking for some advice). Thanks.

#2

Originally Posted By: jpeck
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Tom Cameron wrote:
Can I use larger diameter pipes to act as a ballast of sorts...ie. instead of having 4 feet of 2 inch pipe have 3 feet of 3 inch pipe???


3" pipe will hold about 1 1/2 times the water 2" pipe will, so it will help. It might not solve your problem.

If you have room for it, I would try 4" pipe. 4" pipe holds about 3 times the water as 2" pipe.

--
Jerry Peck
South Florida
#3

Originally Posted By: phinsperger
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Tom Cameron wrote:
I have a clothes washer that backs up from time to time


Tom,

What exactly is happening when the washer backs up? What is it that makes you suspect the drain line is the problem. You said you snaked it. A blockage could have be just pushed further in the machine if you didn't snake it properly. Did you snake only the external drain hose? There could still be a blockage in the hose from the pump to the external hose connection. The pump could be faulty or blocked. We need a bit more information to be more helpful.

--
.


Paul Hinsperger
Hinsperger Inspection Services
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#4

Originally Posted By: Tom Cameron
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Hi,


The drain line I am talking about is the one in the wall. There are 2 feet of waste line in the wall before the trap. Then there is a clean out. This section of waste line has it’s own vent on the roof. I have run a snake throungh the trap (ie. from where the washing machine hose connects to the house waste line and then exiting the clean out), down the roof vent (yes I could then see the snake in the clean out hole), and then down the main line via the clean out. I have tried to back up the waste line with a garden hose by inserting the hose where the machine would drain and turning it on full blast. No backing up. These things tend to make me believe that the pipe size and/or length before the trap are not enough to contain the large amounts of water the machine discharges.


When it backs up I can hear the water running (in the drain cycle) and hear the waste line filling up. When It gets to full it starts to flow over and down the wall (only near the end on the cycle so I only get a small amount of water overflow but a small amount of water all the time causes damage.

#5

Originally Posted By: jpope
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I would suggest, if you have enough room, add a “laundry sink” next to the washing machine on the same drain line.


Re-route your washing machine drain to empty into the sink. This should give you the extra capacity you need for complete draining of the washing machine.

--
Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738

#6

Originally Posted By: jpeck
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


jpope wrote:
I would suggest, if you have enough room, add a "laundry sink" next to the washing machine on the same drain line.


That's the purpose of replacing the 2" pipe with a 4" pipe, to give that extra 'holding' capacity until it drains out.

A 2 foot piece of 4" pipe holds about 2 times the water of a 4 foot piece of 2" pipe.

--
Jerry Peck
South Florida
#7

Originally Posted By: jpope
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Easy Jerry icon_razz.gif


I was just giving another alternative

If you've got a raised foundation, you may want to take a look at your drain line.

This home had the same problem with the washing machine (only with full loads) and this was the cause.



--
Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738

#8

Originally Posted By: Tom Cameron
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Guys,


Thanks for the info. I wish I had room for a sink. I am going to add a larger pipe and hope it cures things. While I am at it I am going to replace supply lines as well (some of the valves are in questionable condition and sice I have to cut the wall anyways…) and add some access panels.