does a 2nd floor laundry require a pan and drain? cant find anything in the UPC, but i think so. a “friend of mine” is installing a stack washer/dryer in a walk-in closet. 
Bob
There was a thread over at inspectionnews.com a few months ago. If I remember correctly, it was required, but those with common sense certainly would seem to want to install a pan and drain.
My verbage:
“No drain pan for the washer was provided. Although not required, whenever structural damage may result from an overflow, we recommend a pan with a plumbed drain and you may wish to have one installed.”
Any mechanical in the living area of the house (especially upper levels) that can cause water damage, needs a secondary drain pan.
Any mechanical? So a drain pan under the disposal?
Let’s not get ridiculous…Please.
Hey, David.
You said “any mechanical.” The disposal is, I believe, mechanical.
Simply an illustration of how simple words can get us into trouble during the course of our businesses. You call it ridiculous, but a judge, jury, and prosecutor see so many simple words otherwise.
Besides, considering the condition in which I often find the disposal, I actually think a drain pan in that ol’ kitchen sink cabinet, and other sink cabinets as a matter of fact, might not be too bad of a recommendation. I think I shall add it to my SOLUTIONS section on Sinks and Sink Cabinets. I’m leaving here right now to go modify that section. Thanks for the idea.
Here’s what I added:
Whaddayathink?
I’ve personally never had a washing machine go bad. Do they leak? I have seen burst water lines, in which case a pan would be of little use.
They do leak. And some overflow. And sometimes just the valves leak. Considering the cost of a drain pan, I put it in the better safe than sorry category.
Makes sense to me. Just don’t call me to lift the washer…
A local inspector told me that a floor drain & pan are not required if the washer is direct drained… If the washer is to be drained into a laundry tub a floor drain & pan would be required.
(Direct drain of a washer requires 2" drain min.)
There is no “requirement” for an overflow pan on a second floor laundry because the washer is not considered “necessary” equipment. Do they leak? Sure, occasionally, just as a refrigerator may leak. But a refrigerator is not considered “necessary” equipment either.
The codes require a means to collect “byproducts generated in the normal operation of equipment” - such as in evaporator coils, which are part of the HVAC system of a home.
The same goes for tank-type water heaters, where there is a potential for leakage and the equipment is a “necessary” component of the plumbing system.
Regardless of the codes, I always recommend a drain pan with an exterior-routed drain line, for a second floor laundry area.
It’s hot…it’ll run. I think I will keep a copy for myself…thanx once again.
Hate to have to say it buy it happened to me…carpet pulled up and big fans running for several days to dry out…and you guessed it…a pan with drain installed under the repaired washer. Good thing too, insurance covered it however I had to return the causual part with the ‘inspector’ that came to verify the concern and the repair and installation of a drained pan.
Did the inspector give you the defining difference? Either way, the drain water leaves the machine and is drained away. I would think that the 2" drain would be more likely to overflow with drain water than would the tub.
The tub has a limited amount of water it can hold and is more likely to have the drain blocked by a stopper for soaking cloths or blocked by other things that would fall into the tub. The tub can not hold the amount of water that a full wash & rinse cycle of a load of laundry.
Less likely that a 2" drain will be clogged by anything comming out of a 1-1/4" pipe comming off the washer. (More likely that the pipe on the washer will clog and provent the washer from draining at all.)
I had a washer freeze on me in the middle of the night, water line burst and I woke up at 4 am to water spraying everywhere. The laundry room was next to the garage and by the time I got the water shut off I had a glacier in my driveway, hundreds of gallons of water lost, the pan was insignificant at that point.
My point ! A small water pan is not going to solve any thing but a small continuous drip.
There are numerous flood or leak detection products out there that will terminate the water supply in a failure situation. I advise these as well as drainpans for all active plumbing sources within the residence no mater what floor the equipment is located. They are educated and it’s now their dime.
Nor me. The only things I do myself nowadays are work at the computer, do property inspections, pet the kitty cat, work in the garden, and, of course, have the requisite guess what?
