[FoxRocks]

Hello,

I've got a problem with my laundry machine causing a backup when it drains. I've snapped a photo of the drain pipe and attached it, so please refer to it to make sense of what I'm saying.
When the washing machine drains, the water comes out the top from where the spout enters the drain pipe, as well as causes an backflow in my furnace drain.
Not cool.
All other drains work very well, with the exception of one other...the kitchen sink directly above the laundry room. It doesn't drain that well at all. So I located the junction and ran a snake down and I managed to plunge through what appears to be "black gunk". The snaking did not improve the situation, even though it stabbed some black gunk of death.
I did see this rental unit from Home Depot that has a claw looking thing on the end of it meant for branches. I was thinking of getting that in there to talk some business with the black gunk.
So regardless of the slow drain, check out the "draintree" I've got going on (...and don't judge!...it was like that when I got here!) and tell me if you think it looks wrong too.
Here's how it goes: The top is the washing machine drain, the green one on the left is the water softener drain and the one below that is the furnace drain...the one that gets back drained.

Thanks in advance for your time.
~FOX~

[FoxRocks]

oh, and I do know it's crazy how close that elec. outlet is to the drain...it's going to be moved

[havasu]

Looks to me like there is no vent on that drain line anywhere. I'd at least install a check valve on the washer line to allow an air gap.

[Plumber903]

Clearing drains is not worth the savings of renting equipment, call a plumber\drain cleaner.

[havasu]

I do agree hiring someone to clear the drains would be your best advice.

[johnjh2o]

There are many things that are wrong with the setup you have. First of there is no trap or vent. There can be a trap below the floor but that is not allowed by code for obvious reasons. The clothes washer can not have a solid connection to the drain it must be indirect. What is that green hose? I hope it's not the back wash from the water softener? That must also be a indirect waste. Is what you call the furnace drain connected to the relief valve? If so that should never be connected to a waste line. If you ever get a main line stoppage the raw sewerage will back up into your clothes washer and worst of all into your water softener. As far as the line from the relief valve you will have no way of knowing there is a problem with the boiler causing the relief to open. The relief should terminate 6" above the floor. The reason the clothes washer is backing up is because the line has a particle stoppage and needs to be snaked with the proper sized snake. I would suggest you call a licensed plumber to look into the setup you have. Some are a real health hazzard others are just dangerous.

John

[phishfood]

I gotta agree with John on this one. 3 different backflow potentials there.

[FoxRocks]

Hi guys, sorry for the super delayed response, I appreciate all of the replies!

I wondered about the P Trap, but I thought maybe it was under the ground? but that wouldn't make sense...how would you clean it out? Hmm..
To answer someone's question about the green hose, yes it is the water softener drain, but it goes through a long series of pipes before it gets there so I was hoping it wasn't too bad.
What I'm doing right now is just pinching off the furnace drain (the clear one at the bottom) and turning the furnace off whenever I do laundry so it doesn't back-wash through.
I'll be calling in a plumber I think on this one, thanks for the advice


~FOX~

[LiQuId]

john has said all that could be said really, Im posting here only to support his advice and re-itterate the seriousness of this setup.

[Caduceus]

Ditto.....