Washing Machine Discharge issues...

[McFresh]

So I've owned this home since Dec. 2020. Since the beginning, my washing machine area has been getting flooded. There seems to be a few issues. I've bandaged one issue by just using a bucket to collect overflow. But the other is there still seems to be a huge amounts of water that appears on the floor.

(I've attached image so show where the issues are.)


So I've been using this to collect any residual overflowing discharge. My stand pipe is only about 6½ Inches tall... which I'm sure is an issue within itself. Secondly (and the real question), the S drain... will this cause issues or can I continue using this to discharge if I extend the stand pipe.



Also note, after extending stand pipe to the minimum 18", the height from the machine's drain to stand pipe with be about 8' - 8½' high. PLEASE HELP

 

[dmmsr]

You have a couple issues rhat you have acknowledged. You have an s-trap. Meaning that there are two u bends. The upside down u bend should be a street 90 coming right out of the trap. this is how it should be configured. You do not have a vent, standpipe needs to be a minimum of 18" high and a pressure 90 and not a dwv 90 coming from foundation. The s trap is actually causing the standpipe to actually be shorter to having to rise higher. It cannot keep up. You would probably have to raise the seandpipe an additional 5 to 6 inches to accommodate. But no vent is not allowing the water to flow properly

Where is this discharging to?

You could modify by installing a laundry tub to discharge the washing machine to. Then install a laundry tub pump and pump it to the current drain.

 

[McFresh]

You have a couple issues rhat you have acknowledged. You have an s-trap. Meaning that there are two u bends. The upside down u bend should be a street 90 coming right out of the trap. View attachment 39182this is how it should be configured. You do not have a vent, standpipe needs to be a minimum of 18" high and a pressure 90 and not a dwv 90 coming from foundation. The s trap is actually causing the standpipe to actually be shorter to having to rise higher. It cannot keep up. You would probably have to raise the seandpipe an additional 5 to 6 inches to accommodate. But no vent is not allowing the water to flow properly

Where is this discharging to?

You could modify by installing a laundry tub to discharge the washing machine to. Then install a laundry tub pump and pump it to the current drain.

Hey brother thanks for the quick response. So to answer your question, I believe the water is being discharged to a dry well... (I'm 92% sure ). We've had our septic pumped and we ran a cycle and canceled to see if the discharge went to the septic. We saw nothing. Now I have room to extend the stand pipe another 12 inches and planned on doing so. Only uncertainty I'd have is my stand pipe would be about 7½ - 8½ft above the washing machine discharge.

 

[McFresh]

So I've figured out a possible solution. Do you think this can work? Decided to add this 45WYE to the existing stand pipe with another 6in stand pipe giving a total height of about 19"... added the 45elbow and extended that side and added a 'sure vent AAV' to the top. The vented pipe will be slightly higher than the standpipe... I would like some feedback before I prime and seal the connections.

 

[dmmsr]

I figured that was going to a dry well. Not that i believe this is your trouble, but have you ran water straight into your drain? Sometimes dry wells go bad.

So the aav will not do anything at that point. Vents are to be installed after the trap not before. What you really need to do is come off your 2 " line after the trap tee off and bring a line up high to your ceiling and loop back down about 6 or so inches and take that pipe and put it through the foundation for a natural vent. Of course put a screen on it so not creatures get in there. An aav will not work if there is not a natural vent on the system at all.

With a washing machine you have a large volume of water discharging all at once. You need a higher standpipe (min. 18") to allow for the discharge to drain and not overflow.

This is what I mentioned before if you cannot do make the discharge higher.


Then you can tie directly to the pipe through the foundation. But still need to add a natural vent.

 

[MicEd69]

You have a couple of issues facing you to correct your problem. One is the piping is 1 1/2" and it should be 2". The second is that the outlet through the wall is obviously over 18" above the floor. Having your standpipe 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 feet above the washing machine discharge is not a good thing.

However, you could try the following which may work, and will obviously be much better than your current drain system.



If you are careful, you can peel off the hub of the 90 that is attached to the stub pipe in the wall. Onto that stub, glue a Sanitary Tee on its back as shown in the drawing. Take the branch line up as high as possible and add an Air Admittance Valve. Come out of the Sanitary Tee 3" and then add a P-trap. The "U" of the P-trap can be rotated back towards the wall as far as you want to limit how far out it sticks from the wall. I would start with an 18" riser and see if that works. You can then add a coupling and more pipe to the riser should it continue to cause an overflow.

If you want to keep your window clear, rotate the Sanitary Tee 45 degrees clockwise on the stub and add a short length of pipe and a 45-degree elbow so the vertical line for the AAV will be to the right of the window. You can also add a street 90 to the Sanitary Tee to bring the P-trap to the left of the window. All the lines should be sloped 1/4" per foot towards the drain.

Your washing machine likely has a check valve at the pump. If it does not, add one at the discharge hose connection at the back of the machine.

 

[dmmsr]

You have a couple of issues facing you to correct your problem. One is the piping is 1 1/2" and it should be 2". The second is that the outlet through the wall is obviously over 18" above the floor. Having your standpipe 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 feet above the washing machine discharge is not a good thing.

However, you could try the following which may work, and will obviously be much better than your current drain system.

View attachment 39238

If you are careful, you can peel off the hub of the 90 that is attached to the stub pipe in the wall. Onto that stub, glue a Sanitary Tee on its back as shown in the drawing. Take the branch line up as high as possible and add an Air Admittance Valve. Come out of the Sanitary Tee 3" and then add a P-trap. The "U" of the P-trap can be rotated back towards the wall as far as you want to limit how far out it sticks from the wall. I would start with an 18" riser and see if that works. You can then add a coupling and more pipe to the riser should it continue to cause an overflow.

If you want to keep your window clear, rotate the Sanitary Tee 45 degrees clockwise on the stub and add a short length of pipe and a 45-degree elbow so the vertical line for the AAV will be to the right of the window. You can also add a street 90 to the Sanitary Tee to bring the P-trap to the left of the window. All the lines should be sloped 1/4" per foot towards the drain.

Your washing machine likely has a check valve at the pump. If it does not, add one at the discharge hose connection at the back of the machine.

Wow I missed that it was 1 1/2."

 

[McFresh]

So I've gone and purchased other parts and this is the new setup ... and I've spoke to a few plumbers in passing and after showing them the setup, they explain that 2" is the code and obviously better but 1½" will suffice as long as there is ventilation. Does this look better?

 

[dmmsr]

If that is the existing size to your drywell then give it a shot. The only way would be run a new lime to it. I have been townhouses where they all had 1 1/2" pipe and it worked. Definitely need a higher standpipe. The only problem is you need to make your aav higher then the standpipe by at least 6 inches. Just like in the sketch miced69 posted

Have you tried running water through the line itself? Sometimes drywall do go bad where you need to dig it up and redo it.

If it does not work when you install it take the aav off and see if it works better. May have to pipe the vent directly outside.

 

[McFresh]

If that is the existing size to your drywell then give it a shot. The only way would be run a new lime to it. I have been townhouses where they all had 1 1/2" pipe and it worked. Definitely need a higher standpipe. The only problem is you need to make your aav higher then the standpipe by at least 6 inches. Just like in the sketch miced69 posted

Have you tried running water through the line itself? Sometimes drywall do go bad where you need to dig it up and redo it.

If it does not work when you install it take the aav off and see if it works better. May have to pipe the vent directly outside.

Well I do have my water softener and my condensate pump running to that same discharge point and seems to work fine... only issue seems to have been when the washer discharges.

 

[MicEd69]

Like dmmsr said, the AAV needs to be higher than the standpipe. The washing machine discharges at a relatively high rate, so that is why your water softener and condensate pump do not cause a problem.

 

[MrInfoPhilly]

View attachment 39339
So I've gone and purchased other parts and this is the new setup ... and I've spoke to a few plumbers in passing and after showing them the setup, they explain that 2" is the code and obviously better but 1½" will suffice as long as there is ventilation. Does this look better?

Against Studor vents., but., Run the vent pipe higher than the standpipe., and use a Long sweep and not that street quarter bend on the end.
They are referring to the Drain pipe 2 inch is code., 1.5 inch is for the studor vent

 

[MrInfoPhilly]

You have a couple of issues facing you to correct your problem. One is the piping is 1 1/2" and it should be 2". The second is that the outlet through the wall is obviously over 18" above the floor. Having your standpipe 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 feet above the washing machine discharge is not a good thing.

However, you could try the following which may work, and will obviously be much better than your current drain system.

View attachment 39238

If you are careful, you can peel off the hub of the 90 that is attached to the stub pipe in the wall. Onto that stub, glue a Sanitary Tee on its back as shown in the drawing. Take the branch line up as high as possible and add an Air Admittance Valve. Come out of the Sanitary Tee 3" and then add a P-trap. The "U" of the P-trap can be rotated back towards the wall as far as you want to limit how far out it sticks from the wall. I would start with an 18" riser and see if that works. You can then add a coupling and more pipe to the riser should it continue to cause an overflow.

If you want to keep your window clear, rotate the Sanitary Tee 45 degrees clockwise on the stub and add a short length of pipe and a 45-degree elbow so the vertical line for the AAV will be to the right of the window. You can also add a street 90 to the Sanitary Tee to bring the P-trap to the left of the window. All the lines should be sloped 1/4" per foot towards the drain.

Your washing machine likely has a check valve at the pump. If it does not, add one at the discharge hose connection at the back of the machine.

we meet again with this Sanitary Tee on its back..... If your are in an area with UPC it's not allowed. must be a wye or a Combo fitting....

 

[JeffreyWisc]

My plumber who just changed my 11/2" washer drain line to 2" described a situation he called "sudsing" I think. It is where the discharge after the wash cycle can create soap bubbles in the pipe which can somewhat block and diminish the effectiveness of the vent and the resulting slow flow can overwhelm the 1 1/2 pipe. Anyone else concur?

 

[dmmsr]

My plumber who just changed my 11/2" washer drain line to 2" described a situation he called "sudsing" I think. It is where the discharge after the wash cycle can create soap bubbles in the pipe which can somewhat block and diminish the effectiveness of the vent and the resulting slow flow can overwhelm the 1 1/2 pipe. Anyone else concur?

Yeah I'm not fond of 1 1/2" washing machine trap but the ones I've seen were always about a 2 to 3 ft standpipe. But I have not come across that situation. Although I've only come across 6 or so that I've been called to and had to clean the line and it was fine after.