Home owner looking to learn and get advice before calling in professionals

[plumbgravitystarwars]

Hello - quick into....

I joined to share a problem I have with my 60's ranch from prior owners -- now I am looking to sell and I know the plumbing set up is going to be an issue.

Need some advice before calling in the professionals.

I am not looking to do any plumbing myself -- just want to share the issue, learn from others what they may suggest and then I can go on to get the right professional help.

Thx.

 

[havasu]

 

[Zanne]

Welcome.
What issues are you having with the plumbing?

 

[breplum]

the spelling in your title should be "advice"

 

[Geofd]

Welcome glad you found us!!!!!

 

[havasu]

the spelling in your title should be "advice"

We in the back are the only folks who are able to modify of correct spelling in the title. It has been corrected.

 

[plumbgravitystarwars]

@Zanne

The issue with the plumbing in part of the 60's ranch I have deals two problems.

1. The washing machine on the main floor drains down via a 2" line with an S trap then drops into a 8" tube that holds the water which has a ball valve to control the flow before then flowing on to the 2" cast iron floor line.

2. The same 2" line that takes the water from the washer also has a connection after the ball valve which takes on drains for the kitchen sink / dishwasher and then also has a water softener draining into it.

Over the 18 years I have owned the home I've had multiple times where I had to snake the 2" line otherwise the floor drain in that part of the basement will back up flooding part of the basement.

Essentially, we can never run the washer or dishwasher at the same time nor have dishwasher or washer going if the water softener is recycling.

I put a crude drawing together but here are some photos too.

In my mind all of the solutions will be expensive - the most being replacing the cast iron line in the floor but that may not be enough. I am merely a homeowner and do not know what is code in Minnesota for a 2" line.

 

[Zanne]

I could be wrong, but I think when a washing machine drain merges with other lines its supposed to go to 3". The washing machine definitely needs a proper standpipe to drain more efficiently. I just checked the list of plumbing code by state and Minnesota has its own unique code rather than following IPC or UPC. Not sure on the details. I'm attempting to load 2020 Minnesota Plumbing

Hmm, won't load for me but might for someone else. Now browsing Chapter 7: Sanitary Drainage, 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code | UpCodes

Note: The suds producing thing for washing machines no longer applies to high efficiency washing machines because they have some sort of suds mitigation built in now. I'm not seeing the rules on whether the standpipe height and trap arm length are unique or if they follow IPC or UPC.