Washing machine drain?

[Anonymous]

I am moving the wash room from the hard to access basement to a small 6x8 room and wanted to make sure I setup the drain correctly on the washer
Does a washing maching drain need a drain trap? if so how far down from the intake(?) should it be?

Also whats the recommended drain height.

thanks in advance

[jeff1]

Hello,

Does a washing maching drain need a drain trap?

The washing machine doesn't really need one...but all plumbing should have one as you do not want sewer gases coming in from outside and such and you also want a cleanout just incase something ever made it's way into the drain.

if so how far down from the intake(?) should it be?

You putting in a sink?...under the sink is fine and normal...if no sink and just a stand pipe, bottom of the stand pipe beside the washer is fine.

Also whats the recommended drain height

Most recommend a min of 30" for the drain pipe height, I find it is better to be a min of 36"....better to be safe than sorry! No higher than 4.5 feet.

http://www.applianceaid.com/newimages/drain-min.JPG

Hope this helps,

jeff.

[imported_marako]

Most recommend a min of 30" for the drain pipe height, I find it is better to be a min of 36"....better to be safe than sorry! No higher than 4.5 feet.

Is this a "hard" rule, or a recomendation? The setup in my basement has the main drain line (horizontal) running out ouf the house at about 3' high (give or take). By the time I added the "y" adapter to the main line (to create the verticle line up to the main floor), the necessary trap, and the minimum 20" extension (per code if I rember correctly) the top of the pipe is now around 6' high (about eye level). The machine seems to pump out OK. Am I asking for trouble here? Hopefully not because the only other options are to drain it out to the sump in the floor, or after my plumbing inspections cut a 1.5' off the drain pipe to get it to the 4.5' mark.

[jeff1]

Hi,

the top of the pipe is now around 6' high (about eye level).

Too high....most washers cannot pump up past 4.5 - 5 feet. *Some* will, but most will not.

Is this a "hard" rule, or a recomendation?

Recomendation....but lower than 30-36 inches and the water may syphone out of the washer since the water in the washer basket may be above the low drain pipe.

Recomendation on the trap...the washer doesn't need it, just run the risk of sewer gases comming in without that water trap.

http://www.selfhelpforums.com/viewforum.php?f=19

Plumbing forum if needed.

jeff.

[imported_marako]

Jeff:

Too high....most washers cannot pump up past 4.5 - 5 feet. *Some* will, but most will not

I'm guessing that this is more of a long term problem than the machine will not work at all? Right now the hose is not at that height yet (long story). I would say that it is currently about 5'... just at the upper limit of both your above statement, and as far as the hose can reach. I bought an extension to add on to get it to the correct height, but haven't had the time to hook it up.

Anyway the water at 5' blows out with noticable force (i.e. it seems to pump an operate with no problem.... similar to when I had it simply hung over a nearby utility sink in my old house. So I would think that adding the extra 1' of height isn't going to impact it much.

I need to go to the plumbing site to ask about the trap.... I'm going to guess it is required. There is no way plumbing code is going to allow the "risk of sewer gas" escaping into my basement.

Thanks

[jeff1]

Hi,

So I would think that adding the extra 1' of height isn't going to impact it much.

*Sounds* like it is working well.

I'm guessing that this is more of a long term problem than the machine will not work at all?

Not really, some washers in a regular or high speed cycle will pump up to 10 feet easily...but when set to a low speed cycle like delicate the washer may not even pump the water up to the 5 foot mark as many delicate/knits cycles are slow/low speed. Have also had -some- washing complaints when the drain hose is 5 feet or over ( water draining back into the washer, ect )

I need to go to the plumbing site to ask about the trap.... I'm going to guess it is required. There is no way plumbing code is going to allow the "risk of sewer gas" escaping into my basement.

Your probably right.
Total guess...maybe a one way check valve can be used instead????

jeff.