Home improvement / plumber Oppos: WWYD?

"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius) 02/10/2019 at 18:17 • Filed to: None

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Let me set the scene: in my new old house, the washer took a crap in my second month living here. No fear! Home warranty (that I thought was a total sham) will be replacing it with a brand new base model front loader. Huzzah!

Now to my issue: the hole where the washer goes is in a tiny alcove that 1) is inconvenient with the current smaller washer and 2) we want to get rid of anyway to make the kitchen bigger. No fear, we have a huge basement.

The way the basement is plumbed, I have easy access to water and to a window to vent the dryer (concrete block basement, obv). Sewer drain sits at about 48-50”. This is what’s tripping me up, do I want to plumb the washer drain right into the sewer line (with appropriate air gaps, check valves, etc ) or do I want to do the sink / pump combo that’s trendy in basement remodels now? The washer says it can pump up to 8’, so I have no fear that the washer can handle the height. Am I being dumb to not att the sink and pump (which is like $250 total?)?

f86sabre > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 18:35

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Do it all now. You know it is the thing to do. 

shop-teacher > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 18:44

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Do you have a sink down there? If you don't, you're going to want one. Might as well just do it now.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 18:47

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Not a plumb er, but I have the setup you are talking about

I have the W/D w/ sink in my basement. The washer drains directly into the sewer out pipe for the home, with the sink above (T-pipe). Pressure on my washer is actually enough to fill our sink by maybe 1/4" of an inch. I think our washer is a little too strong and thirsty (top-loader, which I prefer), so the sink is great.

It’s nice to have everything exposed and accessible in the basement because you’re not hiding everything behind sheetrock and a decorative panel.

Do it.

Quadradeuce > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 19:32

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If I’m understanding this correctly, you do not already have a sink. To add a sink you would need to have a gray water reservoir and a pump to send it into your sewer line that is about 4 feet above your basement floor. I don’t really like this option since a pump could fail and then you got a mess on your hands potentially.

A washing machine needs a standpipe to dump into if it’s going to go directly into a sewer line. The standpipe needs to be a certain length. You will probably need to add on to the washing machine hose in order to do this. Here’s a picture of my setup that I used for about eight or nine years without any issues. This will require you to cut into your sewer pipe, but it’s probably the least work of all the options if you want to do it right. The top of that pipe is a little under 7 ft off the floor.

Fuckkinja > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 19:38

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I am a contractor. In several rental houses over the years we tie into the main sewer with a “p” trap with 24” vertical pipe for the washer discharge hose. It’s cheap to install. Also sink sumps wear out with that much use and lint. You can add an air adimittance valve if your tie in is far from the revent  stack. I have never had a problem with this set up. Good luck.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Fuckkinja 02/10/2019 at 20:57

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My issue is that the sewer line will be a little above the height of the washer. If I do a sanitary t into the sewer line, where would I put a p trap or air vent that would still meet code?

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Quadradeuce 02/10/2019 at 20:59

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So the washing machine drained up, then you added a p trap and ran it into the sewer line?  Interesting, I may try to do this. 

Fuckkinja > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 21:27

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I put the air vent very close to the floor above. Put the trap and outlet   just above sewer out . I use 1 1/2” pipe. This works and it would pass in my area. Codes vary though.

If you are worried, call your local inspector and ask him what he wants to see. They are usually happy to answer a couple questions.

cbell04 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 22:09

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We installed the pump at our last house. Went 5+ years with no issues. It had the washer and a sink hooked up to it. Ran like a champ and only pumped once in a while since it had room for a cycle of the washer before it triggered to pump. Good luck!

66P1800inpieces > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 22:35

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There are two or so main versions of the plumbing code depending on where you live, plus some locally, regionally adopted codes. The place where the P-trap goes should be a min max-ish 6-18" “ off the ground, and depending on the code the pipe that comes out of the trap (where the washing machine dumps, cant be shorter than 18" (chance of splashing as newer washers drain really fast) or longer than 30-42 "-ish (length depends on code, i f too long, there is a chance the rushing water will self siphon the water out of the trap depending). So, if you could get around the min max of 6-18" off the floor, and could your sewer entrance at 48" from the floor, and if it were permissible to put the trap right there, then you would still need to have the washer connect 18" above that height.

Your town/state might have a link to the plumbing code online. Normally it is free to view but you can’t download. You will most likely need 2" pipe. Be careful that the Ptrap is two times the pipe diameter away from the standpipe connection (so for a 2" pipe you need a 4" piece of pipe). Otherwise the Ptrap, and the connection to your sewer could make an S looking shape and self siphon the water out of the trap.

66P1800inpieces > Quadradeuce 02/10/2019 at 22:42

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Not sure if that PTrap in Quadradeuce   ‘s setup is legal as it connects right to a another angled connector making kind of an S  and could self siphon.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > 66P1800inpieces 02/10/2019 at 22:52

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My sewer drain is at 48”. If I do a standard standpipe at washer outlet height (say 36”), drains down to an p-trap around floor level, which drains up to a 2-to-4”  san t connected horizontally to the sewer pipe...would that work? 

66P1800inpieces > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 02/10/2019 at 23:10

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I think that would leave you with a 36" long U shaped tube of standing water before the water went into the sewer. I dont think that is permitted by code. Also, a santee can can only transition a horizontal run into a vertical run , and should never be laid on their backs. I am not a plumber but if your sewer is running horizontal,  I think you would a need a wye and a 45 degree or a combination wye (they are basically the same) .   The one in Quadra de uce’s setup looks to be on a 45 degree angle which is okay as things on a 45 can be counted as horizontal or vertical for code purposes.

66P1800inpieces > 66P1800inpieces 02/10/2019 at 23:23

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I think you can make the drain flow as the code intends even if not in the way it says you should do it. The problem might be the supply lines. I think the supply needs to be higher than the drain to prevent drain water from siphoning into the clean water. The height from the floor specified in the code probably align with the normal height for the shut off so someone can shut off the supply if there is a leak.  

Quadradeuce > 66P1800inpieces 02/11/2019 at 10:47

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Yes, this is due to making it work in a 110 year old house. I had to fit a laundry and connect the kitchen above to the same point. I put the standpipe as far away from the angled Y as possible.  It didn’t end up siphoning, so I left it be. If it had, I would have had to removed the entire existing sewer stack and rebuild it “properly”.  Old houses are like old cars.  Sometimes you just gotta make it fit!