How Does A Vent Work
A vent provides a passageway of air from one point to another. It directs the evaporation of liquid particles towards the outside of the laundry room and avoids filling the area with laundry odor.
Venting a drain pipe helps redirect the flow of water from the washing machine to the sewer system. Homebuilders install a vent to keep water from overflowing.
How High Will A Washing Machine Pump Water
The pumps flow rate depends on the drain pipes height.
Your washing machines flow rate will lose about a gallon of water for every additional foot of drain pipe height.
Your washing machines water pumping rate should be around 15 gallons a minute.
Smaller, compact washing machines are only able to pump water up around 5 feet.
Your drain pipe needs to have an inside diameter of 1 ½ inch to ensure proper draining, with an outside diameter of 1 ¼ inch.
You should also make sure that your drain pipe is at least 30 inches high to prevent potential water siphoning.
Washing Machine Drainage Options
Its no secret that washing machines consume a lot of water and that dirty water must be disposed of. The scenario youre in with your plumbing makes a difference. Its simple with city plumbing, but it makes little sense to dump all of your waste washing machine water from your laundry tub into your tank with a septic tank.
You might inquire if you can run a washing machine drain outside. It is conceivable however, it will be difficult, and some locations may prohibit it. Replacing the drainage pipe with one that runs to your backyard is the most basic technique for running a washing machine drain hose outside.
You can then connect the piping from your laundry room to your irrigation network for watering your lawn or to a greywater tank. Draining a washing machine outside is a grey area in several ways. In our guide, you can learn more about how to run the washing machine drain outside or use one of the other washing machine drainage options you have if this isnt feasible.
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Distance Between The Washing Machine And Drainage Location:
Since you will use a washing machine hose to drain the device, you must measure its distance from the basement drainage. Technically, the distance shouldnt be too long so that the hose needs extra pressure to reach the draining spot.
Most washing machines come with a 5ft to 10ft long hose. If the drainage location is too far away, you will need a hose extension.
How To Operate A Drain Snake
To operate a snake, follow these steps:
- Push its end into the drain opening and turn the handle on the drum to release it into the pipe.
- Keep pushing the head of the snake deeper into the pipe until you feel resistance.
- Rotate the snake clockwise or counterclockwise until you feel the clog break free.
- Pull the snake out of the drain and repeat a drain cycle to ensure the pipe is free and can drain.
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How Far You Have To Lift The Water:
When installing the washing machine in the basement, it needs to pump out to drain the used water. You should consider how much the pump needs to lift the water to reach the surface level of your home.
Usually, the pump will require lifting the water around 6 to 8 feet. Thus, you must consider its pumping capacity when installing the pump. Also, dont buy a big pump since you dont need to pump out too much water from the washing machine.
But the real question is, Can you drain a washer into a sump pump? Well, you should never install the drain line of the washing machine with the sump pump. It can contaminate the groundwater and cause health hazards.
If You Have A Septic System
In rural areas, wastewater and sewage does not flow to a municipal sewer system but instead flows out to a septic tank and drainage field in your yard, where the water gradually seeps down into the soil and raw sewage safely decomposes beneath the ground under bacterial action. The main drain backup in these systems sometimes occurs when the septic tank or drainage field becomes full or saturated, at which point it can no longer accept additional wastewater. Such a situation often occurs during localized flooding conditions, or if the septic system is undersized for the needs of the home. Such problems with a septic system will require help from a professional service, whose response may be to pump out the septic tank. Severe and recurring problems may require major work, involving digging up the yard to make modifications to the system.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
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Why Do Washing Machines Have So Many Problems In Mobile Homes
In our article, Diagnose and Repair Venting Issues in a Mobile Home Plumbing System, I used the image below to describe why manufactured homes have so many issues with their washing machines.
Before we begin, please understand that everything in this image meets the HUD code and has worked for millions of manufactured homes for decades. In this image, we are looking at the backside of the wall in a laundry room. The white box is the washer box where the drain pipe goes and where the hot and cold water lines are attached. The little black thing on the right pipe is a very generic auto vent.
For a site-built home, the venting in the image would be different. The white drainage waste pipe would be 2 and the auto vent probably wouldnt be used at all. Instead, a vent stack going out the roof would likely be used to give the washer adequate ventilation for drainage. If a vent stack wasnt used a Studor vent would be and it would be placed where the black auto vent is except that pipe would rise above the washer box, again to give the drain line better ventilation.
Ive previously stated that most mobile homes could use a larger drain line for the washing machine. The 1.5 pipe cannot handle these newer washing machines.
If you are remodeling or just have a chance to upgrade the plumbing for your washer we recommend the following:
The Following Measures May Relieve The Water Volume Load On Septic Fields From The Washing Machine:
- Use liquid laundry detergent rather than a dry soap powder laundry detergent to reduce septic system clogging. Some experts report septic system clogging in pipes, septic tank, and drain field when large amounts of dry laundry soap powders are used.
- Install a lint filter on the washing machine water drain line to avoid sending lint into the septic tank and fields or install a graywater filter ahead of your drywell if you are using one to receive washing machine discharge waters. Details are
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The Right Way Of Plumbing A Washing Machine Drain
Your washing machine drain is pretty easy to install. Just remember that you have to follow the plumbing codes in your area and that you are capable of doing installations like this. Otherwise, consult a plumbing professional to ensure that you wont get into any kind of accident while working on the project. Now if youre interested to find out the right way to plumb a washing machine drain, heres a step-by-step guide you can follow.
1. Look for a drainpipe where you can connect your washing machines drain hose. If you cant find a main drain in the basement or the room where youll install your washing machine, you may also resort to using a bathtub, shower, toilet or sink drain. Youll just be required to do some work to make those substitute drains suitable for your washing machine.
2. When youve already located a pipe for your washer, cut its end with the use of a hacksaw. Afterwards, install a fitting or a sanitary tee on it. Make sure that youll install the fitting based on the pipes orientation.
3. When youre done, glue a fitting to the pipe with the use of plastic pipe cement. Guarantee that theres going to be an outlet that will face the washing machine. It has to be at least two inches long.
4. Attach an ABS pipe measuring two inches long to the wall . There should also be an outlet from a two-inch sanitary tee thatll face upward. This ones going to be connected to the vent pipe.
Find out how a washing machine works. Watch this video now!
Test The Lid Switch Assembly
If you have a top-loading washer, then it will only drain if the lid is closed securely. If, however, your lid is defective, it will cause problems. You can try to press the lid switch with your fingers and see if the machine responds. If it does drain, then voila, problem solved! After that, you might only need to extend the stem located on the lid to ensure it presses down on the switch.
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How To Prevent The Drain From Overflowing
We can prevent the drain from overflowing by using a few simple methods and incorporating them in our routine.
These are:
- Use a lint bag to trap anything that might be a hazard to the drain pipe.
- Clean the drain pipe regularly
- Inspect the pipe and other places where dirt might get stuck regularly.
Why Clogged Drains From Washing Machines Occur
Its frustrating to put a load of laundry in the washer and press start, only to wind up a half-hour later with a machine full of wet clothes and dirty water that wont drain. When this happens, its most likely because your washing machine drain has a blockage that needs to be cleared before the water can properly exit the machine. The most common reason for a clogged drain from washing machine is an issue with the filter.
Appliance repair specialists find all sorts of itemsmost commonly, socks, underwear and baby clothesthat have gotten stuck in washing machine filters during the wash or spin cycle. This happens because its easy for small items to slip through, block the filter and prevent the washer from draining properly. If your washer isnt a front-load type of washing machine, however, the problem is likely due to something else, as only front-loading machines are equipped with filters.
Another common reason for blocked drains in washing machines is when the drain pump fails. This can happen on either front load machines or traditional top load machines, and it is almost always a mechanical problemmeaning a physical part that breaks and needs to be repaired. This happens most often in older washing machines, as it becomes more likely as the washer and all of its working parts age. In many cases, its worth repairing the broken drain pump rather than replacing it altogether.
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What If It’s A City Sewer Main Problem
If you live in an established community rather than in a rural area, your home’s sewer drain connects to the city sewer main under the street. If your house main drain is backed up, chances are the clog is in your own sewer drain line, but it’s possible the city sewer main has a major blockage. Either way, your home’s drains will behave the same way, although sometimes city backups have enough pressure to actually force raw sewage into home drains, flooding bathrooms.
The best way to tell whether the problem belongs to you or the city is to check with your close neighbors. If they also have problems, there is a good chance the problem lies with the city sewer main. If city utility workers come out to investigate, they are allowed to repair only problems with the main sewer line they can’t handle problems with your individual main sewer drain pipe. Be aware, though, that you and your neighbors may be assessed and billed to pay for repairs to a sewer main problem confined to your neighborhood.
Washing Machine Drain Line Backs Up
An ongoing discussion beginning back in 2004 …
Q. I have a washing machine drain line that over flows when the washing machine dumps its water, I have to stop the machine allow the water to drain off then allow machine to continue, On a full load I have to do it several times, I have paid to have a power auger clear the line but after a few weeks its backing up again, what can I use to clear the drain? IsMuriatic Acid ok to use on a cast iron drain pipe? if so how much do I use.
A. Acid is not appropriate for metal drain lines. Lye type drain cleaners like Drano or Liquid Plumber are more appropriate, although dangerous to people. This isn’t a plumbing forum, but have you considered the possibility that roots have penetrated your drain piping? If so, new drain lines is the answer. Can you put a sock or stocking, or more formal filter in the discharge to capture the lint? Is it possible that you have created an air lock in the drain?
Q. My washing machine floods my floor with water when it is draining the tub water. The hose is in place in the drain pipe but the water fountains out the drain pipe. I have put a garden hose down the pipe drain, no water flows back. There is no blockage. What could the problem be?
A. Well, seeing as I have the same problem myself, I guess I’m an “expert” 🙂
Q. So how do we stop this air /water problem from happening?Thank you STEPH ~
Regards,
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Typical Washing Machine Drain Connections
Today most washing machines come supplied with a flexible, corrugated plastic drain hose. The hose is easily inserted into a standard washing machine drain box . The washing machine drain box is hooked up to the houses waste piping that contains a P-Trap inside the wall .
With this set-up waste water comes out of the plastic washing machine hose and empties into the drain box pipe. The waste water fills the trap below and creates a seal that prevents the sewer smell from entering the home. See the next diagram for a typical washing machine drain set-up.
Washer Backup Into Bathtub In Mobile Home
This next question is a good example of how everything in a home is connected via the drainage trunk.
We own a double wide with two bathrooms. I took a shower and then did the dishes and everything drained fine. But when we did a load of laundry and it started draining all that water come out of both bathtubs!
It left about 2-3 inches of dirty laundry water in both of the tubs. They didnt drain at all for almost 10 hours. The water in the toilets went missing, too. When I tried to fill the toilet bowl and you could see the water rising inside the tub.
The kitchen sink doesnt seem to be affected. I have searched and searched for answers. Help!
It sounds like you have a stoppage. As a result, this would make the drains slow since you arent getting the pressure equalized in your traps. That, in turn, creates a vacuum that pulls the water out of your toilet.
When you wash clothes youre using a lot more water than usual. A clog down in the trunk line can backfill until it comes out of the tub drains. The water leaves the toilets because the trunk is full of water so it cuts off the toilets ventilation. This, in turn, siphons out the toilet.
Youll need to find where the clog is and snake it out. You can try a but sometimes it takes an industrial snake that shoots high-pressure water so youll need to hire a plumber.
They are around $25 at your local home improvement store or
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Other Tools Needed To Vent Washing Machine
Should you decide to vent the washing machine drain pipe, you’ll need to prepare the tools needed for the job. Some of them are included upon purchase of the washing machine, while others have to be bought separately. Make sure to check the quality, size, and compatibility of each tool.
When venting a washing machine, it’s also important to vent the dryer. These two come together when doing your laundry and sometimes share the same drain pipe depending on the manufacturer.
See the tools you’ll need to vent the washing machine and the dryer below:
How To Prevent A Washing Machine Overflow
There are a few best practices that can help homeowners avoid this massive headache. These simple strategies may help prevent overflows and keep your machine running smoothly.
- Use a garment or lint bag to reduce the risk of clogs
- Inspect and clean your machines lint trip or filter monthly, if one is present
- Ensure that there is at last 1/2 of space between the drain pipe and discharge hose for ventilation
- Confirm the discharge hose is correctly attached to the drain pipe. Keep in mind, basic vibration can loosen the connection.
Choates HVAC can help keep overflows at bay. Contact us today and our expert team will assess your washing machine and check for any signs of clogs or overflow risks. From there, well schedule routine maintenance to keep you up and running.
Already dealing with an overflow? Again, turn off your washing machine immediately, then contact us for a fast, reliable emergency visit. Our expert team will help you get your washing machine back up and running fast, while mitigating damage and preventing future risk.
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