Washer in Basement

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impeyr

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Hello, I'm new here.

I live in a house with a septic system, and the washer/dryer is in the basement. I have the washer pump out through a P-trap mounted high on the basement wall, slightly above the outlet to the septic tank. The washer must pump the water up around 7 feet, and there is no air gap at the discharge point. The discharge pipe is plumbed right into the top of the P-trap. I am not sure this is to code, but I have no room for a pipe to go straight up and allow for an air gap. Plus this would mean the washing machine would need to pump the water up some 9 feet. Also, I am afraid it would leak when water runs from the 1st or 2nd floor. This has worked for the last 20 years, with only one case of back-flow into the washer when the septic task was too full. This results in quite a mess in the washing machine. (I have a check valve installed just before the P-trap.) Also, of late there is a slight “smell†when you open the lid on the washing machine if it’s not used for a few days. I don’t see any water in the bottom of washing machine. Maybe the check value is allowing a little water back in?

I am now planning to replace the washer/dryer with a new high efficiency front loader and renovate the basement area. So it’s time to invest some effort in “fixing†this situation. I don’t want to install new equipment, lay new flooring, only to have another back-flow problem.

So, my question: Is there a better way to discharge the washing machine? Are there any products or tips for this situation? Any and all advice would be helpful.
 

Slaz

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Not being an expert and also new to this site here are my two pennies.
If it works and is not a danger, don't worry about code until you sell the place. Have the new owners deal with it or get it done after the home inspection. As far as the septic goes it is my understanding that you should not get back flow from the tank if it is too full. A number of pros have told me that septic systems are designed to be near full at all times. This allows for proper biodegradability of the solids. If it is coming back into the pipes then you have a problem with the septic system. Hope this helps some or at least gives you something to talk about to other more experienced folks.
 

lovetohelpya

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Slaz said:
Not being an expert and also new to this site here are my two pennies.
As far as the septic goes it is my understanding that you should not get back flow from the tank if it is too full. A number of pros have told me that septic systems are designed to be near full at all times. This allows for proper biodegradability of the solids.


Let me beg to differ, my dear. A full septic tank WILL back flow - if her tank is full and she flushes the toilet upstairs, it WILL come back at her - and from what she says, it's coming back into her washer.
(There's a difference between a full tank and a normally running tank - it's about 1' - 2' ;) ) The scum on the top of the tank gets nice and thick. Sometimes it plugs/blocks the pipe to the drainfield. Normally, the tank fills up to a certain level - basically, the level of the (outlet) drainfield pipe. The pipe going out to the drainfield can be a 90 degree elbow or it has a baffle in front of it, that's to keep the solid scum on top from clogging it. When it clogs, the "water" has nowhere to go, and the tank fills up past the inlet (from house) pipe all the way to the top of the tank.
The worst back-flow is when the drainfield starts flowing back into the tank (ground flooding) - the tank fills. Our area has a lot of above grade septic tanks because of high water tables. Older houses in same area have below grade septic tanks, and have to deal with this from time to time.


----
To Impeyr:

Q: When the sewage backflowed into your washer, did you get a new washer?

Q: Is it a discharge hose or a pipe?

-Of the homes I've seen in my little experience (17 years), if there's a septic tank (or the sewer line goes out high like on a septic) and there's a laundry tub/wash machine in the basement, the water discharges into a sump pit and gets pumped up to a pipe connecting to the main septic (or sewer) line. It's probably just old water (mildew) that's stinking up the washer. If you didn't replace your washer after the back up - or get it completely cleaned (and I'm talking taking it apart), yuck. It wasn't just water that made it's way into your washer :eek:

"And away goes troubles down the drain." tm
 
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Slaz

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Oops, that's what I wanted to say. But shouldn't a septic not flow back in the house if designed the right way. It seems to me that impeyr should have the septic looked at for problems. I don't think anyone would want to have to deal with this problem from time to time. Maybe I'm wrong but I think I'd move if I had to clean up a mess of back flow ever so often. :D
 

FloridaOrange

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To the OP - have you checked out any of the sump systems for pumping the waste line up to the level of your sanitary main? They make systems specifically for basements.

Of note - I live in S. Florida where basements quickly become swimming pools so I personally don't have experience with these systems. I just know they are out there.
 

Jadnashua

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A properly designed waste system slopes continually down. The only time things could overflow is not from stuff flowing back, but because there is no place for the new stuff to go. If there is a pump in the system somewhere, things might get dicey, since it is designed to overcome gravity...otherwise, you wouldn't need a pump.
 

FloridaOrange

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geniescience said:
the original post says there is no air gap.... Can you explain what you mean? Do you know the right terminology? Search and you will find.

david

I just assumed he meant no indirect connection to the drain.
 

Geniescience

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you're doing fine.
I personally like your input in all the threads I've seen you in. :)


the thread originator is not yet a known entity,
having posted here only one single time.


--------

If you read all posts on every thread every day, and
if you observe how "trends" start and then develop,
you may have noticed a new trend that began last month.

------ which is...

This TL Web site has gotten a lot of new threads
from new people,
who describe near-impossible situations
while leaving out a lot of information.


Other trends have come and gone, that were different.


They all have a certain strangeness in common:
- new threads;
- with situation and questions that test the limits of our knowledge,
- created by new participants,
- - who are less responsive than average,
- compared to the kind of participant that I would call "responsive"
- i.e. who posts back again with answers to questions posed at him/her
- with answers that make sense too,
- so in other words the "new and unusual" leave helping participants hanging.


It makes the site "good for Google" since tons of good key words get strung together.
It uses a lot of human attention (human bandwidth and uptime).

I think a good strategy is to ask for clarity first with a simple question or two.
The original thread creator then does more of the work.
The participants to this forum then get more clarity.
- And they don't do useless work, spinning their wheels making suggestions.

David
 

FloridaOrange

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geniescience said:
you're doing fine.
I personally like your input in all the threads I've seen you in. :)

David

Thanks! Sometime I'm a little leary posting since I'm not a plumber - I see things from the design engineering side and the two sides sometimes don't meet in the middle.
 

Leejosepho

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With many years' experience on a variety of discussion boards, there are times I occasionally wonder at least a little about one or another "first post", but overall, I have found it best to just take things at face value and see where a given question or discussion either might or does eventually lead.

One situation that comes to mind was some time ago when someone posted a question about replacing a certain valve, and it seemed he was determined to do something that simply would not work. The rest of us heard nothing more for a day or two, then a new thread popped up with the very kind of problem one would have after going against the advice that had been given. At the time, I noticed I was not the only skeptic being hesitant about posting to that new thread, but it turned out to be a legitimate question from someone else, entirely.

There are ways for moderators to monitor and control boards without the rest of us worrying about that kind of thing, so I just try to be helpful where I can and leave that job to them.
 

geegee

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how do i do

i have a 27 year old house....we just bought it....we have well water and septic...at the moment our washer n dryer are in the basement but are hooked up illegally....they drain into the sump pump which we have to change....but we'd like to keep everything downstairs and don't know what or how to do this.....any help would be great......we're in southern New Jersey...if anyone knows how or knows a company that's able to help n is cheap that'd be awesome......please help:confused::confused::confused:
 

Jadnashua

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There are some basins with pumps specifically designed for this. You might also install a laundry sink, and let the output from both the sink and the washer drain into it.
 

NHmaster

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Not being an expert and also new to this site here are my two pennies.
If it works and is not a danger, don't worry about code until you sell the place. Have the new owners deal with it or get it done after the home inspection. As far as the septic goes it is my understanding that you should not get back flow from the tank if it is too full. A number of pros have told me that septic systems are designed to be near full at all times. This allows for proper biodegradability of the solids. If it is coming back into the pipes then you have a problem with the septic system. Hope this helps some or at least gives you something to talk about to other more experienced folks.

This is the kind of thinking that drives me insane.
 

Redwood

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Here ya go NH Master...

DUCT-TAPE-3M.jpg
 

NHmaster

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Thanks Red but thanks to it being an election year and all I buy the stuff by the case.:D
 
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