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.
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.