Washer drain

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

We have changed our toploader to a frontloader washer.
Everything was fine but the last couple of weeks it seems like the drain does not drain fast enough and water flows on the floor.
I know the frontloader has a more powerful pump that pumps the water in the drain faster, that might be the problem.
But how can I fix this? It obviously only does it when it drains the water from the machine.

When the drain cycle starts I can hear the drain pipe filling up and the overflowing, after that everything drains out fine but the initial first burst it can't handle

thanks

Ron

Cwhyu2 · Apr 17, 2009

You may have a partial stoppage,may need to be rodded out.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

snake

I was looking into buying on of those snakes that you can attach to your power drill, is that something safe or do you plumbers say please don't do it yourself?

Any other suggestions of doing it yourself are appreciated

SewerRatz · Apr 17, 2009

Woodenshoe said:
I was looking into buying on of those snakes that you can attach to your powerdrill, is that something safe or do you plumbers say please don't do it yourself?

Any other suggestions of doing it yourself are appreciated

If you do go out and buy a rodding machine may I recommend the Ridgid Power Spin

Anything larger than that I would recommend calling in a plumber that does drain cleaning, since he will be more experienced in using the larger machines and less likely to get hurt.

POWER SPIN+ with AUTOFEED® | RIDGID Tools

Clear clogs in your sink, shower, tub, or traps by hand or by attaching a power drill to the POWER SPIN+ Drain Cleaner. Shop here.

www.ridgid.com

Gary Swart · Apr 17, 2009

You left out some important facts that are relevant to your problem. You did not mention the size of the drain pipes. Newer washers require a 2" drain that is trapped and vented, and it may not be reduced in size between the washer and the sewer line. If your line is 1-1/2" pipe, that would be just like having a clog. The 1-1/2" was large enough for older machines and many homes were plumbed that way.

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

SewerRatz said:
If you do go out and buy a rodding machine may I recommend the Ridgid Power Spin

Anything larger than that I would recommend calling in a plumber that does drain cleaning, since he will be more experienced in using the larger machines and less likely to get hurt.

That is pretty good...I just came back from the home depot and that is exactly the one I bought

The drain is 2" but I don't know if it reduces anywhere before going in the septic tank.I suppose it might be connected to the main that is probably also 2"?

I am going to try the spinner and see if this helps any at all.
If not I might be lookin to go back to the ole toploader

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

Yuck! These crawlspaces

I have been living here for over 9 years and I just came back from my first visit from the crawlspace under the house

It was kinda scary but as far as I could see the 2" drain from the washer curls on the bottom and then curls again and then connected to the main line, I assume that is what it is. It is the big line attached to the shitter

I could not get my snake far enough too go through these angles.
Maybe I'll crawl back there and shoot some pictures if I have the guts

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

picture

OK I decided to go back down under

Here is the best angle I could take the picture from.
The drain is on the right hand side and you can follow the line where it is connected to another 2" line and that one is connected to the main line as you can see up front.
So the drain line comes down and curves up, after that it curves back down and then it has an horizontal curve before it connects to the other 2" line and then to the main.
Too bad all these connections are glued from what I could see, probably code? Otherwise it would be handy just to unscrew the traps from there and check it out.

Jadnashua · Apr 17, 2009

Well, it doesn't look like it is vented and I can't tell for sure how it is run. The fittings into the main line shouldn't be T's, they should be Y's to help direct the flow properly. Is it the run that looks like it has a short pair of 90's? that's got to slow things down a lot.

The p-trap and standpipe should be on the same floor as the washer.

Woodenshoe · Apr 17, 2009

run

Is it the run that looks like it has a short pair of 90's

What is the "run"

Do you mean after the first curve?

The funny thing is that we never had problems before and i think we have been using it for over a year

Jadnashua · Apr 17, 2009

'Run' is the way the pipe is routed...

NHmaster · Apr 17, 2009

Looks like sawzall time to me.

Redwood · Apr 17, 2009

I agree...
I don't see any good plumbing there!

Woodenshoe · Apr 18, 2009

masrer plumbers

This is the house that my wife's grandpa build around 1980.
I know the original plumbing was done by himself, he was a master plumber.
His son moved into the house and he remodeled a lot of things so that the plumbing had to be changed, like move the kitchen to another spot and the washer dryer.
This plumbing was done by grandpa's other son and/or grandson who took over the business after he died.
They are both licensed master plumbers, but I guess that does not mean they do a good job I assume.

But after a few goes with the Ridgid snake a good bit of lint came out of the pipe and it seems to be draining better now, just need to wait until the next load of clothes.

thanks guys, if the problem persists I might have to go in with my hacksaw

I ain't afraid to tackle stuff myself.

Woodenshoe · Apr 18, 2009

another picture

I took another picture down there from plumbing from a toilet in the bathroom next to the washer/dryer.
Now I'm not a plumber but there are 2 big pipes going up and the narrow long pipe is not attached to anything

Is that a vent??

I'm confused

Jay Mpls · Apr 18, 2009

Woodenshoe said:
I took another picture down there from plumbing from a toilet in the bathroom next to the washer/dryer.
Now I'm not a plumber but there are 2 big pipes going up and the narrow long pipe is not attached to anything
Is that a vent??

This pipe is not attached to the pipe at the end coming down on a 45 degree angle.
There should be a cleanout where the 1 1/2 pipe enters the 3 or 4"
In what state do you live and what state did dad have his masters from?

Kingsotall · Apr 18, 2009

It is not a vent (Although with everything else that is going on with them pipes it could be! lol) but rather something that was going to be included in the drain but was never finished. If it was a future stub or a cleanout I can't imagine that it was extended for such a long ways then abandoned.

Although if these pipes have been working this way all this time it might be wise to get a drain cleaner in there and have him rod the washer standpipe as far as he can go and see if that helps the washer drain without backing up.

What's up with the other pipe way back there that comes down at a 45 degrre angleÂ¿ It is a shoddy vent but if it is, it might be worth it as well to tie into that with the pipe that extends all the way out to it.

hj · Apr 18, 2009

pipe

Those two elbows at the main connection are not indicative of "master plumber" type work. A master plumber would have installed the piping the least restrictive way. That pipe may have the "most restriction" it was possible to do. We cannot tell you what that long pipe does because we have absolutely no idea where it goes and therefore what its function is, but we can tell you that whatever it is being used for, it should NOT have that sag in the middle.

Woodenshoe · Apr 18, 2009

lead

I think the tall pipe has been a drain at one point.
I think it is under the living room where the kitchen used to be, hell I don't know.

As far as I know her uncle and cousin got their master plumber license here in Georgia.

If the drain continues to give me problems I will have another plumber come in and not family...

thanks guys

Ron

Terry · Apr 18, 2009

A plastic pipe that collects lint, most likely had been cut with a saw, and they left the ragged edges. A small knife is used to ream the inside of the pipe to get rid of the hair and lint catching frayed ends.

From what we see of the plumbing in the crawl, it does not look like plumbers ever worked there.

Too many of the wrong fittings, the venting is wrong too.

Since the lint has been removed, you should be able to at least use it now.

Washer drain

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