Water Softener Drain Options

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PeterT

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I'm in CA and I presume the softener drain discharge must go to the sewer - if not, let me know!

My best drain option is to a nearby laundry sink. The hose that came with the softener is clear plastic flex with a 3/8" ID. Instead, I plan to run 1/2" pex up to a height of about 8' 6" to 9 feet and then down and underneath the sink. Under the sink, I'll connect to a dishwasher air gap that will in turn connect to a dishwasher tailpipe (that drains the sink, no dishwasher).

My questions:

1. Code says the softener drain should maintain a 1" air gap above the drain...technically speaking in using a dishwasher air gap, the drain is below the air gap. Is this still acceptable practice?

2. Total drain pipe distance is about 25 feet and about 8.5 - 9 feet in overall height. Not sure who came up with the 8 foot number that these drains could rise because that barely gets you up into the ceiling joists, if at all. Will the softener drain still work properly if the overall height is 9 feet?

3. Will the 1/16" larger ID of the PEX pipe (vs the clear plastic tubing) reduce the height and/or distance the softener can drain properly?

4. If the above won't work, I also have a laundry stand pipe near the sink. Can the softener drain attach to the stand pipe along with the washing machine hose? Not sure if that will work as the water supply valves and stand pipe are in a washer valve box.

thanks in advance.
 

Reach4

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1. yes.
2. yes, assuming your water pressure is over 40 psi. Even if not, probably still ok.
3. Larger ID will not be a problem, but I expect you meant larger wall thickness. Go to 3/4 if you worry. But I expect 1/2 inch pex to be fine. A 10x54 softener tank gets backwashed at 2.4 gpm. Your softener service manual may recommend 3/4.
4. Can be combined with laundry standpipe. They sell air gaps made to help with that sharing.
 

PeterT

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1. yes.
2. yes, assuming your water pressure is over 40 psi. Even if not, probably still ok.
3. Larger ID will not be a problem, but I expect you meant larger wall thickness. Go to 3/4 if you worry. But I expect 1/2 inch pex to be fine. A 10x54 softener tank gets backwashed at 2.4 gpm. Your softener service manual may recommend 3/4.
4. Can be combined with laundry standpipe. They sell air gaps made to help with that sharing.

thanks for your help.

Can I "Y" off the washer standpipe into a separate box, is that permitted? And if that Y terminates a couple of inches above the washer standpipe section, that would build in the airgap, correct?
 

Jeff H Young

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the connection generaly needs literaly a space of 1 inch of "air" between the 2. just keep the pipe 1 inch above the opening secured and you are good
 
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