I need to put a laundry drain in a basement, but there is no access to any of the existing drain lines. There is a 4" cast iron floor drain approximately 5' from where I would like to position the washer/dryer. water stands in this floor drain about 14"below the level of the concrete.

Can I connect a 2" drain line from the laundry into the 4" Floor drain at about 4" above the existing floor drain, or do I have to locate the main drain and tie into that?

Can I connect a 2" drain line from the laundry into the 4" Floor drain at about 4" above the existing floor drain,
Yes you can. This is called a indirect waste. You don't have to terminate 4 inches above the floor drain a inch or two will be just fine. Good luck, Tom

I need to put a laundry drain in a basement, but there is no access to any of the exisiting drain lines. There is a 4" cast iron floor drain approximately 5' from where I would like to position the washer/dryer. water stands in this floor drain about 14"below the level of the concrete.

Can I connect a 2" drain line from the laundry into the 4" Floor drain at about 4" above the existing floor drain, or do I have to locate the main drain and tie into that?
Thanks for that. This now brings up another question.

Is there a way that I can tie into the floor drain below the concrete. I expect that the drain has a trap in it and then connects into a drain line. If I break out the concrete, can I tie into the drain line with a Y. Also, will the laundry drain need some kind of vent?

Yes you can. This is called a indirect waste. You don't have to terminate 4 inches above the floor drain a inch or two will be just fine. Good luck, Tom


This brings up another question. Can I expose the concrete and tie into the drain line using a Y? If that is possible, does that create some issues with venting the drain?

Can I expose the concrete and tie into the drain line using a Y? If that is possible, does that create some issues with venting the drain
If you connect to the floor drain line the laundry tray will have to have it's own vent througth the roof or be evented back in the attic to a existing roof vent. The sink will not have to be vented if you go with the indirect waste. Good luck, Tom

Make sure that floor drain drains to your sewer system - not to the curb !