I have just moved to a new house, and I am now trying to hook up my washer. The laundry is in the basement. The drinage pipe is connected about 6' up the wall. The dranage hose on my washer is about 2' to short. Is it o.k. to cut the pipe shorter, or is it that high for a reason? Please help, my family is getting desperate for clean socks.:confused:

I am a plumbing novice. What is the standpipe and trap? How do I find them?:confused:

What's the distance between the top of the standpipe and the trap? How high is the trap off the floor? Today's washer pumps can pump a head of over 8 feet with no sweat. Have you considered installing a longer hose? Regards, tom

It may be that high for reason ( overflow protection ). Stand pipe should be about 3' tall from the trap. But as Tom said, you can extend that hose so it reaches top of the inlet.

Can you post a photo of it ?

I am a plumbing novice. What is the standpipe and trap? How do I find them?
Sorry! I've put up a image of a standpipe( The pipe the hose goes into and a trap,( that curvy thingy near the bottom) also a typical washer installation.
Hope this helps some. More questions? I'm as close as a click. Tom

I have done a bit of measuring. The trap measures at 57" from the floor, the top of the standpipe measures at 80" from the floor. I'm not sure if this is important but the water turn off is 40" from the floor and the pipe leading out of the house is 36" from the floor. Thank you so much for your help:D

Here are some pics. Of our washer nightmare.

Im confused. Can you please tell me what you are asking. Im thinking you may be replying to an answer, but we can't see the earlier post here. Please let us know what your problem is, and we will try to help.

Hi MGD

Sounds like he has a problem similar to the one I had.

ChucK

Maybe, hope they will clarify and we can get them fixed up.

Sorry, I was not very clear. I was just asking about our washer drain. The top of the stand pipe is 80" off the floor, the trap is 57" from the floor. Our washer drain hose is only about 4' long. We were wondering if we can cut the standpipe or if we need to replace the hose. Naturally cutting the pipe would be easier and quicker. To replace the hose we would need to wait 2 weeks for the part to come in. with a family of five, we are nearly up to our knees in laundry. We would just like to fix it right-we are new at this DIY thing.
Thanks for your help.:)

What in the world is that abortion? Unless the top of that 3" piece of pipe's capped off you have a direct open connection to the city sewer allowing sewer gas to invade your home. sewer gas's a health threat to your family and the methane content makes enough of it explosive. Check the top to b e sure it's sealed. Is that where your supposed to put the discharge hose. I sent you a image of a typical washer station. As a plumber I don't see how such a set up would ever work.. The trap is configured to block the vent and the top of the 3" piece has a direct connection to the stack vent which has a direct connection to the city sewer. Surely! No Plumbing Inspector in his right mind would ever pass code violations that I can spot just from your pictures. I don't know how tight you are with the land lord but if my guess is correct you could "red Tag" the entire building with one call to the Health Department,
I have to admit. In over 50 years out in the field and answering plumbing questions for 8 years I though I had seen it all. Then you posted your pictures. Thank you! Ya just made my day. Tom

"...I have to admit. In over 50 years out in the field and answering plumbing questions for 8 years I though I had seen it all. Then you posted your pictures. Thank you!! Ya just made my day. Tom ..."

Tom, thank you for the humorous angle you add to your answers !:D:D:D


Swerty: Many thanks for posting those photos. I can assure you nobody here would ever understand how it was plumbed... Anyways, can you look behind the wall to see if that 3" white vertical pipe is going all the way down to the floor ? Or, does it turn sideways where the "trap" connects ?

Swerty...

What state are you in?

To answer a few questions, yes we are tight with the landlords--we just bought this house. The inspectors we paid to check out the house did not mention anything was amiss with that part of the plumbing.the pipe does turn and does not go straight into the floor. We have a septic, not public sewer. We live in Maine. The house was built in 2003. The community was oringinally intended to be three season and so the water pipes and drainage pipes may not be down deep enough through ou the community. There is a bit of trouble with water pipes freezing in the winter. My husband says there is a cap. Thank you for your help. Glad to make your day. Sarah:)

I was mistaken. That uprightisn't a vent It's a stand pipe. I didn't see the terminal end until I put my reading glasses on. Now it begains to make some sense. Not a awfully lot but mnore then it did w3hen I first saw it. I apologize for not spotting the stand pipe earlier. M I thought the 3" piece was where the washer hose went. You aren't open to the sewer if the 3" is capped. I'm sorry if I gave you needless concern. Put it off to advancing age and Mad Cow Disease. Hey guys! I screwed up but that contraption still looks like a piece of crap. So sorry Swerty, Regards, Tom

to answer a few questions, yes we are tight with the landlords--we just bought this house. the inspectors we paid to check out the house did not mention anything was amiss with that part of the plumbing.the pipe does turn and does not go straight into the floor. we have a septic, not public sewer. We live in Maine. the house was built in 2003. the community was oringinally intended to be three season and so the water pipes and drainage pipes may not be down deep enough through ou the community. There is a bit of trouble with water pipes freezing in the winter. My husband says there is a cap. thank you for your help. glad to make your day. sarah:)

You will have to leave it the way it is. You are in basement and that 3" pipe is not going all the way down to the floor because it has to turn to meet the slope of the outside sewer. I see you have some paneling covering the set up. Once you put it back, nobody will see it. Good luck !

We still haven't helped this girl out yet. Her complaint was that the standpipe was so high the hose wouldn't reach it.
I don't think it's a very good idea to cutthe stand pipe back so I searched the internet and found a extra long 12 foot washer drain hose, (see image).
Check it out at; Hotpoint Washing machine drain hose - Compare all prices and products with Twenga - prices, products, reviews, photos, features... (http://www.twenga.co.uk/dir-Appliances,Washing-machines,Washing-machine-drain-hose-12864)
Hope this gets you where you're bound Swerty. I got so caught up in the contraption they call a washer station that I almost missed giving you a solution to your problem. I still say that's the weirdest washer station I ever laid eyes on. Good luck, Tom

Hi Everyone...

In MAINE, code says that that drum trap is legal and that it doesn't need a vent if the trap is within 10 feet of the stack.

As much as it goes against principles everywhere else... they are fine in terms of piping arrangement. I should know... I hold my masters license in Maine.. ;)

Last I remember you can cut the standpipe down to 18"-24" out of the drum trap. Otherwise, extend the washing machine hose as Tom has suggested.

Good luck!

MARK

Yep, 18" is the shortest allowed by our code too.

I would say you could try cutting the standpipe until you get the new washer hose, but you said you needed two foot cut off for hose to reach. With the measurements you gave, this wouldn't leave you any standpipe at all. If you are in real need of doing laundry, I can only think of one quick fix. Raise the washer. Use wood or concrete blocks, or any thing stable enough to hold the weight of the washer. Just improvise. Raise the washer enough to where the drain hose will reach the standpipe. Doesn't have to be fancy platform, just has to be sturdy. Do this until you get the new washer hose. Good luck and please let us know how things work out.

Cut the standpipe back? To what? 18 imches? What do you think will happen when the force from the washer pump hits the 90 at the base of the drum trap? My code only allows drum traps on special fixtures designed for them and then only with the inspectors OK, The last time I saw one was back in Wisconsin over 50 years ago. If I were going to cut the standpipe back the only way I would do it would be to install a compression fitting on it and make it a closed system. Regards, Tom

Hi all:

Drumtraps are allowed in Maine for every fixture, and believe it or not... no vents required if within 10 feet of the vent stack (top floor)... just the way it is up there! The 18" to 24" standpipe is also part of their code.

I know the 18"-24" standpipe drives you and Bob crazy, Tom, but I'm telling you that it works all over where I live. In my area the code says I can run 1.5" pipe with standpipe between 18" and 30"....and I promise you...all the drains work fine!!

Not to get into this too heavy, but I am telling everyone that questions this ever again, that even the fancy newer machines work on an 1.5" drain line with an 18" standpipe. If they don't then it is only because the drain line is clogged by some kind of build up.

I have installed whirlpools, neptunes, all the newer models and not an issue. I keep hearing that some codes want to bump the requirement up to a 3" drain/trap...but yet to see it in writing..anywhere!!

I have had problems with 1.5" drains with 18" standpipes, but when I finally cut the pipe at the cast iron stack (I have never had an issue on PVC pipe) I found a sediment deposit that had to be removed by hammer and screwdriver. After I cleaned all up and installed new fittings all was fine.

Mygirlsdad pointed out fact that cutting the pipe down to 18" probably won't help here much anyway... so swerty2 needs to extend the hose no matter what I think.

I will continue to recommend piping in 2" drain pipe as I think it makes sense (with 30" standpipe)....but code and my experience demonstrate that 1.5" is OK... just that I also agree that 2" is better is all.

Just mentioning facts guys... :)

MARK

You guys have been so great!! Thank you so much. I am surprised you found a 12ft. Hose, our local appliance repair place said 8ft. Was the longest. Again thank you so much. You saved us from what could have a messy, expensive situation. Sarah