I just bought a washer and dryer, only to find I can't use them yet. Here is my problem: I live in an older house, not sure exaclty how old (it has a coal shoot) and I have had some plumbing problems. My first level toilet sometimes flushes very slooowly, and sometimes very well. My main drain from that toilet is about 10 feet from where my washer sits. There is a pipe running off that main drain (pvc, 1.5 in.) near the floor (about 2 in. above) towards my washer. The washer drain pipe makes an inverted T and is the same height as my washer, about 3.5 feet, and is the same 1.5 in. pvc. When the washer spins the water shoots out of the pipe. If I start and stop the washer, to prevent the overflow, I can hear the water gurgling loudling down the pipe into the ground. I had previously had a problem with my kitchen sink overflowing out of the same pipe. The sink is on the first floor of my house, on the opposite wall as the washer. This was resolved by an extensive Draino experience. (Poured into both the sink and the drain pipe) What do I do? HELP!

As a sidenote, if it matters, I have a kitchen and full bath in my basement that do not experience and of these backup or drain problems.

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Originally Posted by cat4

I just bought a washer and dryer, only to find I can't use them yet. Here is my problem: I live in an older house, not sure exaclty how old (it has a coal shoot) and I have had some plumbing problems. My first level toilet sometimes flushes very slooowly, and sometimes very well. My main drain from that toilet is about 10 feet from where my washer sits. There is a pipe running off of that main drain (pvc, 1.5 in.) near the floor (about 2 in. above) towards my washer. The washer drain pipe makes an inverted T and is the same height as my washer, about 3.5 feet, and is the same 1.5 in. pvc. When the washer spins the water shoots out of the pipe. If I start and stop the washer, to prevent the overflow, I can hear the water gurgling loudling down the pipe into the ground. I had previously had a problem with my kitchen sink overflowing out of the same pipe. The sink is on the first floor of my house, on the opposite wall as the washer. This was resolved by an extensive Draino experience. (Poured into both the sink and the drain pipe) What do I do? HELP!!
As a sidenote, if it matters, I have a kitchen and full bath in my basement that do not experience and of these backup or drain problems.

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By "inverted Tee" I hope you meant trap. Your kitcken sink and your washer are on the same branch and the clog is downstream from the washer stand pipe. Having the washer and kitchen sink on the same drain line can prresent problems especially it the sink has a disposal unit. Since the washer standpipe sounds like it's unvented your best bet is to undo the trap and send a snake up the trap tail. Questions? I'm as close as a click. Tom