Hi,
I've got a washing machine drain pipe (PVC) that I can see has some standing water in it, about 18 inches from the top. When the spin cycle starts, the water overflows after about 10 seconds. I tried baking soda/vinegar and drain cleaner, and neither made a difference in the drainage or the standing water.

Incidentally, the day after I used the drain cleaner, my tub wouldn't drain at all - the pipe has standing water in it, too.

Help?

The easiest thing to do first is snake out the line, it sounds like it's clogged.

If you still have problems, it could be a problem in the vent line going up to the roof.

It could be clogged and can be snaked from the roof.


The water that drains from your washing machine is full of lint, soap and fabric softener. After a while, the inside of your pipes will build up with this gunk. Because the drain on the tub is lower that the outlet for your washer, once the water is in the pipes, it just goes where it can because it is slow going down the drain. Go to Home Depot, Lowe's or a plumbing wholesaler and get a drain cleaner. Get a drain cleaner is made to clean slow drains without putting anything all that toxic down your drains. You follow the directions and put some down the drain every day. This should slowly fix your problem

Hello Jalexander:

The washing machine pipe p-trap should have standing water in it... keeps sewer gas from entering the home.. so that is good thing.

The fact that washing machine clogged, and now tub clogged suggests that a drain line is clogged... Now, to determine which drain line.

When you flush the toilet associated with the bathroom with tub backing up... does it back up into the tub? Watch closely... if it does, then main drain is probably clogged.

If not then may just be a branch drain that is clogged. You will need to locate a cleanout associated with the washing machine or may need to snake the drain through the tub waste and overflow... but first, let me know more info... ok?


Talk soon.. Mark.