Ask Me Help Desk - Laundry drain pipe

I just bought a house (last Friday) and we went to do our first load of laundry in the new house and there was water EVERYWHERE!! I am not the handiest person (although I'm trying to learn) so I'm bad at actual names for stuff. I hooked up the water with no problem and I stuck the drain hose in the pipe next to the water spouts. When it goes to drain the water out the water comes out the top of the pipe and it also comes out of the pipes under the kitchen sink. The kitchen sink is on the same wall as the laundry room plumbing so I think it drains out that way. How can I get the water to stop spraying out everywhere when it goes to drain? My husband tried to tighten the pipes under the sink and I tried to duck tape the hose to the drain pipe and neither of those worked. PLEASE HELP! :confused:

You either have a clog in that pipe or its not vented properly. What id the size of the pipe you stick the washer hose into and how high is that pipe off the floor to washer hose discharge. The pipe should be 2" min ( But I seen 1 1/2 work but not to well.

Look for a Tee fitting off the drain pipe to vent that drainage. If you have a washer and sink beside it there should be a Vent pipe to vent that line between the washer and sink.

If its not vented then its trying to vent through the sink

So look for vent between the sink and washer. Tighten the pipes will do nothing here

Check the setup and get back with good details
Thanks

Signed 21 Boat

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 21boat

You either have a clog in that pipe or its not vented properly. What id the size of the pipe you stick the washer hose into and how high is that pipe off of the floor to washer hose discharge. The pipe should be 2" min ( But I seen 1 1/2 work but not to well.

Look for a Tee fitting off of the drain pipe to vent that drainage. If you have a washer and sink beside it there should be a Vent pipe to vent that line between the washer and sink.

If its not vented then its trying to vent through the sink

So look for vent between the sink and washer. Tighten the pipes will do nothing here

Check the setup and get back with good details
thanks

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

If it is a clog... what should I put down the drain? We have city water and sewer, so I don't know how big of a difference that makes. I know there are some things that are specific to septic tanks and I don't want to put the wrong thing down the drain and mess things up. The laundry room is right next to the kitchen and the house is on a slab so I think the plumbing goes into the concerte where would the vent be? All of the pipes for the washing machine are partially covered my an access panel, so I can't see a vent.

If its City water and sewer then you don't have to be so concerned with the drain cleaner.

I think its more of a vent problem. Was this a new house you bought?

There HAS to be a vent pipe after the laundry line or it needs vented.

Back to the "stand pipe" height. Where the washer hose goes in. ( just curious ) This is not a big issue yet because you have overflow in another sink.
Look at the roof and see about where there are any vent(s) pipes sticking out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21boat

If its City water and sewer then you don't have to be so conserned with the drain cleaner.

I think its more of a vent problem. Was this a new house you bought?

Ther HAS to be a vent pipe after the laundry line or it needs vented.

Back to the "stand pipe" height. Where the washer hose goes in. ( just curious ) This is not a big issue yet becuse you have overflow in another sink.
Look at the roof and see about where there are any vent(s) pipes sticking out.

The house was built in 1960. We just closed on it on Friday. This is the first problem we have had (I'm sure there will be many more). I'm at work right now but when I get home I will take off the panel to see about the vent. What exactly does it look like? If there is a problem with the vent how would I clean it? Also should I try picking up some drain cleaner on my way home and what kind should I buy? I don't know what kind of pipe it is but it is black on the inside and I know our last house was PVC and this doesn't look like any PVC pipe that I've ever seen. Thanks a lot for your help!! I really do appreciate it! :D

Hi All:

I rarely have seen clogged vents, so I am going to bet against 21boat here and go with the drain line being clogged. Here, you would RENT a small electric snake and snake the drain line. To see if you can clear the blockage in the drain.

You said home was built in the 60s... huh? This suggest that you have cast iron pipe under the slab or in the basement. Above the floor may be copper or galvanized pipes. All combined, these setups are usually filled with all kinds of gunked up soap/crud, etc... especially if the cast iron pipe goes underground.

If this is what I think it is, I'm not even sure a homewoner should tackle it... can be very messy and frustrating when you snake the drain and it never seems to unclog.

If you just purchased the place it might be a good thing to call the real estate agent... maybe they will be nice enough to send a drain company out to fix this for you. You should have a 1 year warranty.. yes?

Otherwise, rent an electric snake (buy goggles and leather gloves, too) and snake the washing machine VENT out at the roof (if safe pitch to roof) or see if there is a cleanout in the drain line and send snake down the cleanout. If going down vent then that will kill two birds with one stone as you will be clearing vent and drain line...

If going from washing machine vent out the roof, put out at least the distance from roof to basement plus 20 feet more... to start.

You can also check for a cleanout under the kitchen sink... but be clear that the snake will go UP about as often as it will go down... so may take a few tries to get it down the pipe (have someone watch the vent outside to be sure you don't go up and out).

If water flows I would then use hot water to wash the drain line as I snaked the drain line a 2nd or 3rd or even 4th time... ;) Just more F.Y.I!

Let us know if you have more questions...

MARK

PS... cast iron pipe is black metal, galvanized pipe is silver color and copper pipe is dark copper color. I'll bet it is black pipe going into the ground.

There are usually not a problem with the actual vent unless it gets clogged with tree leaves from above or its not slanted properly to self drain back into the drainage line its connected to.

From the laundry pipe which should be a 2" drain but being how old the house is it may be 1 1/2". Which may have worked with an old washer. The New washers have a much higher discharge and the old 1 1/2" doesn't usually cut it.

If it was built in the 60s its probably cast iron. And not vented properly. Again the old washers discharges were slower.

Most all drain solvents are friendly. Look on the back as far a it being used in cast iron pipe.

Again I think it's the newer washer and the old cast not being vented. If this is the case we may be able to us an AAV vent at some point to try and resolve this. Try the drain cleaner first. Look at the situation more closely when you get home.

Need to know of all lines on that side and distances apart from drain to drain. Check to look for pipe out of roof too and get back.

The kitchen sink problem. Hand tighten the traps there and sung it good. So solve that leak which is separate issue related to laundry.
When the water back up there it should be going into the sink and not leaking in the traps.

So get back and see what all of us here can do to help!

Signed 21 Boat

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ;

You either have a clog in that pipe or its not vented properly. There are usually not a problem with the actual vent unless it gets clogged with tree leaves from above or its not slanted properly to self drain back into the the drainage line its connected to.
///////// I am going to bet against 21boat here and go with the drain line being clogged

Mass that's what I stated on my first post

Just a side note. If it is a clog which is likely. It may be slowly clogging overtime and that can create the clog you may have there now. The other owners may have know that.

I know that... you also said,

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21boat

I think its more of a vent problem.

in the next post. Why I popped in and wrote what I did... ;)