Ask Me Help Desk - Moving washer to main level

Hello,

I'm trying to move my washer and dryer to the main level of the house from the basement. Currently they reside just below the kitchen. I would move them to a room next to the kitchen. I have copper plumbing. The current connections have the washer, a utility sink, the kitchen sink, and the dishwasher connected in series.

1. Would it be acceptable to take the water supplies directly from the kitchen sink supplies?

2. The current washer drains into the utility sink in the basement. I know that a rather large drain is needed to adequately drain the washer, would it be acceptable to run a PVC drain down to the same pipe that meets that utility sink drain? This would involve some sort of Y connection on the drain pipe that is in the basement and is currently connected to the utility sink and kitchen sink.

Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated, thanks!

You're most likely going to need someone to come out and investigate this for you. But short of that you should be okay using the supplies from the kitchen. On the drain you will need to cap off the current horizontal laterals and tap into the vertical stack. Be sure you put in a trap and stand pipe if you are not going to use a utility sink. I wouldn't put in a wye down below because you won't be able to know if the sink overflows during a stoppage.

Hi Brandon...

Darrel's answer is pretty close here. You can certainly connect into the water pipes from the kitchen sink, but more than likely you can just connect into the water pipes from the basement. You will want to install a single lever shutoff if possible (about $30.00... see picture).

You can also connect into a 2" copper pipe in the basement (if possible), transition over to PVC (or ABS plastic) pipe and fittings and install a new ptrap, standpipe and VENT upstairs.

In terms of plumbing code you will need to vent the washing machine or you can be sure the waste line will not drain properly or could siphon and let sewer gasses into the home. Here, you can run an 1.5" vent from the new washer and connect it to another 1.5" vent or penetrate the roof by increasing the 1.5" vent to 2"... OR, although probably not legal in your area, you may be able to install a mechanical vent... called an AAV (air admittance valve)... see pictures.

In terms of connecting into the pipes in the basement you will be best to see if you can connect into a 2" drain pipe. They make transition clamps for this... called shielded clamps (see picture). Here, you can transition between copper pipe to plastic pipe using the clamps. Using the clamps you can install a wye fitting into a horizontal waste pipe or a sanitary tee fitting into a vertical waste pipe... let us know if you need more info. Here. If you cut into any pipes be sure to support the pipes before cutting... ;)

Finally, you may want to install a washing machine pan in case of overflow, but if you use the single lever shutoff valve after each load of laundry you shouldn't really need this.

SS hoses are also a good idea.

MARK

Quote:

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi Brandon...

Darrel's answer is pretty close here. You can certainly connect into the water pipes from the kitchen sink, but more than likely you can just connect into the water pipes from the basement. You will want to install a single lever shutoff if possible (about $30.00...see picture).

You can also connect into a 2" copper pipe in the basement (if possible), transition over to PVC (or ABS plastic) pipe and fittings and install a new ptrap, standpipe and VENT upstairs.

In terms of plumbing code you will need to vent the washing machine or you can be sure the waste line will not drain properly or could siphon and let sewer gasses into the home. Here, you can run an 1.5" vent from the new washer and connect it to another 1.5" vent or penetrate the roof by increasing the 1.5" vent to 2"...OR, although probably not legal in your area, you may be able to install a mechanical vent...called an AAV (air admittance valve)...see pictures.

In terms of connecting into the pipes in the basement you will be best to see if you can connect into a 2" drain pipe. They make transition clamps for this...called shielded clamps (see picture). Here, you can transition between copper pipe to plastic pipe using the clamps. Using the clamps you can install a wye fitting into a horizontal waste pipe or a sanitary tee fitting into a vertical waste pipe....let us know if you need more info. here. If you cut into any pipes be sure to support the pipes before cutting...;)

Finally, you may want to install a washing machine pan in case of overflow, but if you use the single lever shutoff valve after each load of laundry you shouldn't really need this.

SS hoses are also a good idea.

MARK

Darrel and Mark,

Thanks for your help! As a follow up, I've done some more looking, and tried to become a little more understanding of plumbing. Still working on the understanding. I think of the p trap as the trap on any common drain for any sink, etc. I have those on the current washer, and kitchen sink. Next to the utility sink in the basement, I also have a cylinder looking thing that is below the drain line that comes in one side, and then goes out the otherside, and meets one of the waste lines for the house. Is this a standpipe? I'm looking for pictures online, but I haven't found any yet.

The kitchen sink drain comes down into the basement, and to the corner of the house, then into a standpipe? Just above the floor. This is adjacent to the utility sink in the basement. The utility sink also has a p trap, and then flows into the same standpipe?

From where the standpipe? Water exits and flows into one of the main drains for the house, there is a vertical pvc pipe attachment that runs straight up and to the roof. I'm thinking this is a vent line.

What determines when it's a vent line and when it's a sewer line? For instance, since there are no other plumbing services on this side of the house, it serves only the kitchen sink, dishwasher, and washer. This is a 2" PVC pipe. Could I tap into this from the main floor with the p trap from the washer, then tee connection you mention (since it's a vertical pipe), and run that down to the standpipe? Because there are no other services above the washer, would this function as the required vent?

Sorry, I'm sure this isn't very clear but I'm trying, and appreciate your help.

Brandon

Hey Brandon...

That cylinder sounds like an old drum trap... see pictures? This is just an older version of a PTRAP... both keep sewer gasses from entering the home.

If you can take a picture of the plumbing I can tell you for sure how to connect all this together.

Fixtures in the basement would have a vent(s) that connect together and then one vent pipe would run upstairs and connect into other vents upstairs. These vents would not connect into the kitchen drain, but would bypass the sink and then perhaps connect with the kitchen sink vent before going up as one vent to either penetrate the roof 2" or to connect into other vents in the attic...

You would need to connect the washer waste in the basement and run a new vent upstairs and connect to other vents OR install the AAV I mentioned earlier...

If you post up some pics. Of your situation I will be glad to work up a blueprint if you want... :)

MARK