A twist on a familiar question posted here... I am attempting to move my washer/dryer into my basement. It is rough plumbed for a bath, with a 4 inch waste line dumping into a sewage ejector pit. Can I cut a tee into that 4 inch waste line and route my 2 inch washer drain line into it? I am guessing I will have a P trap in the wall, with the washer drain line emptying into that which will flow into the 4 inch line. The 4 inch waste line shares a vent with the bathroom lines -- am I overloading that vent? Can I vent the pipe that my washer drains into somewhere after the P trap but before it tees into the 4 inch waste line?

Additionally -- does anyone have a recommendation for a "good" ejector pump to service a basement bathroom and washer for a family of five?

Thank you very much for your help.

Rich

Hey Rich,

If you're asking if you can discharge a major fixture, (your toilet) past a unvented minor one,(your washer) the answer is no.
How many fixtures in your bathroom group? What does the vent take off from. I need more details about this basement bath room before I can be more specific. Let me know the entire layout. Especially about the vent configuration. I think you're going to be able to tie your washer in to the drainage system. Just not the way you describe. Cheers, Tom

OK, from memory... (I took pictures of the rough in before the slab was poured... ). I have a "classic" bathroom rough in (for Virginia). A 2 inch drain stubbed out of the concrete for a shower, a 2 inch vented drain against the wall (sink drain), both of those connect to my 4 inch toilet drain, which in turn runs into my ejector tub. The vent on the sink drain has a pipe protruding in the direction of my shower, so I assume that's the shower drain vent (?). Is that descriptive enough, or should I scan a pic tonight and post it tomorrow?

Thanks again!

Are the walls open? The floor has been poured, right? Does the lavatory vent extend through the roof? Where would you want the washer to set in relation to the lavatory? I think I need a photo of the roughin. Also some dimensions on where the fixtures will set. Exactly what fixtures do you have installed at the present time? Is the holding tank vented? I'll wait on the photos but I need more information before I can get specific. Cheers, Tom

I tried to draw it so we could continue... check out the attached jpeg -- it's a top view and side view of the situation. The basement in rough framed at the present, I have started to break out the concrete to move the shower drain (6 inches, of course). Let me know if this helps and you can visualize the situation -- I labeled the laundry room and bathroom, which are in different rooms.

Rich

Can you give me a side view of the laundry room? I am particularly interested in where the vent from the holding tank is placed. My thought would be to tee off the vent with a 2" "P" trap with a 36" raiser and pick up your washer with that. Since there's nothing above the vent it's a natural to tie to. Sound like a plan? Nice drawing! Cheers Tom

Interesting, I guess I'll call the city and see if that's OK. That would be wonderful if I can do that. Let me see if I got this straight... Add a P trap to the vent that services the sewage pit, and have at least 36" of vertical pipe above that P trap that my washer will dump into, and bob's your uncle? Now...did you imply the vent can not used for anything else? Try this pic on for size -- i added the P trap and a 36" pipe to the sewage vent... And, as the saying goes (and I mean it) -- if you're ever in Virginia, stop by for a hot chocolate and some cookies. Your help is very appreciated and I would look forward to helping in return.

Bob's my uncle?? There should be no problem using the vent to discharge the washer into. Instead of discharging into the side of the tank through the 4" your discharging into the top through the vent. Same difference. BTW what size is the vent anyhow? Minimum size allowed for the washer discharge will be 1 1/2" . 2" is the normal size but my house has used a 1 1/2" trap and stand pipe for the washer discharge since the house was built 50 years ago. You asked. "Now...did you imply the vent can not used for anything else?"
What else would you want to use it for? Regards, Tom

I just talked to our county inspector -- he says I can't use the pit's vent to drain my laundry into. He advocates using the washer's pump to get the output up into my joists and run it to my main sewer line. I have 9 feet celings in my basement... do washer have specs on their pump published? Thoughts on the county guy's thoughts?

I'm not sure if this will help but check

http://www.saniflo.com/products/sanivite.html

This thing can pump water 10 feet up but can olny accept water from a laundry basin... If it has to be vented you could tie it into your vent line... Good luck.

I DID IT! Here's the pic. The groundwork was approved. THANK YOU for your help!

I DID IT! Here's the picture. THANK YOU!