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    Jessica0119's Avatar
    Jessica0119 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Aug 8, 2008, 11:05 AM
    Washing Machine Will Not Drain
    Hello,
    I am renting a house and installed my washer and dryer. It is located in the basement. The machine stopped right at the draining point. The machine is fairly old, but it worked fine at the previous house that I rented. The hookup for the drain is located a few feet higher than the washer machine, and there is two different spots that it could be put into (the hose to the wall), one higher than the other, but both are quite a few feet higher than the machine. The washing machine. (not the dryer) is set up about a half a foot with a cement slab.
    We are renting and the land lords left their washer/dryer set there temporarily, so I decided to try hers out to see if that worked, but the same thing happened, it stopped working right before it could drain. Is it my machine, am I setting up the machines wrong, or is it the plumbing that I should have the landlord fix. Our landlord said her machine worked fine before and that its my machine, but how do I go about saying that it can't be my machine cause hers doesn't work either, when even though she didn't say not to use the machine, she didn't say I could. I have a feeling after fiddling with my washer so much, I probably ended up breaking it, but I don't want to go out and get a new machine if its not going to work.
    If somebody knows what I should do please let me know. Thanks a lot.

    (Also, plumbing aside. If it is the plumbing that is the problem, is it the landlord's responsibility to fix that so that having a washer is possible. Or am I just SOL?)

    Jessica
    Credendovidis's Avatar
    Credendovidis Posts: 1,593, Reputation: 66
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    #2

    Aug 9, 2008, 06:25 AM
    Hello Jessica

    Well : the water head of the washing machine pump should be around 1 meter height (3' 4").
    Measure the height of the draining point from the bottom of the washing machine.
    If that is less than 3' 4", your washing machine is the problem. If it is more than 3' 4" than the draining point is too high above the floor.

    If the difference is slight, you can always make a temporal raised floor for the washer to stand on. But make sure that the washer can not "jump off" that raised floor if unevenly loaded during spinning.
    Prepare a raised floor by putting down sufficient bricks, against each other without spacing. Of course you also can use thick concrete slabs or tiles. Cover the raised floor with a (preferably) metal or plastic cover over it for the washing machine to stand on.

    Another problem with a too high draining point is that the drain hose may have to go so high that the section of the hose that goes down in the drain becomes too short. That may cause leaking and also means more work for the pump motor , specially at the start of the draining process !

    Of course you can also come back to the board and discuss your findings!
    If necessary contact me by private mail (click on my handle and follow instructions) to draw my attention. I will than reply here again.
    If this helps solving your problem, than please rate this reply.

    Success !

    :)

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