Washing Machine Drain: Increasing Your Washer’s Life
When buying a new house, or renting an apartment one rarely does too much checking of the plumbing for the washer and drying, besides making sure there is a washing machine drain and plug ins. However, washing machine drains are relatively prone to overflow and sometimes even repeated trips out by the plumber do not fix the drain overflow problems.
If you have the same washing machine, with the same house and have had no problems for several years, the chances are you will need to call a plumber out to clear the lines. Unless you are up to snaking it out yourself or replacing parts.
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However if your washing machine is new, or you have recently moved into a home then you may have a very common washing machine drain overflow problem. The problem may well be common but the solutions are very individual. How they are solved depends on budget, and how old the home is, and does it yourself plumbing skills.
Washing machines are being made these days to hold more clothing, clean more thoroughly and spin dry faster. The older the home is, the smaller the washing machine drain pipes and the less venting is present, even newer built homes have a hard time handling high capacity washers spinning out a flood of water. Combine an increased flow of water from the washing machine because it has a more powerful motor with a diminished sized pipe or one with infrequent venting and you have a recipe for chronic washing machine drain overflow.
Well, snaking your pipes can remove any clogs that might be present but if the problem is the size of the pipes and the increased water flow of the washer, it will not last.
If you have an older model washing machine, consider replacing it with a front loading energy efficient washer. It will use less water, which will reduce the chances your pipes will suffer water overload. It will also be more energy efficient and conservation is on everyone’s mind these days.
If your purchasing a new washing machine is out of the question, there are still some answers to the problem of too much water and too small drain pipes.
Vent the pipes is one answer. This is a project that requires some knowledge and may require a professional plumber and tearing into the walls but a vent near the offending drainpipe can (let me emphasize can) solve the drain overflow problem.
Install a mop basin in the utility area. These are basins for utility use, and relatively inexpensive to purchase and install. The washing machine drain can run into the mop basin which will fill part way but filter slowly out at a rate your small pipes can handle.
Consider running your clothes on delicate cycle. This is not an elegant or practical solution but it works. However, you will not be getting the use out of your heavy-duty washing machine you purchased it for, but it will reduce or eliminate the drain overflow issue.
There are other solutions for specific situations, such as installing air traps, but in the end, you may still have a drain overflow problem.
In summary if, a washing machine drain has worked fine over years and suddenly develops problems, snake the pipe, or call a plumber. If you are new to the home or have a new washing machine, then you probably will still want to call a plumber, just to be on the safe side. If the problem keeps occurring, then it may be those 1.5 to 2 inch pipes with infrequent vents. These are often seen in older homes. Then you must put in new pipes, purchase an efficient water-conserving washing machine, or work around it with a mop sink or some other jury-rigged means.
