How crazy is this? (Drain)

[CityKid]

See the main stack that makes basically a cross? Directly above the main waste is a toilet. Now notice the white PVC that is tee'd off to it? That was/is a washing machine drain.

My question is can this be a problem of any waste from the toilet getting into the WM drain? The water in the trap is clean.

 

[Cass]

#1 The drop from the washer to the trap is to far. My guess is that the pipe sticks up in the air on the first floor. Yes?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[CityKid]

No, the PVC trap is above eye level. The waste line that you see leaving the house is a little above waist level. The floor above has a little drop down where the bathroom above it is. So it looks like the pvc is going through the ceiling. That make sense?

 

[Lakee911]

Not to be rude, but are you having some sort of problem? Smell from the WM or something? Why do you ask the question?

Jason

 

[CityKid]

Ha ha, you're not being rude. I plan on connecting a washer to that pvc drain (I just moved into the house). But I noticed that the toilet drain comes straight down, almost on top of it. I am afraid that some toilet waste could get into (splash?) the washing maching drain. Just trying to be proactive.

 

[Cass]

Do you know if the washer will pump that high? I have never seen one like that. How far above the trap does the pipe go, how many inches. Very odd set up.

 

[CityKid]

Just want to confirm something. Which trap are you speaking of? With the pvc trap - I plan to cut in half that straight piece rising before the trap (it is a bit high). But there is also the trap for the main stack just before it leaves the house.

The pvc trap is about 6' off the basement floor. The main stack trap is 3.5'-4' off the floor.

 

[Cass]

How high in inches is the PVC pipe from the PVC trap?

 

[Dunbar Plumbing]

I gotta give credit where credit is due; that was a great deal of work for the plumbers that did that work.

Yes, that was a two man job for sure. Working with preset dimensions of pipe and fittings like that had to suck bigtime. I feel like I cheated my way in since I didn't come around till after PVC became the norm.

I can only imagine the injuries created by that work back then.

 

[Lakee911]

Do you know if the washer will pump that high? I have never seen one like that. How far above the trap does the pipe go, how many inches. Very odd set up.

Could aways tap into one of those cleanouts with PVC and put in a new lower trap if the washer won't pump that high.

Jason

 

[Lakee911]

I gotta give credit where credit is due; that was a great deal of work for the plumbers that did that work.

Yes, that was a two man job for sure. Working with preset dimensions of pipe and fittings like that had to suck bigtime. I feel like I cheated my way in since I didn't come around till after PVC became the norm.

I can only imagine the injuries created by that work back then.

How do you know it was that tough? I thought they put that rats nest of pipes together and then built the house around it!

 

[hj]

pipes

WE put one fitting in at a time so it was very easy. The second guy was to hold it in position until after we had the lead poured.

 

[Dunbar Plumbing]

How do you know it was that tough? I thought they put that rats nest of pipes together and then built the house around it!

You mean like this? Last time I removed cast iron, it was a minimum of 7-10 pounds, not including 2,3,4 foot sections of hubbed cast. How in the hell is that easy??????

 

[Lakee911]

Nice Cartoon!

 

[CityKid]

See the bottom right of the whole contraption? That hose leading into the stack is an old WM drain connected to the stack. I never thought of using that cause it didn't look right. Too easy for waste to back up into the machine. But if I was to put a pvc trap to it, then it'd be a lot lower than the other pvc drain.

How would I connect the trap? It's a 3"(?) stack. Use a reducer to connect to the stack? Thanks everyone for contributing, by the way.

 

[SteveW]

I think we're (or at least I am) confused by your description/terms.

Are you talking about the house in the lower LEFT side of the picture above? Looks like there is a light grey hose coming into the end of a cleanout plug. If so, I am pretty sure (even as a rank amateur) that it is NOT code.

Stacks, as I understand the term, usually refers to vertical drain pipes -- the big ones which go from the roof to the sewer hookup.

Do you have 2 washing machine standpipes? Seems like you are refering to the white PVC pipe with trap as a WM waste line, but also talking about a WM draining into the end of the main sewer line in the bottom of the picture.

 

[CityKid]

Steve, you are exactly right. The pvc w/ the trap high above was there and I was planning on using that as a WM drain. The pvc hose leading to the waste on the lower left of photo was used as a WM drain. Even to my non-proffessional eye, that does not look anything to code.

But if I was to put a pvc trap where that hose is leading into, couldn't that work? Thanks again.

 

[Toolaholic]

completely confused

is the washing machine going to sit on the basement concrete floor, or the wood framed floor above?. is the pvc 2" ,as it needs to be for the washmachine? also 2- 3 "or 4" cast iron pipes exit foundation. bottom is sewer drain, top an exterior vent stack attached to exterior wall heading up above the roof soffit?

 

[CityKid]

The washing machine would be on a platform in the basment, not on the floor above.

Yes, the top pipe is a vent, althought it does not go to the roof but rather up one floor and then vents out the exterior wall. Old house with a lot of quirks.