Floor drains below laundry, dishwasher, fridge?

[Speede541]

Hey all,

I have a dishwasher, laundry closet, and fridge upstairs, above a finished downstairs level.

The walls are open, and before I close them, I have the opportunity to relatively easily install floor drains (plus proper venting and trap primers, of course) relatively easily. But I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle, or even opening me up to other problems.

For example, if the laundry drain backs up and slows the flow enough that the floor drain unintentionally floods the room.

I'm seeking opinions on whether this is a worthwhile option to pursue.

 

[Terry]

The odds of a floor drain backing up from the laundry are very slim.
There are plenty of homes that install the floor drain with primer where a washer has been installed.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Speede541]

Terry, are you suggesting laundry is the only one I ought to concern myself with?

Also, is there a recommended distance downstream the floor drain runs parallel to the laundry drain before joining it? I ran my laundry drain flat for about 10 feet in 2"copper, prior to dropping vertical.

 

[Terry]

I've never installed a floor drain in a kitchen before.

It's a good question about seperation between the floor drain and the washer.
There can be soap suds from the washer. I did see that from a toilet before that was nearby. In that case, the drain in the crawl had a low spot, and once corrected wasn't an issue.

 

[Speede541]

Thanks. I figured laundry is a common location due to these frequently being installed upstairs. I'll look at extending the run as far as practical in order to prevent suds, even though my slope is good.

It appears 2"is the minimum diameter? I don't see any 1.5" floor drains at my local supply house. I see 4 gallons per minute is the minimum for a laundry floor drain, and that should be good for at minimum 8 GPM.

 

[Reach4]

I think upstairs the norm is to put the washer in a washing machine drain pan that is connected to to the drain system.

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

Check out the extra protection a linear drain can give you in this recent discussion.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/laundry-washer-drain.59683/#post-442619

 

[Speede541]

Wow, I'm digging that drain! Though I think I'd run it front to rear, so it doesn't get run over when installing or removing the appliance. Well, I bet the alignment of the floor joists is the driving factor. Really slick, though.

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

Wow, I'm digging that drain! Though I think I'd run it front to rear, so it doesn't get run over when installing or removing the appliance. Well, I bet the alignment of the floor joists is the driving factor. Really slick, though.

The home had a 1.5" concrete pour over the entire three floors. We blocked the closet off so that I could use the space for the linear drain.

You can simply make a mini dam that would give a lip to contain water in a tray like setting. Worth the effort.

The home I'm on now has a raised platform and a kerdi shower tray for the appliance. Millwork is going in now. I'll show you a dam version later in the month.

 

[hj]

The washer drain pan, should NOT be connected to the drain system. They are usually piped to the exterior of the building or to another drain using an "open" connection so they cannot "back up" and overflow.

 

[Speede541]

The washer drain pan, should NOT be connected to the drain system. They are usually piped to the exterior of the building or to another drain using an "open" connection so they cannot "back up" and overflow.

Funny you should mention a drain pan...

I have a prep sink in the kitchen which isn't easily connectable to a floor drain as an under-sink overflow. Was thinking of sealing the undercabinet and porting an overflow drain tube out the wall, where it would spill into a culvert along the side of the house.

But that seems sketchy. Is this really an accepted practice with drain pans?

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

The washer drain pan, should NOT be connected to the drain system. They are usually piped to the exterior of the building or to another drain using an "open" connection so they cannot "back up" and overflow.

??? Every job we work on the floor drain for the washing machine is connected to the homes waste line. Maybe it's a Canadian thing. Seems no different than a basement floor drain to me.

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

....But that seems sketchy.....

That sounds sketchy to me too.