Helping Mapping Out Pipes for Adding Utility Sink to Washer Drain

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ah1

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Hello all,

My wife and I are purchasing a home and I am hoping to install a utility sink into the basement next to the washer. I'm familiar with the basics of plumbing (I work in construction) but I am not a plumber by trade, and so I'd appreciate some advice on the proper way to reconfigure the drainage and vent for the sink and washer to run into the main drainage stack. The issue I'm facing is that the current washer drain is quite high up and will need to be moved down to allow a proper vent above. But, I'm not entirely sure of the best way to go about doing this. I'm thinking for ease, I should simply drain the washer INTO the sink once its connected. Please see the two attached photos, one of which I have diagrammed.

Pipes.jpgPipes 2.jpg

Here is what exists and what I'm proposing (green are modifications) which I could use feedback on.
Current Pipe Diagram.png

Proposed Pipe Diagram.png

Thank you for any tips or helpful guidance you can provide!
 

Reach4

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There is another possibility under IPC.
index.php
 

ah1

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There is another possibility under IPC.
index.php
Thanks for the reply and suggestion. I was familiar with this IPC diagram, but the issue I face in my case is that I do not have the room to relocate the sink as the only other place it can go would be more than the diagrammed 30 inches from the standpipe and would also involve relocating the copper water pipes (which I can do but would prefer not to for the sake of simplicity).

If I were able to implement the IPC diagram, how would the incoming drain from the kitchen fit into this? Should I still put a wye in so that both sides of the connection are draining at the same point, or does it not matter if one portion is lower or higher than the other?
 

Tuttles Revenge

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The drawing you made for your installation looks good but the extra vent isn't needed. 2 fixtures can use a commmon vent if they enter the fixture fitting at the same level. And that's If you have the elevation to do it. A typical laundry tray connection is pretty low to the ground but a laundry sink doesn't need to be a typical sink. But they are designed to be able to absorb a large volume of water and slowly let the water drain into the DWV system.
 

ah1

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The drawing you made for your installation looks good but the extra vent isn't needed. 2 fixtures can use a commmon vent if they enter the fixture fitting at the same level. And that's If you have the elevation to do it. A typical laundry tray connection is pretty low to the ground but a laundry sink doesn't need to be a typical sink. But they are designed to be able to absorb a large volume of water and slowly let the water drain into the DWV system.
So I would only need the seperate vent if I, for some reason, cannot get the laundry/sink drain line at the same level as the kitchen drain line? Is it the higher line that needs its own vent, or the lower one? These are the kind of "unknowns" I have not being a plumber, so I really do appreciate the input!
 

John Gayewski

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Just my opinion, draining the washer into the sink isn't ideal. Vice versa would be what I would shoot for. I think you'd have soap scum accumulating in the sink.

You could put the standpipe between the sink and the washer or anywhere you want really as long as the hose reaches. Then just cut a tee into the standpipe for the sink (as shown above).
 

ah1

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Just my opinion, draining the washer into the sink isn't ideal. Vice versa would be what I would shoot for. I think you'd have soap scum accumulating in the sink.

You could put the standpipe between the sink and the washer or anywhere you want really as long as the hose reaches. Then just cut a tee into the standpipe for the sink (as shown above).
Thanks for the input. I see your point, though I'm not too worried about it since it's a utility sink we're going to be using to wash paint brushes and other messy stuff in. That said, I would prefer "best" rather than "good", so I will definitely consider it.

If I were to go the route of stand pipe and sink as separate features, would it make more sense to put a P-trap in the drain line past the point where both the washer and sink drains meet, or should I P-trap each individually?
 

John Gayewski

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If they are seperate fixtures they need their own p trap and vent each.
 

ah1

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Thank you everyone for your input. I'm incorporating your advice and suggestions into a new pipe diagram which I will upload later for additional feedback. I very much appreciate your time and expertise!
 

ah1

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Here is my updated diagram incorporating the suggestions given and also giving more information on the parts and distances from the photo. The utility sink has a floor to drain height of about 19-5/8", so I gave myself 16" of height from the floor to accommodate the fittings from the tub to the drain (not pictured). The main challenge I have is that the vent stack has two 45* Elbows at the bottom which is the exact place the newly relocated washer/sink drain needs to connect. So, I moved those bends upwards beyond the point where all connections occur so that I have a straight stack. If this a dumb thing to do, please let me know what might be a better solution. Drawing is not to scale.

20230404_154851.jpg
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Here is my updated diagram incorporating the suggestions given and also giving more information on the parts and distances from the photo. The utility sink has a floor to drain height of about 19-5/8", so I gave myself 16" of height from the floor to accommodate the fittings from the tub to the drain (not pictured). The main challenge I have is that the vent stack has two 45* Elbows at the bottom which is the exact place the newly relocated washer/sink drain needs to connect. So, I moved those bends upwards beyond the point where all connections occur so that I have a straight stack. If this a dumb thing to do, please let me know what might be a better solution. Drawing is not to scale.

View attachment 91704
In this configuration, the trap arm of the laundry has no vent. The point where the kitchen tee drops is all Drain from that point on down, You need to add a vent from the horizontal trap arm up to a point above the kitchen drain tie in. I think you had it drawn that way once before in your original set.
 

ah1

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In this configuration, the trap arm of the laundry has no vent. The point where the kitchen tee drops is all Drain from that point on down, You need to add a vent from the horizontal trap arm up to a point above the kitchen drain tie in. I think you had it drawn that way once before in your original set.
Okay excellent, that's doable. One other question--if I'm remembering correctly I need to slope the drains 1/4" per foot. Is this right?
 

John Gayewski

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In this configuration, the trap arm of the laundry has no vent. The point where the kitchen tee drops is all Drain from that point on down, You need to add a vent from the horizontal trap arm up to a point above the kitchen drain tie in. I think you had it drawn that way once before in your original set.
Edit. Delete
 

ah1

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Thank you again for all the advice. Here's my revised diagram which now includes the vent for the laundry and sink drain. Hopefully, this is all correct now.

The pipe is sloped at 1/4" per foot, for a total slope of 1-2/3"

Image.jpg
 
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