I've lived in this place for 35 years and not sure how many washmachines I've had but never had this problem. The place was buiIt in 1986 and I bought it in 1989. Its city water and sewer and it is a duplex. I got a new Speedqueen washer and when it gets to spin cycle after just a few seconds the water just floods out the drain pipe. All the pipes are behind the wall and the house is a cement slab no basement. I had plumbers out twice. They put a snake in and couldnt get all the way through the joints but nothing came out. They ran a camera down and got through the joints but no further. What they saw was all clear. They added 18" to top of pipe. Didnt work. They added a studor vent didnt work. Next thing they want to do is cut a hole in the wall so they can get in the pipe after the bends to run a camera through. Would a clog further down the line cause the back up so quick? Its within seconds this thing floods out. Almost like as soon as the water hits the bend in the pipe it backs right back out. Attached is pictures of what it looks like in the wall and behind the wall looking down the drain pipe. The plumber cut that hole in the wall. They are 2 inch pipes. And I am clueless when it comes to any home repairs.
Wash machine drain pipe flood
- Thread starter birdies62
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James Henry
In the Trades
stick a garden hose in the drain and turn the water on a little bit at a time, if it there's a clog it will eventually over flow. if it doesn't then turn the hose on full blast and see what happens. your new washer may just be pumping out to much for the drain that is installed to handle. if you have your old washer, ( you probably don't),. hook that back up and see if it drains properly.
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when the plumbers were here they stuck the hot wash machine hose in there and ran it full blast with no back up. They even ran it with the camera at the exit of the bendy pipes and the water was going down. The wash machine I had right before never over flowed the pipe. If there is no clog can the pipes be re configured to make it work? I dont have room for a utility sink. I have used the new machine and have been draining the water in a bucket. Cancel - repeat etc and I can say the water really comes flying out. Fast and a lot at one time. I talked to the folks where i got the washer and they said they have seen this with speed queens but adding to the drain pipe solved the problem. If nothing can be done they will exchange it but they told me most newer washers pump the water out fast but the Speed Queen is the fastest. I saw on some other forums someone put something in the drain hose to limit the flow of water but the store advised against that. The owner of the plumbing service I used is suppose to visit Monday. So frustrating. I really appreciate the advice you posted. Thank you.
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Are you saying that that thumbnail.jpeg is looking down from above?
Jeff H Young
In the Trades
thats a 2 inch p trap totaly normal if camera aint getting past the trap or santee its not much of a camera inspection.. james henry has the best idea yet old school just use thev w/m hose down the drain it should take full blast constantly. I think you got a stoppage
yes - thank you
That shows an S-trap (no vent). I presume that photo was from before the AAV was added.
I think opening the wall would be good. If you had a straight run at the input to the standpipe, I would consider using a medium drain bladder on a garden hose to push a partial clog. However if there is a clog after the path joins another flow, then water could get pushed out elsewhere. The drain bladder was useful to me for a clog that formed below the basement floor that carried both kitchen and laundry drainage.
Another thing that comes to mind is to jog the standpipe at 45 degrees out of the wall, and then go vertical with another 45, to receive the washing machine hose.
Jeff H Young
In the Trades
I didnt look that closely certainly is either unvented or improperly vented never the less Id still proceed with trouble shooting if it worked for 35 years . Id verify its clear run a hose down open wall whatever it takes. and the aav is a mystery I dont see that?
After the picture was taken they added a bend where the pipe comes out of the wall - then attached about 16" pipe straight up. At top of that pipe its a T with drain hose in opening and the little vent thing on top. None of which made any difference. The wall will be opened and camera put into rest of pipe. They say its cast iron under the cement and could have lint stuck in it. I hope if its a clog its close to end of S trap because that water comes out of the drain pipe in seconds. I cant imagine a clog further down the line causing that fast a backup but I dont know anything about how it works. To me the water never gets through the S pipe. This whole ordeal is blowing my mind. It also boggles my mind that after the wash cycle it goes to rinse and the water pumps down the pipe with no problem. Its when it goes to spin the water comes flying out. Never considered a new machine would shoot water out of the drain pipe after it never happening before. Thanks for everyones input. Appreciate it.
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What I think you describe-- with you sticking the washing machine hose into the side of the santee with the AAV-- is not right. When you have a santee with an AAV on top, it is the output of the trap that should go into the side port.
For now, can you unscrew the AAV, and have a straight shot down? Try getting that medium drain bladder driven by a garden hose. Push that drain bladder down as far as the straight run goes. That is to try to blast the blockage. Not having the venting or trap right is not causing the standpipe not to drain quickly.
You still will want the trap and AAV to be right long term. Your standpipe with an AAV should be similar to this. Verticals can be within 45 degrees of true vertical.
For now, can you unscrew the AAV, and have a straight shot down? Try getting that medium drain bladder driven by a garden hose. Push that drain bladder down as far as the straight run goes. That is to try to blast the blockage. Not having the venting or trap right is not causing the standpipe not to drain quickly.
You still will want the trap and AAV to be right long term. Your standpipe with an AAV should be similar to this. Verticals can be within 45 degrees of true vertical.
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Jeff H Young
In the Trades
personally i dont think the aav or lack of vent is related but maybe its the machine if water can run full blast without back up maybe its the 90 you have o9n top and just wont take it id cut that crap off and plumb it right regardless since it dosent work.
sajesak
Member
I live on the first floor of a 15-story condo, built in 1982. Four times in the six years I've lived here, my kitchen has flooded from the drain that carries away the water from washing machines in our tier. Usually I hadn't been using my washer, and the water was from someone above. Each time I'm told that the pipes below were clogged and they have been cleaned out. But then a year or (this time) six months later, it happens again.
Once the chief engineer told me that a local plumbing company investigated and found that the "cleanout" hadn't been properly installed and that part of a Y joint was being missed during out annual jet cleaning of drains. He said that from then on, they would open and clean that part manually. But it keeps happening!
Can someone give me some good ideas to take to the board of directors? Thanks.
GReynolds929
Active Member
Start your own thread.
Hey guys - it is so great of you to take the time to reply to these posts. Very nice of you. Here is a picture of what it looks like now. I should have posted it sooner. I find it difficult to go in that room. The sound of the water filling the pipe like pouring a glass of water always haunts me. Ha ha . I have been using a 5 gallon bucket and it fills that in no time. It puts out about 15 gallons of water all at one time it seems. Anyways Ill let them go in and see if the pipe is clear. If it is I will ask if they can do something with those S pipes in there. Maybe they could put a bigger pipe in? They be back next week and Ill let you know what happens. Ill try to think positive !
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Storm rider
Slave to rentals
Definitely not plumbed correctly. That AAV is doing absolutely nothing for you. It should be corrected as Reach4 has shown in post #10.
Thank you-Ill ask about that next week. I really wish they could get it flowing so I could get rid of that entire contraption and go back to just the pipe in the wall.
Jeff H Young
In the Trades
the aav is idiosy not for un informed homeowner I wouldnt offend them but the plumber that put a aav on in such manner cant be a plumber, self taught entry level handyman at best
I did look up some videos of a drain bladder. Interesting-I did not know they made a thing like that.
Yea I have no idea where that thing should go or what it is suppose to do.
I appreciate you taking it easy on an un informed home owner
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