I need to move my washing machine 5 feet to allow the install of the dryer. The current drain is in the concrete slab. The washer is and will remain the last item from this 4" branch of the main soil line and the first to the vent. The toilet is closest the soil line followed by the powder room sink then the washer. The distance from the toilet to the sink is 3' center to center and the distance from the sink drain to washer drain is 4' center to center. The washer drain set up is strange. In the wall behind the washer the rubber hose goes into the waste line. It goes down inside the wall to about 6" off the floor and makes a left turn and travels 5' to the vent [sight of where the washer will be located]. At this point it enters a tee. The vent goes up and the waste goes down 3" and makes a right turn. This line returns to just below the first turn and then turns into the main drain pipe in the concrete floor. All this piping is 2" copper. My plan is to cut the concrete and extend the 2" drain the 5'and tie the new washer drain and vent together at that point. This will remove the S in the wall. In doing this will I have a problem with the venting of the powder room? I have not found any other vent routes connecting the powder room to the vent line I previously described. All replies and help to this lengthy memo is Greatly Appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

 

Hi: I hate to see a guy's post go unanswered so....here goes! Essentially what you're proposing is shortening up the lateral branch between the washer and the vent pipe, and removing a bend or two in the drain by relocating the point it comes out of the floor to directly beneath the vent, right? Both can be done without any adverse affect on the venting for the powder room sink, but in regard to that vent your not going to gain much either. Unless you're dead set on cutting concrete, I would suggest leaving it where it's at, not cutting up the floor, opting instead for the addition of a vent extending vertically from the sink to a point at least six inches above the flood level of the highest fixture, then running horizontally to the existing vent. Regarding the washer, it should discharge into the two inch pipe at a level at, or within six inches above the top of the machine, extending downwards between eighteen to thirty inches into a two inch trap, then running horizontally for say four inches, discharging into the tee at the vent. You may need to move this tee up a bit to achieve all of this. This of course is IMHO. Remember if you're in an area regulated by plumbing codes you may want to clear all of this with the local authorities first! Good luck!

 

Thanks Pete. But I do need to cut the concrete to move the drain in line with the vent. This house never had a dryer and in order to locate it correctly I need to remove the wall where the current S piping of the washer is in. I neglected to put that in my original question. From your advise, I assume that there will be no negative effect of making this move. I will gain the space I need and create a lot of work for myself in doing so. If anyone disagrees, please reply with your thoughts. I plan on renting the concrete saw this weekend and tackling this problem this weekend.

Thanks,

Doug

 

Hi. I've read your response and just want to reassure you that in terms of venting, what you're proposing is essentially the same as what you have in terms of it's function. You could improve it's performance by using a larger pipe size though. I believe you stated it's a four inch branch? Use of four inch pipe, or even three if four's not practical would improve the conditions for venting by slowing down the water flow as well as providing a greater area for airflow. If you can bring that right up to the tee, that would be the optimal installation. Have fun! Ill be with you in spirit this weekend while I'm basking in my pool! HA! Pete.

 

HELP HELP HELP!!! I just moved the pipes as questioned in the quote below back on Aug 15. It turns out that the burried soil pipe is a 2" pipe, so I attached 2" pvc to it. My problem is that when the washer pumps the water out it backs up and comes out of the inlet pipe. The "T" to the vent and main drain is 19" away from the washer drain. The water backs up the vent until it is equal to the washer drain pipe and that is when it backs out on me. Today I thought if I put another vent riser in the lineafter the trap and before the drain and vent "T" this would stop any air lock daming. So I placed a straight "T" in the washer drain between the trap and waste line and vent "T". It is about half way between both points and goes about 53" up before it goes back into the main vent line. This allowed almost all the water to drain from the washer before it backed up but it is still happening. I need to get this fixed ASAP before my wife kills me. PLEASE! PLEASE! Help!

quote:<HR>Originally posted by wing207@aol.com:
I need to move my washing machine 5 feet to allow the install of the dryer. The current drain is in the concrete slab. The washer is and will remain the last item from this 4" branch of the main soil line and the first to the vent. The toilet is closest the soil line followed by the powder room sink then the washer. The distance from the toilet to the sink is 3' center to center and the distance from the sink drain to washer drain is 4' center to center. The washer drain set up is strange. In the wall behind the washer the rubber hose goes into the waste line. It goes down inside the wall to about 6" off the floor and makes a left turn and travels 5' to the vent [sight of where the washer will be located]. At this point it enters a tee. The vent goes up and the waste goes down 3" and makes a right turn. This line returns to just below the first turn and then turns into the main drain pipe in the concrete floor. All this piping is 2" copper. My plan is to cut the concrete and extend the 2" drain the 5'and tie the new washer drain and vent together at that point. This will remove the S in the wall. In doing this will I have a problem with the venting of the powder room? I have not found any other vent routes connecting the powder room to the vent line I previously described. All replies and help to this lengthy memo is Greatly Appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug <HR>

 

Well w/no reply & the wife hopping mad w/laundry piling up, last night While trying to sleep, I remembered when we moved into the house 6 mos ago this line backed up several times and I had a plumber out to snake the line. Because of the "S" in the pipes {that @ the time we did not know about the plumber snake kept going up the vent pipe instead of down the main drain. He then went to the sink in the powder room and snaked from there. In the line was alot of lint but it worked and the washer was fine from then on. I figured that there was 4' between the washer line & the sink. Today I poured 1 qt of acid into this new line and let it sit for 1.5 hrs while I raised the washer line another 9" to a total of 52" off the floor. Between the 2 procedures the washer is no longer backing up. I think over the week end I will give it another dose of acid because I think that is what really did the trick. Any additional thoughts are truly welcome.

Doug