Hello! Have a question about Lortondale and plumbing

[deedle01]

Am new on board and looking for information/advice. I live in lortondale, not in one of the flat roof homes, but between 31st and 26th and closer to Yale. I have a newer washer and have lately been having problems with the drain backflowing out of the pipe in the wall. Have had the drain cleaned out, reduced the size of my washer loads, decreased the soap I  use, still getting some backflow. Plumber says he will need to replace the drain pipe as it is 1 1/2 inches and standard is now 2". Because of the higher spin speeds and larger amts. of water pushed out, pipe cannot take it. I would assume I am not the only homeowner here that has had this issue. I did have an older Maytag that had no problem, but this new toploader started with this leak stuff after about 8 months. Plumber looked at the clean out valve and saw water rushing by fine when the washer drained. Of course, would not overflow while he was here.

The proposal is to go into the slab to the pipe there and take out the 1 1/2" in the wall and replace with 2". Too a tune of about 6-7 hundred dollars. That is assuming the pipes in the slab are 2". Does anybody know how I could find out what the drain pipe size is in the slab? Or does anybody have a remedy or suggestion? Even would be willing to buy another type washer if it would work. Any help would be appreciated.

[Red Arrow]

Am new on board and looking for information/advice. I live in lortondale, not in one of the flat roof homes, but between 31st and 26th and closer to Yale. I have a newer washer and have lately been having problems with the drain backflowing out of the pipe in the wall. Have had the drain cleaned out, reduced the size of my washer loads, decreased the soap I  use, still getting some backflow. Plumber says he will need to replace the drain pipe as it is 1 1/2 inches and standard is now 2". Because of the higher spin speeds and larger amts. of water pushed out, pipe cannot take it. I would assume I am not the only homeowner here that has had this issue. I did have an older Maytag that had no problem, but this new toploader started with this leak stuff after about 8 months. Plumber looked at the clean out valve and saw water rushing by fine when the washer drained. Of course, would not overflow while he was here.

The proposal is to go into the slab to the pipe there and take out the 1 1/2" in the wall and replace with 2". Too a tune of about 6-7 hundred dollars. That is assuming the pipes in the slab are 2". Does anybody know how I could find out what the drain pipe size is in the slab? Or does anybody have a remedy or suggestion? Even would be willing to buy another type washer if it would work. Any help would be appreciated.

It would be an expensive experiment but front loader washers seem to use a lot less water than top loaders.  I find a tune of $600-$700 to be frighteningly low for getting into the slap.  Get a fixed price quote in writing before proceeding with digging in the slab.  Good Luck.

[patric]

In addition to the drain line going downward, there should also be a line going upward to vent air into the system, otherwise you will create a vacuum condition that wont allow the drain to, well, drain.  This line usualy goes all the way thru the roof to suck in outside air and vent sewer gasses away.



If one isnt present, not working, or impossible to add, you could try an Air Admittance Valve.  It lets air into the system while blocking sewer gasses from escaping.

[deedle01]

thanks very much. I will check on your suggestions.

[Red Arrow]

One more thought...
Do you have a utility sink close enough to drain the washer to the sink rather than the drain in the wall? 

[Conan71]

I guess I’m not buying the notion that higher spin speeds discharge that much more water.  Once the drum is spinning, that’s the least amount of discharge the washer will do.  Before he does the $700 operation to your drain pipe, I’d seriously suggest getting Roto-Rooter or someone else to come do a video of your drain pipe from the house to the city sewer main.  Reason being, if it’s not been replaced, it’s probably ready to be.  The rental I own in Lortondale had the Orangeburg pipe replaced with PVC in ’08 about six months before I bought it.  

It should only cost $100 or so for the video, but well worth it before you do a bunch of unrelated repairs which won’t improve the flow.  FWIW, I have a mid 2000’s top loader in my rental going into the original drain pipe in the slab and there have been no issues with drain overflow related to the washer in almost six years.

Oh, and love your TNF handle.  My daughters call me “Deedle”, apparently some mutation on “Dad”. 

[guido911]

Oh, and love your TNF handle.

And that ol' urban dictionary.....

[deedle01]

Thanks for all your replies. I have had the drain augered out a couple of years ago, worked fine until last week. Then had it augered out again. The pipe to the sewer was replaced in 04 and is pvc with a nice clean out port where the plumber was watching the washer water drain. Said it was it was flowing just fine. I don't see a vent to the roof, but a close one in the kitchen sticking up. Right now we are limiting washer loads and suds use. Buying time I guess. No utility sink, but could put one in that is a thought.
And the name is a play on my nickname. My brothers (all younger - tormented me with it and still do)

[rdj]

We had this issue in our basement in our 1920's house.  An older top-loader was no issue for the first two years we lived there.  A replacement, new-to-us, top-loader did have the problem.  Since it was in my basement with a floor drain right there I never worried too much about it.  When that top-loader went out I bought a new front-loader.  Haven't had the problem again.

[Conan71]

Thanks for all your replies. I have had the drain augered out a couple of years ago, worked fine until last week. Then had it augered out again. The pipe to the sewer was replaced in 04 and is pvc with a nice clean out port where the plumber was watching the washer water drain. Said it was it was flowing just fine. I don't see a vent to the roof, but a close one in the kitchen sticking up. Right now we are limiting washer loads and suds use. Buying time I guess. No utility sink, but could put one in that is a thought.
And the name is a play on my nickname. My brothers (all younger - tormented me with it and still do)

Well, if it’s already had the orangeburg replaced with PVC then that rules that out and I’m all wet (pun intended).