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Posted by Bill Gill on May 28, 2006, 10:07 am
Doug Lassiter wrote:
> We have a GE "extra heavy duty large capacity" washing machine that has
> worked beautifully for more than a decade. Unfortunately, ever since we
> got it, the drain line has been problematical. The washer drain hose is
> stuck into a 1.5-inch ID pipe opening in the washer wall fixture behind
> it. If the seal between that drain hose and the pipe is not good, the
> water will overflow out the opening and spill down the side of the
> wall. (Yeah, we don't have a lot of wallboard left under there
> anymore.)
>
> Now, that same drain pipe is also fed by the dishwasher and kitchen
> sink, and there is no such trouble with them. Water drains out of the
> sink pretty quickly, in fact -- for a sink. As you might guess, without
> any overflow line (see below) the washer pump also fills up my sink. So
> it seems that at least between my washer and the kitchen sink, the line
> is OK.
>
> A plumber has come in to clean out the drain pipe, and nothing much
> changes. I finally attached an overflow line on the access port fixture
> on the outside wall of the house (conveniently behind the washer) that
> allows this water flow from the washer to shoot out into the garden.
> NIce, and kinda spectacular, but ...
>
> I've been told by a neighbor that I'm supposed to NOT have a perfect
> seal between the drain hose and the sewer pipe, as there has to be air
> pressure relief. (The plumber didn't think this was an issue.) But this
> is certainly not the solution to the problem because if the seal isn't
> good, as I said, the water just spills out faster!
>
> So it seems that I have a washer pump that is too powerful for my
> drain. What are my options? I guess I could constrict the drain hose a
> bit to slow the flow, but I'm concerned that might be stressing the
> pump. Would it? Actually, I'm probably already stressing the pump with
> my seal.
>
I noticed one response that said trying a larger line.
That would be something to think about.
I had a problem with my washer drain backing up and
finally got tired of it. It wasn't quite the same as
your descrption, but it happened over and over. I
called the plumber and said I wanted it fixed. He came
and replaced the line from the washer and sink back to
the (larger) line under the bathroom. He also installed
a vent at the washer drain. Before the closest vent was
at the kitchen sink, which is too far away. So check on
that too. Then call a different plumber and get
somebody to replace all the drain with an appropriate
sized pipe.
In my case it cost me $700 here in Tulsa, OK. The
installation is different, because the drain is no
longer in the wall, it now runs on the surface of the
wall behind the washer. The vent is run up the wall
about 7 feet and has a one way valve on the top.
By the way, mine is in the garage.
Bill Gill
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