# need help on a drain



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

On a washer machine drain line if you run the washer it backs up and overt flows w. M box now if you disconnect supply lines and run water with both hot and cold full blast out doesn't back up anY suggestion s


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

is it an older house with 1 1/2 " drain ?


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

How much water does it take before it backs up?


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

The line probably has a partial blockage which become evident when the washer dumps 20 gallons of water in the drain in only a few minutes. 

Snake it.


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

Have you Run the snake yet? From vent or drain inlet? I know that most washers will dump water at a higher volume than the hoses can recreate. Sometimes there is a build up in the trap.


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

Newer house two inch and five seconds on washer machine discharge supply lines it didn't ran for twenty minutes and never backed up


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

Checked the trap clear snaked from box nothing


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

A piece of the "Knock out" could be in the trap?


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

revenge said:


> Newer house two inch and five seconds on washer machine discharge supply lines it didn't ran for twenty minutes and never backed up


Sounds like a blockage in the trap, run a cable through the trap.


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

I did ran thirty feet


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

revenge said:


> I did ran thirty feet


Did 30' reach the main ?


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

Got a camera on your truck? It sounds like something in the trap if you snaked it, then it's something that will flip out of the way, but flipss back after you pullout.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Run your hoses in to the drain like you did, then go to the roof or attic and see if you can hear it draining in the vent. If not then maybe it's not vented or vent is blocked. Since your up there go ahead and run the snake down the vent if it's on it's own.

Also does it stay blocked when it backs up or can you shut the wm off and water drains right down after machine stops draining? Almost like too much volume..?


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

how much of a riser do you have from the trap to the washing machine box?


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

sounds like the house needs a complete repipe


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

justme said:


> how much of a riser do you have from the trap to the washing machine box?


Ditto. Check the height of the standpipe. A short standpipe will handle two hoses easily but instantly back up when the washer dumps.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

I would break out the camera and figure it out.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

2x 1 1/4" fernco. 2" on the standpipe 1 1/4" on wm discharge.... Tighten it up and blame it on a handiman.

And make sure you don't put it on your ticket.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

NEVER trust running water on a laundry drain. Either it takes the full load from the washer or it doesn't.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> 2x 1 1/4" fernco. 2" on the standpipe 1 1/4" on wm discharge.... Tighten it up and blame it on a handiman.
> 
> And make sure you don't put it on your ticket.


No. 

I would consider cutting out the trap to inspect if a camera is no available


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

JK949 said:


> No.
> 
> I would consider cutting out the trap to inspect if a camera is no available


Come on man, this is perfectly reasonable..:whistling2:


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

JK949 said:


> No.
> 
> I would consider cutting out the trap to inspect if a camera is no available


:laughing:


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> Come on man, this is perfectly reasonable..:whistling2:


if thats reasonable then wrapping duct tape around the washing machine hose so it will fit tight into the drain pipe is reasonable too.:laughing:


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> Come on man, this is perfectly reasonable..:whistling2:


Sure

Don't clear it, hide your work.

And then the callback when the super capacity washer dumps all over the floor.

Either it's a knockout plug or hardened soap not pushed all the way to the main IMO.

Had this happen to me once, used the camera to see the blockage and confirm when it pushed into the main.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

JK949 said:


> Sure
> 
> Don't clear it, hide your work.
> 
> ...


 






I don't know what Original post has in his line, but I agree with you, there could be something in the trap.

Once I had a service call at a condo on the beach here in FL. The laundry was backing up on an upper floor. Turns out, the people were from up north staying at their condo. They were collecting sea shells that day at the beach. They then washed their swim suits. Some of the shells wound up in the trap. So running a hose down there wouldn't necessarily produce a back-up. But when the washing machine drum emptied all its water, it would back up.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

I've run into that scenario with 1-1/2" drains and with traps that were install too high, but I may also be the knock out plug or something similiar that lets the cable go by but remains as a gate in the line.

I'd recommend running one of these through the trap:




















If that doesn't work open up the wall...you'll likely find the trap is either high above the floor, has multiple 1/8 bends in the drop, or the bottom is gone out of the sweep below the floor.


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## gitnerdun (Nov 5, 2008)

Whatever you do don't try to choke down the discharge hose. Seen that before, works for a while then the pressure builds and pops the hose off the machine and then they give in and call a pro to snake the line. 

You might be able to use a shop vac to grab what ever might be in the trap.


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

revenge said:


> On a washer machine drain line if you run the washer it backs up and overt flows w. M box now if you disconnect supply lines and run water with both hot and cold full blast out doesn't back up anY suggestion s


What size is the stand-pipe? Older homes worked on 1 1/2 stand-pipe. With the improved pumps on washing machines these days the 1 1/2 can't handle the discharge. Just my two cents worth, but what do I know, I still use bread for slow drips on water lines.:whistling2:


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

stand pipe is 2 inches ptrap mearsures 32 from upper dip to bottom of washermachine box p trap appears to be clear i will vaccumm it out tommorow and see what i see


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

mccmech said:


> What size is the stand-pipe? Older homes worked on 1 1/2 stand-pipe. With the improved pumps on washing machines these days the 1 1/2 can't handle the discharge. Just my two cents worth, but what do I know, I still use bread for slow drips on water lines.:whistling2:


Seen that same scenario with 1 1/2" cast iron and 12" standpipe. SMS needed corrections and all was well. Don't think it applies in the case yet.


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## Nandwrock (Nov 14, 2012)

*Clogged drain*



revenge said:


> I did ran thirty feet


You probably have a running trap in the slab. I work in Austin also and I see this a lot. They sell a special spring head for general sewer machines that will go through them but a regular cable will not. Sometimes you may have to trap it on top with a bushing. a little acid doesn't hurt either.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Yeah...could be a back fall issue below the floor also.

On second thought I'd drop a camera down the stack and see if the line is waterlogged before opening the wall.


Good point, Nandwrock...but you still need to post an intro


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

I agree with most of these suggestions.
Cut that trap out and use the camera. It will find running traps, bellies, and debris. If it is 1 1/2" upgrade it


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

Gave price to camera line and they bout died they calling another polymer for a second opinion


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

revenge said:


> Gave price to camera line and they bout died they calling another polymer for a second opinion


Well there's the problem. A polymer should never be doing plumbing work. :laughing::jester:

(Don't ya just hate auto-correct)


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Man, you must have giagantic fat fingers. Polymer? Not even close. :laughing: And I thought I typed like an epileptic gorilla. 

If my customers complain about pricing it's usually about camera price. For some reason they tend to balk at that.


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## eddie_d_plumber (Oct 22, 2012)

Nandwrock said:


> You probably have a running trap in the slab. I work in Austin also and I see this a lot. They sell a special spring head for general sewer machines that will go through them but a regular cable will not. Sometimes you may have to trap it on top with a bushing. a little acid doesn't hurt either.


Don't they have vents for those traps? San Francisco has street traps where they have a vent at the curb. All you need is a trap plunger most of the time.


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

eddie_d_plumber said:


> Don't they have vents for those traps? San Francisco has street traps where they have a vent at the curb. All you need is a trap plunger most of the time.


How about doing an intro so you can be welcomed to the party.
Without one you will be the guy in the corner that everyone ignores.

By the way , I worked in the city for many years and I loved pulling up to a job and the home owner was out on the sidewalk violently jamming a broom handle into the house trap.
3 out of 4 times they would blow a hole in the bottom of the clay trap. 
GOOD TIMES !!!


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

eddie_d_plumber said:


> Don't they have vents for those traps? San Francisco has street traps where they have a vent at the curb. All you need is a trap plunger most of the time.





AlbacoreShuffle said:


> How about doing an intro so you can be welcomed to the party.
> Without one you will be the guy in the corner that everyone ignores.
> 
> By the way , I worked in the city for many years and I loved pulling up to a job and the home owner was out on the sidewalk violently jamming a broom handle into the house trap.
> ...


 I created a new thread with your intro in the Introductions area....


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## Nandwrock (Nov 14, 2012)

*Intro?*

Man I'm a plumber. Sorry no intro. I'm trying. Better plumber than techie


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## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

What about running more cable?, the 30 ft might just go part of the way .In my area alot of washer drains tie into sink lines that may be 40 to 60 ft long a partially open line will take a hose all day but when entire line is cleaned everything works JMO My NAME IS Eddie I should have grabbed the name Eddie duh plumber (grin)


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

eddie_d_plumber said:


> Don't they have vents for those traps? San Francisco has street traps where they have a vent at the curb. All you need is a trap plunger most of the time.


Trap plunger ?? And pics??


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

revenge said:


> Gave price to camera line and they bout died they calling another polymer for a second opinion


Umm, yeah, when I pull out a camera because I can't clear a line, I don't charge for it.


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