Plumbing question!?

Question

Alright I am running a drain 1 1/2" for the washer maching, water softener drain, and a utlity tub! The run is aprx. 30 ft, with 8" of fall. I have an in line trap before the sink. Down the line it goes, softener drain tube then 2' down the line, washer drain tube, then 3' down the line , then utility sink with no trap, then 3' down the line, is the in line trap!
When the softener drains it comes up through the sink, and evenually up the washer drain tube!
No clogs in the line at all! When the washer machine empties in comes up through the sink too! Why is this, what is wrong?

Answer 1

1. your drain line should be 2", not 1 1/2, it's overloaded
2. you should have 1/4" per foot of fall/slope
3. inline traps should be avoided if at all possible
4. you lack a vent.
5. utility sink with no trap? anything to stop sewer gas from flowing in the house?

It's going to be hard to tell you what to do without seeing what you've got but. Let me make sure the order is correct for your fixtures. Washing machine is the last fixture on the line (the highest end) sink is in the middle, then what the heck is the softener discharging into? If my order is correct this is what I would do to fix it. Is the pipe exposed on the wall?

assuming there is a stand pipe for the washing machine I'll start there. This is where the vent should be, at the highest end of that drain line. Keep the 1 1/2 drain line but I make no guarentees as to how good or long that will work. The washing machine stand pipe where you put the hose into it, add a studor vent/inline vent. Further down that vertical stand pipe cut in a tee, put a short stub out in the tee and put a p-trap on this with a riser coming out of the trap a minimum of 18" this will vent the entire line.

the sink is next, again I don't know if the pipe is exposed (running horizontal on the wall) cut in a wye and hook the sink up to this wye, no vent needed here, the horizontal line is vented and the sink is within the required distance.

The softener discharge, under no circumstances drill a hole in the pvc pipe and silicone it in, completely against code and only Joe **** the ragman would ever do something like this. If that sewer line ever backed up the discharge hose can suck the water back up, congratulations you're now drinking your sewer bacteria. Add another wye in the horizontal line, put another p-trap on this wye with a stand pipe, this is for the softener. It's called an indirect waste through an air gap, and it's code.

yes this answer is long and drawn out and completely speculatory, if you want further assistance shoot me an e-mail. As I said I don't have all the information I need to be 100% accurate.

Answer 2

The first thing to drain into the pipe should be the wash machine, and the pipe should be approx. 36" of 2" vertical piping, with an inline "p" or "s" trap at the bottom, then the pipe goes into the 30' run. The next thing, if you want it is the softener drain line. This doesn't put out enough water at any given time to worry about, so it doesn't need a trap to go through, just drill a hole in the top of the 2" PVC and silicone around the hose to solidify it. The last thing should be the utility sink, and there should be a trap just below the drain opening in the sink, you don't need a second one in the 2" line. The 2" line at the beginning should give you plenty of vent area.

Answer 3

30'? you need a vent for certain and get rid of the inline trap. Each drain entry needs it's own trap before draining into the main run. Because you have no vent and no trap on the tub sink, it is easier for the waste to come up the tub drain then to push past the inline trap.

Answer 4

You didn't mention any vents, all of your drains should be vented or they will try to back up, 1.5" sounds like to small of a drain to carry all that waste also you should have at least 2". The washer should be going to a stand pipe first and then through it's own p-trap. With out seeing this set up it's hard to say for sure but I think you have to many drains going down to small of a pipe.

Answer 5

This is just a guess but it sounds like the inline trap might be causing the problem...And as the previous poster said you do need vents in order for your drains to work properly...

Answer 6

Increase the drain pipe to 3" diameter and have the water softener be the LAST tap before it leaves the house. Softeners put out a SHITT-load of water when they rinse.

Answer 7

You should have put a trap at the sink and also vents in the line.