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Asking plumbers on lemmy: is this ok?

Contractor installed this convoluted p-trap + elbow for the washer, and I'm not sure if it's up to code. Can you confirm and more importantly explain why or why not it's compliant?

32 comments
  • So draining against gravity is bad. The electric outlet cover should be screwed into place and if that's a dryer vent the lint will collect and clog creating a fire hazard. In sorry, but, that whole setup is janky.

    Edit: oh jeeze you have a whole outlet hanging out too.

    Edit: I saw your other picture, I too am no plumber, but, none of that looks right

  • Lol. No. Gonna get syphoned out ever time a toilet flushes past that or every time it pumps. No air gap/ directly connected prohibited by codes in most places. I mean it'll work until it doesn't. The proper way to do this is with a laundry tub dumped into a proper vented container/basin pump. Or run a drain over from that other pit and put a 48" stand pipe with a 2" trap.

  • I'm sorry but ..... what an absolute mess

    You mentioned that your main drain is a bit higher than the floor of the basement. I have the same situation, my drain is about two feet off the floor of my concrete basement. The washing machine drain was placed to drain towards the lowest point of the main drain. Everything else in the house with a drain is in upper floors.

    I'd rearrange the plumbing to build a drain as close to the four foot level as possible for the washing machine .... instead of trying to build a solution 6 or 7 feet up in the air ... you're asking for trouble if you are making your washing machine drain up to a high point.

    I remember once renting a place that was an old house with a brand new concrete basement .... the main drain was close to ground level that went to a septic tank and field. Their solution was to install the washing machine in the basement, drain down to the floor level, then to a grey water pump unit in a big box that was 3x3x3 feet .... and that pushed the water up to the main drain. I don't think washing machines are meant to push water that high up and you will probably constantly have a bit of grey water backing down to the washing machine.

32 comments