My brother moved into a house that doesn't have a spot to drain the washing machine into that is below the level of the washer.(in the basement) Can we extend the drain hose above the level of the machine (about 2 ft.) to drain, or will it not work properly?
All the washing machines I've had have a pump to evacuate the tub, so it isn't strictly speaking a drain. Whether the pump will lift the water that distance would be something you'd just have to test. If it will the only possible disadvantage might be a slighly shorter pump life.
If that won't work you could dump the water into a tank equiped with an ordinary sump pump. They will lift the water much higher than you need. If you have to go that route make sure that the tank/pump is sized large enough to empty in between drain cycles. And, if this is a finished basement, it might not be a bad idea to include a "max fill" float switch that can stop the washer if the tank overfills.
Yes. It may drain slightly slower. Most pumps of this sort have a head of 2 or 3m.
Pretty routine to run the grey water out the basement window into the lawn.
Uh, why not just try it and see?
Any decent washing-machine drain pump should be able to get two feet of additional head above the tub level, though it will slow down the flow some. Try it first before you panic and go to a catch basin and lift pump system.
You will probably need an extension for the drain hose to reach up to the drain point. Make all the connections solid and secure, because if the drain hose blows you will have a nice flood.
And make sure to meet the local plumbing requirements for a P-trap into the sanitary sewer line and a riser above the trap level, and a proper air gap between the drain hose and the riser - this might mean you have to lift the water a foot higher above the sewer line than you thought, to leave the air gap space.
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Steve Walker wrote: (clip)Can we extend the drain hose above the level of the machine (about 2 ft.) to drain, or will it not work properly? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ My washing machine would not do it, I'm pretty sure. If a sock or piece of paper blocks my laundry tray drain, the water builds up to a level of a few inches, and the rest stays in the machine. (This could be a design feature, I don't know.) It suggests to me that the pump does not develop enough head to raise the water more than a few inches.
Chances are it won't work properly.
Take the washing machine and install it in your bedroom. Arrange drain as needed. Or. If the basement came equipped with a sump and attending float operated switch use that. Or Drain the machine into a plastic barrel equipped with a sump pump. Or Find another house that doesn't present this problem. Hope this helps. Ken.
FWIW he should read the manual for the machine.
In my basement the drain is well below the top of the tub, but it has been extended up with a standpipe (trap at the bottom) to about one foot above the top of the machine.
This setup works just fine.
It is quite important to keep the hose from the machine in a loop that is above the top of the tub to prevent the water from siphoning back out.
I suspect that if four feet above the floor will work, then five will as well. He could always ask a local plumber to come and inspect the situation, and make a recommendation.
Rec.crafts.this.ain't.plumbing.... :^)
Jim
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