Hear my sad story - question as to tracking an overflow line and leak detection

[cgilley]

So I am clearly getting older and just not giving a $hit anymore. Two days ago I was working with my noise cancelling headphones on because, well because, and my wife taps me on the shoulder and says "we have a big water leak, and I need the shop vac." Water leak tends to get my adrenaline surging (it's a history thing, I have meds now) so I zoom out to the garage, and I swear as I type this, I have a cloud burst coming through the garage ceiling. Clearly the leak is on the second floor, but there is so much water coming out of the ceiling I just started laughing hysterically. Note: for some reason, these disasters only happen on important days: the week before Thanksgiving, mother in law breaking her hip on my anniversary, etc. Turns out, insane washing machine - possibly with a bad sensor (I'm learning Whirlpool has started making crap) but daughter set it on soak cycle overnight. The next morning, she just turned it on and went back into her room whereupon the washing machine, completely full, resumed filling. And filling, and filling.

I'm still laughing. While all of the fans and dehumidifiers are running, while I continue to coddle my father in law... I might be starting to understand why my mother in law was so dang angry over the past 4 decades. Anyway... to the facts.

The original house's laundry was upstairs. When we moved in, there is an overflow pipe that was never used by the previous homeowner (the builder). It drops into the floor and goes who the heck knows where. Had I had the washer in a pan and connected to this pipe, disaster may have been averted, but oh well. To be honest, in 50 years, I've never had a washing machine do this.

Anyway, I'm going to get MFP (my favorite plumber) out to trace the line, but how would one do that? I have an opportunity at the moment as I have direct access to the subfloor, but I'm pretty sure i'd have to open up a ceiling to make sure...

Second question - leak detection. I know I can drop a battery powered audible alarm in each of these pans, but it is stunning to me that these systems are not installed in new construction AND not subsidized by insurance. What I'm thinking of regards the obvious areas - under all water heaters, dishwasher, washing machines and tying them into a short range wireless network to immediately close off the mainline. I see what they hype via radio ads but i'm not impressed. Interested in what you pros have seen.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’ve seen a lot of flooded homes from plumbing and it happens a lot of ways.

 

[cgilley]

i think the worse thing in a home is running water . Until I need to flush.

 

[havasu]

Water leaks will certainly raise my blood pressure. In fact, my new fridge has a motor when running, sounds like water running down my wall. My adrenaline shoots through the roof, momentarily thinking that I've burst a pipe. Why does it seem that all house water systems are the first thing to break?

Is that Plumber's Union that strong?

 

[cgilley]

Ask Twowaxhack

I'm in the process of researching this. There is simply no reason why an appliance should flood a house. If you can force through electric code changes to force arc fault detectors or something, I'd think you could push leak detection into a whole house system. It would be SOOO cheap to do during construction.

 

[Rickyman]

My mother-in-law had the same thing happen with her washing machine about 5 years ago, luckily it was on the first floor and they were in the next room. It still flooded the kitchen though.
To answer your original question, that drain line probably goes to the exterior of the house above a window like a secondary a/c drain would do. You can find it by pouring water into it or using an air compressor to blow air through it and walk around the exterior of your home.