Washing machine hookup

[alisa211]

Hi. How do you install a washing machine? Is it possible to tie it in to the kitchen sink drain? Do I make new connections to the water supply lines or somehow use the ones that are going to the sink? What kind of connecters do I need? The kitchen sink drain is just the standard white pvc pipe with a curve (trap?) I would like to put the washer in the room directly behind the kitchen where I will have easy access to the pipes that are already there for the sink. Thank you for your help. Sorry if these are stupid questions. I don't know much about plumbing

Thanks,
Alisa

 

[phishfood]

You cannot attach the washing machine drain to the drain piping under the kitchen sink. It needs it's own dedicated drain line. You will need to call in a plumber to install a new drain line with trap and water lines.

 

[jetswet]

You cannot attach the washing machine drain to the drain piping under the kitchen sink. It needs it's own dedicated drain line. You will need to call in a plumber to install a new drain line with trap and water lines.

Phishfood
The plumber would run it to the main drain line with a trap before it gets tied into the main right? Or would the trap be right after it leaves the washer?
Then the hot and cold lines tied into a main as well?

I'm going to put a washer / dryer in my house but I will be doing it myself since I know how to do plumbing just never did one in a home before.

 

[phishfood]

The trap needs to be right at the machine, with ~24" of pipe above the trap, There also needs to be a vent on the downstream side of the trap.And the drain line that all of this ties into needs to be sized properly, and vented properly. With a high discharge fixture such as a washing machine, a mistake in the drainage plumbing can cause other fixture traps to be blown out or siphoned.

 

[jetswet]

The trap needs to be right at the machine, with ~24" of pipe above the trap, There also needs to be a vent on the downstream side of the trap.And the drain line that all of this ties into needs to be sized properly, and vented properly. With a high discharge fixture such as a washing machine, a mistake in the drainage plumbing can cause other fixture traps to be blown out or siphoned.

I figured it wasn't sounding right on my end, now I got it thanks alot! Phishfood

 

[kimgarrison]

I need to know the parts that I need to get to hook my washing machine under my kitchen sink. I need names, sizes, and what you think are the best items so that I won't have to do this over and over

 

[phishfood]

I need to know the parts that I need to get to hook my washing machine under my kitchen sink. I need names, sizes, and what you think are the best items so that I won't have to do this over and over

You cannot attach the washing machine drain to the drain piping under the kitchen sink. It needs it's own dedicated drain line. You will need to call in a plumber to install a new drain line with trap and water lines.

..............

 

[Zanne]

Alisa, they aren't stupid questions. Better that you ask and find out than just stay silent and do something wrong.

A washing machine needs a P-trap (the curved trap-- named so because it is shaped like a P lying face down). It's purpose is to hold a small amount of water that prevents sewer gases from coming back up in to the home and making people sick (or even causing death).

It also needs a vent (a pipe that carries the air out through the roof and allows air to come in to keep the pressure inside balanced) to prevent a vacuum from forming.

Any horizontal pipes going to a waste line need to slope downward at about 1/4 inch per foot to carry water and waste. Any horizontal pipes for venting need to slope upward at 1/4 inch per foot as well. Vent pipes cannot run horizontally (I believe less than 45 degree angles are considered horizontal) until they are at least 6 inches above the flood level of the highest fixture attached to the vent. The vents must attach to the pipes at or before the pipe goes down to the main drain pipe. If it forms a horizontal S then it is called an S trap and it is not-to-code. An S trap will allow waste to be siphoned out (and allows water to be siphoned out of the trap).

For a washing machine there are specific parameters that need to be met. The washing machine drain hose sits in something called a standpipe. It is an open pipe that goes down about 18 to 30 inches to the trap weir (which must be above the finished floor). The hose cannot go too far in to the pipe, but must be held on securely enough to not just fall out. The trap weir should be between 6 to 18 inches above the finished floor (you probably wouldn't want to have it be too close to the floor since you may need to remove the trap to clean it.

TL: DR?
I hope this diagram is helpful:

The drain attaches to the waste stack with a sanitary tee (I can't remember if it has to be 2 inches inside diameter). Sanitary tees must be used in the vertical position as pictured. The waste stack basically carries waste to the sewer but also goes all the way up through the roof for venting.

I am curious though: If a sink was nearby, I know that it would need its own vent, but which fixture would tie in higher? sink or washing machine? I'm thinking sink would tie in higher because the washing machine has more water to drain.

Am I right?