Draining a Washing Machine into a Cast Iron Sewer Pipe

[mg]

I have an old house that has a cast iron pipe that runs along a cinder block wall in the basement and then goes through the wall and exits the house. It's probably about 40" from the basement floor to the pipe. The clothes washer has always drained into a hole in the basement floor, but that drain gets plugged up once in a while and then I have to call Roto Rooter to clean it out.

Someone told me that it is possible to tap into the sewer pipe and use it for the clothes washer drain. Does anyone know how this is done and where to get the parts and how well it works?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You need a hole saw to make the proper sized hole. You can buy a saddle that fits over the pipe to make the connection for the washer hose to go into.

[gfretwell]

Don't forget the trap and be sure the venting works. You may need a Studer Vent. Two issues. You don't want the retreating water to pull the water out of your trap and you don't want the washer hose siphoning sewer water back into the washer.

[RicodJour]

Air admittance valves such as the Studer have limitations on their locations. It's definitely worth investigating, though, and good points about the trap and venting issues.

R

[Larry Caldwell]

I think it would be simpler to just cut a few inches of pipe out, and install the correct fitting using no-hub connectors.

[mg]

Actually, I decided to have a plumber do it for me at the same time he was installing a new water heater for me and that's how he did it. The height of the drain tube did worry me a little bit since it's at least a couple of feet above the top of the washer, but it does seem to work just fine.