washing machine outlet overflowing

Hi All been asked to help out with the M-I-Ls washing machine. Original problem was that a corner of the floor seemed to be getting damp. A man had been called (British Gas support, aargh) who seemed to do b*gger all, talked about 'having repairing the pipe' but no real evidence of anything having been done.

I've taken a look and learned a bit more. The washing machine outlet is via the standard corrugated drain hose with a loop, which is then a loose fit into the (40mm?) drain pipe. A little further down, the bathroom sink feeds into the same pipe and then off to the drain.

Watching the hose when the machine runs a cycle, you can see that the drain pipe overflows where the corrugated hose fits into it, when water is emptied. Because of the downstream sink I suspected a blockage and chucked some caustic soda down, to no effect.

Also to consider:

- the actual flow through the pipe to the drain seems quite good, both from running the sink and when the machine pumps out water - what has changed to cause problems? not much AFAICT

With all this in mind I am wondering about this loose placing of the outlet hose into the pipe. This seems common practice; is that right? I have bought a replacement hose with an end which looks like it is intended to be a friction fit inside a pipe, not a loose fit.

Also, I note that the vertical length of the drain pipe, into which the drain hose fits, is only about 150mm long, followed by a right-angle to the long stretch with the fall. I am wondering if the water is simply getting reflected back up ... perhaps because the hose should be stuffed in past the r/angle bend? Unsure in that case why it hasn't been doing it forever...

Any thoughts or comments on best practice appreciated.

Thanks a lot Jon N

Reply to
jkn
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Does the hose go into one of these:

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I would suspect a blockage somewhere.

Apart from a possible blockage maybe?

Loose fit is normal to prevent back siphoning.

Washing machine traps are usually 60cm tall.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

If it is overflowing from the drain pipe then there is a blockage. Try showing something like net curtain wire down there to ream it out or give the bathroom sink (bathroom?) a good plunging out.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

Hmmm, you could be correct. I'd shove the corrugated pipe all the way in and see what happens. If all is okay, make sure the pipe don't jump back and the job is sorted.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

If it is a blockage - we have the same arrangement and indeed it got blocked with surplus powder and stuff such that only a small flow was going through. Caustic soda won't shift it - the only way is to take the pipes apart. In our case I ended up sawing off the offending section because the joints and inspection point (outside the house) where the blockage was had been painted over. It's is an easy and very cheap DIY plumbing job to refit a section and I put a nice new inspection point in as well at the right angle where the pipe comes through the wall.

E.

Reply to
eastender

I have a 'save the planet' customer who made her own washing liquid from a recipe on the interweb.

Suffice it to say, the entire waste pipe scaled up and it took 2 litres of nasty 'one shot' to clear it.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Thanks for the various comments. I think Phil L is right, it is the upstand height which is the problem. Ours is of the type pointed to my TMH, but I wasn't sure how much of the height was 'essential'. As you say, not quite sure how she has got away with it for so long. I too wondered if the corrugated pipe was previously pushed past the bend; the pipe is fairly stretched as it is so maybe it has just worked its way out in time.

Rather than fit one of the screwfix jobs with a proper trap I think I'll just extend the upstand and fit a longer corrugated hose.

Thanks a lot Jon N

Reply to
jkn

I'd still go with TMH and say that a blockage is a definite possibility; these develop with time and mechanical cleaning is the only sure cure. You might want to try a cup full of concentrated bleach, this sometimes helps to clear "biological" blockages from bacterial growth.

Reply to
newshound

At least you could clear it. The pipe I took off had at about six inches solid powder residue that had set like concrete.

E.

Reply to
eastender

newshound wrote

Caustic soda works, but it has to be left to work, it's not an instant fix.

Reply to
Jabba

Its not always indicated with a washing machine either.

in general what those churn out is soap sludge and lots of ripped up socks.

wool may degrade in time with caustic, but acrylic wont.

sulfuric may work or brick acid.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

The Natural Philosopher wrote

Really? Only socks?

Reply to
Jabba

/> in general what those churn out is soap sludge and lots of ripped up socks.

Really? Only socks?/q

He goes commando....?

Jim K

Reply to
JimK

I'd go along with that. I put in our upstand nearly 20 years ago, and just recently started to suffer flooding, having previously had no trouble at all. Since I'd made it easy to service, I took a look and there was indeed a blockage of congealed gunge (I'd tried some drain cleaner with zero effect). Cleaned it out, no further trouble.

(and yes, it was the 'right' height)

Reply to
Bob Eager

no. but they are the easiest to slip past the seals and get caught up in the rotating machinery

Since getting a Miele, which is made to tighter tolerances and features a lint filter, sock degradatin is noticeably reduced.

The lint filter is emptied every 6 months or so and it is alarming how much crud is in it.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

First make sure there is no blockage. Caustic only works on fat, there won'tbe any from a washing machine. Some waste system (compression types) are easily dismantled.

If so, increase the height of the drain (where the pipe hooks on) Alternatively,/and reduce the flow from the machine by restricting he outlet hose (pinching or copper pipe reducer.)

Reply to
harryagain

Well mine has been the loose fit for many years and there has been no backing up. I suspect there is a partial block somewhere further along the pipe and it just cannot flow away fast enough past it. If its past the first bend, then you are going to have to take the thing apart to find it I suspect it where another pipe joins the main one, personally. I was always told not to join other pipes into the machine outflow as this sort of thing might occur eventually. All my other pipes end above a hopper with a grate inside so if any overflow occurs its outside the building. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Without a filter such crud would be harmlessly washed down the drain (in most cases)

Reply to
DerbyBorn

When the waste is shared with the sink/dishwasher, a slight blockage somewhere in the run is enough to cause overflow. ISTM some of these systems only work because not everything is emptying at the same time

Reply to
stuart noble

/Since getting a Miele, which is made to tighter tolerances and features a lint filter, sock degradatin is noticeably reduced/q

classic :-):-)

Jim K

Reply to
JimK

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