We had our house replumbed last year, and in the process the plumber added a floor drain in the basement laundry room. We’ve kept it wet, but whenever we do a bunch of laundry we start smelling sewer. It seems that laundry is siphoning off the trap in the floor drain. What causes this, and what shoud we do to repair it? I don’t think I’ll ever get the contractor back in here because he was sort of a putz. Should I try contacting the plumber directly? Do I want him back in my house, or can I fix this on my own?
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Replies
vent not working like it should...
too small...
too far away...
trap between vent and washing machine drain...
vent stack too small...
you might be able to fix it on yur own...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
trap between vent and washing machine drain...
vent stack too small...
Ding ding ding - I think you have winners. I have suspected that the vent stack is too small and the trap IS between the vent and the washing machine. Is ripping out drywall and putting in larger venting my only choice for fixing this?
#1... dry trap...
#2... add venting to the WM...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Like Imerc said it could be a # of different things, but I'm leaning to wrong & or no venting.
There are basically two possible configurations when a floor drain and clothes washer are in close proximity: 1) Whenever the washer drains it forces water up and out the floor drain. 2) Whenever the washer drains it siphons the floor drain dry.
It's your luck that you have #2.
A floor drain is by definition poorly vented, leading to a high likelihood of the second scenario. Realigning the venting could possibly fix the problem, but would of course involve ripping out concrete. A simpler solution might be one of the available dry trap devices -- basically a valve that's closed unless water pressure from above forces it open.
Thanks - I'll look for a dry trap device. I'd like to avoid ripping everything up again if I can.
dry trap...
any plumbing supply house...
maaaaaaybeeeee at a big box....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!