To start with, know that your sink and washing machine drain lines tend to run congruent to each other. This means they combine at some point on the way to the main sewer line. So, if there is a problem after they combine, it can affect both systems. First, you must pinpoint the problem. More often than not, a washing machine backup will occur in one or more sinks during or after the drain cycle of your washing machine.
This may not happen every time or it may get progressively worse. It depends on why it is happening in the first place. It's common for the washing machine to share a drain with a sink, and if the laundry room is near the kitchen, it could be the kitchen sink. Both drains may empty into a toilet waste line and be vented through that line in a configuration plumbers call wet venting.
If the sink backs up when the washing machine is draining, something is either preventing water from flowing, air from getting in or both. Although you won't know this for sure unless you uncover the walls to inspect the drain connections, the drains for the washing machine and sink probably empty into a toilet waste line. In this type of configuration, plumbers sometimes oversize the waste line to make room for air to pass while water is flowing.
If a partial blockage develops, air flow is restricted and water flow slows. You might not notice the slow flow until the washing machine drains, because it actively pumps a large volume of water into the pipes. You may be able to clear the blockage by plunging the sink, but you should do this while it's backing up and the pipes are full of water. Block the overflow holes in the sink and to cap off the washing machine drain to maximize the force of the plunger.
If there is a nearby toilet, it's also a good idea to plunge that, because the blockage may be closer to it than to the other fixtures. Actually, I've had this sort of thing happen too, although not in my kitchen area. Pipes from different areas in the house all drain into common main drains to go out to the sewer system. That is one situation when I usually do call a plumber.
If you can live without your drains for a while, you can try using the Main Line enzyme cleaner overnight pouring some into all the drains affected and not using them for 8 hours or so, then pouring down boiling water. However, you might want to call a plumber to get the lines unclogged faster. Afterward, I'd strongly encourage you to use enzymes monthly to keep those drains clear.
After over 20 years, I've learned my lesson. Every time I forget enzymes, I end up having problems with slow or stopped drains. Good luck! We had this happen today and I did not want to call a plumber or wake my husband so me and my son did some troubleshooting. I made the mistake of pouring water down in the sink in the kitchen and turn the dish disposal on and it shot stuff out at my son who was standing behind the washer.
I am assuming that this is not normal? Hi Judy--I so hope these tips help you. I've been in our house for 23 years now and haven't had any problems with overflow after we put in the drain sink. At one point I was doing about 12 large loads a week. I do occasionally find that the sink gets a bit slow when I forget to use my enzymes regularly. Sometimes I just clean it out with a Draino type product and then put the enzymes in again and we are all set.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will try these tips. My house is older and the laundry drain pipe jeeps overflowing too, and snaking des not solve it. I am going to see about the drain sink, lint trap, and front load washer. Im so, so sick of constantly having drain water all over our garage floor!
Our washer in the garage. Thanks again. Hi Hollie-If by the pipe area behind the washer you mean that the pipe that is pumping used water out of the washer into the wall is overflowing then you probably have the problem I described. I went through a lot of plumbers before I finally got an answer that made sense.
Older houses have pipes that can't handle the amount of water that flows from our newer, bigger washers. One solution is a low water high-efficiency front loader. The idea of smaller loads might help but if your washer pushes a lot of water out at a time, that still might overwhelm the small pipe.
Make sure that the pipe is as clear of soap gunk by using an enzyme treatment overnight and then carefully pouring boiling water down it. I'd do that at least 3 nights in a row. That night make the pipes clear enough that they would work.
If so, then just repeat the treatment about once a month. We rent a condo that was built in the 60's with our laundry in our kitchen. We bought a new washer and have had problems with water leaking out of the pipe area behind the washer.
It's a mess. A plumber told me yesterday our pipes are old, but fine. He suggested I do smaller loads. Doesn't seem to work. I have no idea what to do. Thank you sssooo much for your explicit details and solutions. Your detective story and results are exactly what we needed to fix our draining problem. I use the one that I have listed from Amazon above. I can't find it now at my local store, so I was happy when I was able to buy it online.
Hi Lacy--I'm in complete sympathy! We've been in our house for almost 25 years, so we've dealt with our drains over the long haul. We did end up putting in a clean out in the part of our home that didn't have one and that does work better when we have them snaked out by a plumber. However, in the long run you want to avoid having to call the plumber. You might need to have it done to get everything taken care of and clean, but I'd suggest that you start doing enzymes and using lint trappers on a regular basis.
I also found that our problem got a lot better when we went from a top loading washer to a front loading one because it uses less water. I think that your home warranty should help you to get this fixed. I'm not sure if your probelm is the washer or the main pipe. It probably depends on where the pipes are running from. Is the washer first and then the sink before it drains outside?
If so, the problem is probably not the washer drain. However, it is the stuff going down the washer lint which might be clogging it up. I am having issues with my washer backing up.
First it was out the drain pipe onto the floor so my boyfriend blocked that off and then the water came up my kitchen sink. This is the only issue I'm having and my home warranty says I need a plumber and the plumber is saying it's the main line and they would have to put in a sewer clean out as my house does not have one. This is extremely pricy. Does this sound like it is just the washer pipe or the main pipe? Any info is appreciated! I also tried draino and it did not help.
Hi Rina--so sorry to hear you are having this problem. I'm not sure this would be a scam but it might be very expensive and not necessarily helpful.
I had a plumber that wanted to use the camera on mine too. I think there may be a problem on our old line but so far we've been able to keep things running by using the tips I put in here. If your line is working, then I'd hold off on the camera. The problem is that the solution will probably be tearing up your yard to find the pipe or maybe even tearing up the floor of your house yikes! While that might be the best solution, you might not need anything that drastic if you are more careful about what goes down the drain.
The things I've outlined in this hub and my other one about the shower drains have worked for us for about 12 years. Basically, I make sure that hair and lint down the drain are minimized by using lint catchers on the shower drain and pipe from washer. I use the enzyme treatments monthly. When I get a clog, I use a declogger and then put in enzymes for 3 days in a row and flush with boiling water.
Just had this happen. Plumber snaked it. It stopped at 25ft. He claims it's probably a broken pipe. Sounds bogus to me. The top came back with only lint, no mud. He wants to come back with a camera next. I feel stuck Much like my drain. Any thoughts as to whether he's right or trying to scam us? I don't know whether that diagram would fix your problem. One thing that can help is to get a low flow washer if you don't want to put in a sink.
Glad to know a snake works for you Jacob. That is certainly another possible way to get it fixed. It doesn't happen to work for us but that is probably the way our pipes are configured. My snake,would just bend and stood at a certain point. That is the best to use to get it unclogged. Tried Drano and helped a short time Tara--I'm glad this idea will help you. It certainly solved our problem. In addition to the sink, it really helps to keep the lint catchers on it and to use the enzymes regularly.
I actually just bought a new kind based on what some of my viewers had found searching on Amazon. It is Roebic brand. I learn a lot from my readers too! Another way I'm working to make sure no lint gets down is that I bought an in-drain mesh catcher too. That does seem to catch even more stuff that gets through the first one.
I do have to clean that one after every load or two. I should say that I do a lot of pretty messy laundry with 5 kids and lots of outside stuff going on. I also wash my car mats and other pretty dirty things. Good luck to you! I have this problem!
I thought a utility sink would do the trick and it looks like that is the route I will be going. I went from a front loader that was overwhelming the drain to a top loader. I think the sink will be my best bet as I have a dishwasher, kitchen sink and my washer all draining into the same drain and my washer is the only problem.
I will install the utility sink and hopefully that will resolve the problem! Alan--So glad this helped you! We struggled so long with this problem that I wanted to share what we learned so that other people could avoid the problems and damage if possible! So sorry to hear of your problem with your drain! I have used draino sometimes to clean out a clog but the one problem you can have is that draino is a very caustic chemical and if it won't go down the drain then you are stuck with a sink full of a chemical you can't touch.
One thing to try is to use the enzymes overnight and then pour a large pot of boiling water down. If that at least unclogs it a bit, then try it again until the whole thing is clear.
I have an overflow sink fir my washer, however my washer tub is clogged. I changed the P pipe but still clogged. I tried to snake the drain in tub and wall and even basement floor drain. No luck. I'm thinking now of using draino I'm so behind with laundry and laundry mats are too expensive.
Anyone have luck with draino? Hi Mike--One thing I learned in going through this process with our house is that different types of washers emit more and less water, and at different rates. Many of the older houses had the drains designed to handle the smaller capacity washers that were available at that time.
Even so, lint and soap can cause a drain to plug up, so it is important to keep it clear. You can either do a regular clean out with Draino or other product, or do the enzyme treatments. But the problem is that if you wait for it to overflow, you still might end up with water damage which is what happened to us. The overflowing drain happened today. We moved into a rent house that came with a washer.
The new owner, my brother, wanted to use the washer in another house, so I bought one and switched it out today. So the water started flowing up out of the drain and my delimma how to fix it began. But the way the original washer was attached didn't have this problem, as we ran for the month prior to us buying another. So here is what they did, they used hose clamps on the 2" drain with an adapter for the smaller size hose from the washer, and put a hose clamp on the washer side too.
So the washer drain was basically a sealed setup. I'm not sure if this had any negative effects on the washer pump, as it would build up pressure and have to run longer before the tub would empty out. I had a laundry sink that required a plumber clean out the line about every 2 months because of the lint from the washer.
McGuyver called my wife and suggested I put one of her knee high stockings over the drain out hose and attach it with a zip tie and just leave it hooked over the sink. Once a month or so i put on a new stocking and haven't needed a plumber for a year or so.
You can't believe the amount of lint that goes down the drain especially if you wash fuzzy carpets, etc. I hate it when she is right! Hi Michele--I'm not a plumber but I've had many different problems like this before in various houses.
It sounds to me like you have a clog a ways down the drain. Do you have a clean out in your house?
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