Modern homes are not complete without washing machines. Washing machines come with a variety of features, capacities, and functions that let you clean your clothing and get them ready for use, no matter the size of your family.
However, it’s important to take into account the many drainage choices available before making a washing machine purchase. Using a clothes tub, digging an underground line, connecting to a utility sink, regular drain pipe, or freestanding standpipe are the five main methods for emptying your washing machine.
We will examine the main benefits and drawbacks of each of these well-liked washing machine drainage solutions in this post. Now let’s get started!
Options for Draining Washing Machines
Depending on the model and design of your washing machine, you have a variety of options for the drainage system. Each option has a particular placement, a method for directing water waste, and varying degrees of cost or value. The many washing machine drainage options are shown below.
Use A Washing Tub
Take use of a clothes tub to make sure your washer is leak-free. With the drainage hose, a clothes tub may be included as a washing machine drainage option by all washing machine manufacturers.
The channel hose is more than thirty inches above the floor. Therefore, for optimal drainage, a clothes tub should be placed no closer than 18 inches beside the washer.
Set Up An Underground Pipe
An underground line would be a more practical drainage alternative if you want to avoid having to move your washer for an extended period of time. It will collect the used wash water and store it underground until the rinse cycle is ready. This will happen through an interaction between the waste hose connector and the subsurface line.
Ruban Selvanayagam of Homeowners and Sales firm Property Solvers advises, “Remember that, if you live in an apartment block, you will need to speak to the management company or other flat owners if you decide to go ahead with this.” This is not one of the changes that you have the right to when you rent.
Therefore, wherever you are putting an underground line, you will need to dig a hole straight into the floor. If you want to move your washer, be sure it is where you want it to stay for a while to come. If not, you will need to hide the hole before integrating a new underground line.
One of the safer solutions is to integrate an underground water connection, which won’t block your septic tank or create water logging in your lawn. Greywater systems are also something you may investigate if you have the funds.
Drain into a Sink for Utility
Slop sinks are another name for utility sinks. This means that when it’s time to switch to the rinse cycle, the washing machine’s water waste funnels into a washbowl, where the channel house remains connected. Out of all the washing machine drain options, this is your best bet because it will still remove the water without requiring you to carry it outdoors.
In order to keep fresh water during the whole wash cycle, it is advised to have a sound enough air hole between the end of the channel house and the washbowl sink opening.
Typical Drain Pipe
A typical drain pipe is embedded in the wall next to the washing machine, not jammed into the floor like an underground line. These pipes can handle funnelling out water waste typically faster than other washing machine drainage solutions since they are broader than channel pipes for washing machines available on the general market.
Making Use of an Individual Standpipe
One of the simplest and most affordable ways to drain a washing machine is to utilize a standpipe. To ensure proper flow, get a functional standpipe that attaches to the waste hose. The standpipe, which is sometimes attached to the wall, resembles the “standard drain pipe” mentioned above in many ways.
The standpipe’s size needs to be sufficiently thick to allow the water waste to go through without blockage. Even if you can install a standpipe on your own with basic maintenance skills, if you want more help, you may call in a plumber. When determining the size of your laundry room’s dryer and washer, don’t forget to take the pipe into account.
Which Materials Are Used In Washing Machine Draining?
What materials are often used to complete the drainage now that you are aware of the washing machine drainage connection options?
The two main components are a heated steel braided drain line and an elastic drain line. For different purposes, each choice offers advantages and disadvantages.
Hose with Elastic Drain
Elastic drain hoses are one type of material that is used to empty washing machines. It is the option that has been available for a longer period of time than the other. For long drainage capacity, more recent versions used silk or other robust fabrics.
Any new model with the term “built-up” in its name indicates that it is more stable than previous models available on the market for a longer period of time.
A Tempered Steel Drain Line Braided
Tempered steel can bring up images of being strong and unfit for use as a washing machine drainage solution. To improve the drainage option’s strength, tempered steel wire is included throughout the drainage system, which is mostly made of plastic.
Because of the washing machine’s spinning vibrations, the drainage hose needs to be flexible. Your washing machine will continue to vibrate even if you turn off the sensor that detects motion.
Regardless of the washing machine drainage choices you choose, these kinds of hoses are now considered standard. They will endure an exceptionally long time and run between your drain pipe and washing machine.
Do Washing Machines Drain Into Your Backyard?
The majority of washing machine manufacturers won’t install lines to allow waste water to escape into your lawn. Rather than interfering with your property, the drainage choices will direct water into an underground pipe or a separately connected unit.
If the trash from your washing machine leaked into your garden, erosion may damage the foundation of your house. As more decay affects the foundation, your house may begin to tilt, or if the damage is severe enough, it may completely fail.
How To Properly Hook Up A Washing Machine Drain
With so many choices, we need to become experts at connecting a washing machine drain so that the unit can remove the appropriate amount of wastewater after each wash.
The following are general guidelines to remember in order to install a washing machine drain appropriately, taking into account different situations that may or may not already exist in your home:
- You can drain into your home’s backup utility sink if your existing drainage system isn’t working properly.
- Because of the aforementioned hazards and cautions, you should never connect your washing machine drainage line to your septic tank or towards your garden.
- Get expert plumbing help to upgrade any of these equipment, install a new greywater system, or connect up a new washing machine drainage hose rather than attempting to do it yourself.
- If your house is currently using a septic system for drainage from your washing machine, think about installing a greywater system.
- You may pour washing machine waste water straight into your home’s connected sewage line if you don’t have a system for disposing of waste.
To sum up
The ideal solution is to connect your washer’s drain line to a standpipe, but it is also possible to place the drain hose over a nearby sink. Use hose guides and tie straps while attaching the drain hose to make sure it is tight, the water flows in the right direction, and there are no kinks. Make sure there is no airtight connection at the drain pipe. Additionally, the installation of the drain hose must follow the guidelines for height provided above or as specified in the owner’s handbook for your washer.