run pipes through garage for plumbing in washing machine

[carled]

Hi all. Want to move washing machine from utility room to garage. There's an existing drain right outside the garage wall to run the waste to, so no probs there. The nearest water supply is the existing copper tubing to the downstairs loo. About 5 metres directly measured to the new location, but about 10 metres taking into account the multiple twists and turns to get the pipes routed around the back entrance door to the garage.

For simplicity and speed, it looks like plastic piping would be the best solution. I can envisage drilling through the toilet wall to give access to the water pipes, attaching the plastic piping then simply bending it gently to fit the route to the washing machine and attaching it to the wall to keep it all in place...

Am I ridiculously over-simplifying this or is it really this easy? I have done copper piping before using pre-soldered joints and that's still holding together, but there will be at least 5 or 6 90 degree bends and a few straight line joins per pipe if I use copper, whereas I may get away with an awful lot less using plastic...

What's the best way of tapping into the existing copper pipework? At the end of the existing pipes in the downstairs loos there is what looks like a sort of hose connector? About 3/4" long and looks like it's meant for a hose to attach or something - is that any use to me?

 

[JohnD]

Is the drain you mention a rainwater drain?

 

[carled]

Yes, I believe it is...

Said with trepidation that you're about to point out to me why I can't use this now!

 

[JohnD]

Most houses send rainwater off to a soakaway in the garden, or a stream, river or ditch or other natural watercourses or some other route where it is not treated, since it does not contain sewage. The baths, toilets and washing machines send their waste down different pipes into the sewers and thence to a sewage farm where it is treated.

Some areas have a combined drainage system where both rain and foul water go down the same drains, I don't think this is allowed anywhere now in new builds.

You can try lifting a few manhole covers and pouring water down your garage drain to trace the route, in case it connects with the sewers, but if it doesn't then you mustn't put a washing machine waste down it.

 

[carled]

It's a 1948 house and there is a sewer cover in a direct line with the garage drain approx 10 metres away... I'll pour something colourful down the drain to see what turns up!