Stinky drains and filling up washing drum

[robbobob]

Hi,

My washing machine periodically fills up with water. If we go a couple of days without doing a wash we can find that there is an inch or more of dodgy looking water sat at the bottom of the drum.

The waste system beneath the 1.5 sink (which the washer is connected to) is always quite noisy and gurgly and quite often stinks.

Also, when the washing machine is draining sometimes there can be enough back pressure to push water into the sinks rather than out of the drains.

I'm attaching a couple of pics.

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The washing machine is sat to the left of these pics and you can see the cold water in and drain hose going over the top of the board. we've always thought that this drain system seems very complicated for what it needs to do, but I've never got anyone else's opinion.

Would buying something called an anti-vacuum accessory and putting it in this system somewhere help? and what's the best place to put it?

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

looks like the problem occurs because water gushes down the drain hose when you pull out the sink plug. this is very common and easily fixed.

To fix this, just fasten the drain hose so it rises in a loop, the top of which is higher than the water level in the sink. You can probably fasten a cup-hook to the wall or the back of the unit and use a bit of string. Try to bring it right up to drainingboard level.

Edited, changed my mind, sounds like you have a partial blockage. take off those various traps and clean them out. that will be fairly easy (as you can undo the nuts by hand) and more effective than using a drain cleaning chemical. get yourself two buckets of hot water and some general purpose cleaner before you start. If the blockage is further down the pipe try prodding it with a piece of flexible wire. When you think you have cleared it, use your chemical. If you find clogs of chip fat, tealeaves etc, be a LOT more careful in what you put down the sink. Use your kitchen bin instead. Never put melted fat down a drain, tip it into a container like a tin, and throw it away, or give it to the birds

 

[robbobob]

Thanks for the quick reply. Before you edit/changed your mind you mentioned fastening the drain hose in a loop higher than the sink water level.

I'm pretty sure this is already the case as the drain hose needs to go right up to the level of the draining board to go back down the next unit compartment to get to the washing machine. Let me know if i'm talking rubbish and I can make it better. Thanks

 

[JohnD]

I think it is already high enough, that's why I changed my mind. the person who drilled the hole in the cabinet knew the right way to do it

You could pull that downward loop away, that will prevent the waste hose holding dirty sink water.

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

your waste out let is to high your taking one waste through a 75mm trap then up hill to another bend back down to an outlet.
the other bowl is not even on a proper trap, and your outlet top bend is just as high as your bowl.

your sinks and washing machine all need to be before the 75mm trap at the lowest point then through trap to outlet, not up hill another 4"

this is how it should be.

 

[robbobob]

This seems like a more simple setup. I'll go and get the gear from wickes tomorrow. I'll need to chop down the main waste pipe then so that it's a bit lower?

I've had everything off and cleaned it out. The last post makes sense as I rigged up the system to an outside tap feeding the washer waste and it was coming out of the sink 'plughole' before it was going out the proper waste (because it's higher than the plughole bottom no doubt).

Ta very much hi spec.

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

look for a mcalpine sk1 or sk2 should both be ok.

 

[Daviddastidly]

Is your issue now fixed?

I have a smilar problem, in fact exactly the same, however my set up is just as Hi spec suggests but water is still draining back up into my sink or into the washing machine.

See image here:

http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/Photo...&sort_order=0&albumsperpage=&navfolderid=2008

Or here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin133/Sink#5273298486180050914

Tried to post pic on this site but would not show.

Any suggestions?

 

[leakydave]

When I fit a twin bowled sink I throw away the bag of waste fittings that comes with the sink and use two 1½" traps, with spigots if necessary, and join them lower down near the base of the cupboard.

Think you should do the same