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Wed 17 Aug, 2005 05:10 pm
Just purchased a house and realized shortly therafter that the washer drains to a drain in the middle of the floor, 1930 house. When the washer is draining the water goes over the grate in the floor and up about 7 inches, slowly it drains.
Onto the problem: I was cleaning the drain today and noticed a hole about two inches from the grate that goes down into the floor, the hole itself its about a 1/2 diameter. When the water goes up to the 5 inch mark it pours excess into that. I imagine the hole has been there for awhile and could be washing away the house sediment, if I'm correct?
Also, I took a hose and sprayed down the grate in an attempt to clean it more and noticed that the water turned gray with little bits of sediment in it, it smells like the dentist drilling on your teeth.
Any insight on either getting rid of this drain or fixing this problem if it is one would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance.
Budzilla
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Not sure how to help, just wanted to add that some homes built in the 20's and 30's have had their eve troughs drain directly into the homes main sewer. Lots of sand and sediment can build up over the years as it washes from the roof into the sewer; it can cause the basement to drain very slowly.
Re:
Currently, the gutters drain right out onto the lawn or into the driveway, not sure what they had in before, a lot of the house has been remodeled and udpated.
Any others run into a case like this? Again, thanks for the response, much appreciated.
I have a drain in my basement too; it drains most of the time - except when the storm drains are challenged in very heavy rain, about once every three years, yucko. (My gutters do drain elsewhere).
I'm glad you can at least see that hole.
Some people on a2k might be able to give a useful opinion on what to do, besides call the plumber.
The obvious solution would be to run the drain into and existing waste pipe and get the water running into the septic/sewer system.
You'd need to find a point in a waste pipe above the level where it exits the house and cut into that line, put in a "T" connector and install the necessary hardware (including a trap!) to connect up the washer outlet.
Over the years the lint and dirt from the washer waste water has probably plugged up the floor drain preventing it from draining properly. That's the crap you are getting floating up when you ran the hose into the drain.
Call a roto-rooter service. If your drain is slow, you need to have it snaked out by a professional.
Do you have just a drain hose running from your washer to the floor drain? If so, you also need a plumber to establish a proper drain pipe for your washer.
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