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How high can washer pump water?

daholson | Posted in General Discussion on April 11, 2005 08:39am

Is it possible to pump water to ceiling height drain from a washing machine? And is a standpipe necessary if discharge is into a 3″ abs pipe which is vented to roof?

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  1. davidmeiland | Apr 11, 2005 08:53pm | #1

    Sounds like a fairly unusual installation. You'd have to ask the manufacturer how much the pump can do. You need a standpipe and a trap as far as I know... you can't just punch a hole in the side of a pipe and hang the drain hose on it.

    1. daholson | Apr 11, 2005 09:29pm | #2

      I want to put washing machine in new basement addition ,but has no acces s to plumbing drain because it is below the drain line.  I have room to put a trap above a 3" pipe but not a standpipe . Is the satndpipe required when discharging into a 3" pipe? This may be only possible if the pump can raise the discharge.  Most washing machines can easily discharge the water 3 feet abone the floor , what would be the problem with another 4 feet?

      1. DANL | Apr 12, 2005 12:23am | #7

        Look in the owners manual--mine says drain has to be between 34 and 72 inches or something like that.

  2. csnow | Apr 11, 2005 09:31pm | #3

    Mine goes in at about 7 feet.  Works fine, though I did put a check valve on it to prevent back-slosh of the water in the hose.

    It has a standard trap setup. No dedicated vent.  Had to be this high to get up into the main drain in basement and meet code.  The only thing unusual is that I used polyethelene 'sump pump' discharge hose so that I could fit the check valve, and it attaches at the trap with a barbed fitting and clamp instead of the standard rubber 'bent' hose (which would be too short anyways).

    They do sell washers with stronger pumps for this sort of thing, though I'm on my third regular washer with this setup, and they all worked fine.

  3. DanH | Apr 11, 2005 10:02pm | #4

    Generally the washer can drain to 7-8 feet, but you begin to have a problem that the water draining out of the long hose at the end of the cycle refills the washer.

    If you don't use a standpipe then some sort of check valve is required to prevent backflow into the appliance, in addition to regular venting requirements.

    A better option is to get a self-contained sump-pump system. Liberty Pumps, I believe, makes a lot of these, in various sized. Eg:
    http://www.libertypumps.com/product_display.asp?ID=10&MainCat=2&SubCat=5

  4. BillW | Apr 11, 2005 10:16pm | #5

    I happen to have my washing maching installation instructions on my desk - it says "the standpipe height above the floor should be min 24" and max 96".

    You can find these on-line for whatever type of washer you have ...

     

  5. Shacko | Apr 11, 2005 11:05pm | #6

    I don't think this  is a good idea, but it will probably work.  You will need a trap where you connect to the waste or sewer line; this should be solid connection to the washer hose.  You should also have a check valve near the washer.  The higher you pump water the more strain you have  on the pump.  I don't know how long this will last.  Washer pumps are extremely expensive!  Thats my 2 cents worth. Luck.

  6. MSA1 | Apr 12, 2005 04:51am | #8

    Might be the long way around but, why not install a laundry tub and then use a Shellback pump to drain the water.

    Whatever you do i'd definetly go with a check valve.

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