Need advice about washer drain

AndyH24 · 08-19-2012, 04:27 PM

Hi all. I live in East TN. I have a split foyer house that was built in 2001. We moved into the house in late 2009. I am having a problem with a sewer smell in the bathroom /laundry room. Everytime we turn on the washer we start smelling sewer. We are on city water and sewer. We have not always had this problem. It started several months ago and it doesn't do it everytime we turn on the washer but here lately it is starting to be everytime though. We have a whirlpool front load washing machine. The best I can tell by looking at the plumbing in the basement is that I have a 2" vent line (vented through roof) coming down inside the exterior wall and it goes through the floor into the basement and ties into my main 4" drain to sewer. Now, somewhere inside the wall I believe the washing machine standpipe is tied into this vent line. And, if it has a trap, it must be inside the wall. I'm betting it doesn't have one though but I don't know.

What could my problem be and what else could I look at to help you all determine the problem? I will be working night shift tonight so I won't be able to look at anything at the house but I can respond to posts.

Thanks very much!
Andy

**TheEplumber** · 08-19-2012, 05:07 PM

First step I'd take is to make sure all the room's traps have water in them- floor drain shower/tub, lav..
I'm confident a laundry installed in '01 will be trapped

AndyH24 · 08-19-2012, 10:20 PM

Yes, all the other traps in the room have water in them. The smell is coming from behind the washing machine where the standpipe is.

Alan · 08-20-2012, 10:21 AM

Pictures showing what you're describing below the floor would be helpful... for some reason i'm having a hard time picturing this one.

md2lgyk · 08-20-2012, 02:12 PM

It certainly sounds as though there's no trap on the washer standpipe. Since you have a basement, I'd be really surprised if a trap was inside the wall. That isn't normally done.

There is another remote possibility. The newer front-loading washers are so watertight that mold can build up in them if you leave them idle with the door closed for long periods.

AndyH24 · 08-20-2012, 04:23 PM

We always leave the door open to the washer so it can dry out.
Here is a pic of the pipes in the basement.
You can see the hot and cold supply lines and the pipe to the right is what i believe to be a vent line going up and through the roof. I think the standpipe ties into that line in the wall somewhere.

**TheEplumber** · 08-20-2012, 06:17 PM

I was thinking your washer was in the basement, but instead is on the 1st floor?
In the wall behind the machine it should look like this- or close to it. You'll need to open the wall to check for a trap.
The only thing that picture shows is the washer drain tying into the stack
But I don't like it's tie in point- appears to be upstream from the toilet vent and perhaps a san tee on it's side- can't tell with the bike tire in the way

AndyH24 · 08-20-2012, 07:05 PM

thanks for the pic, that helps me understand what should be done behind the wall. That 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 pipe you see coming in close to bike tire is actually the drain from the bathtub. The toilet vents are on over past bike out of the pic. I climbed up on the roof today and shined a light down the vent that the washer is tied into and I did not see any obstructions.

**TheEplumber** · 08-20-2012, 07:22 PM

I have a hard time believing your washer is not trapped- it's a pretty new home and should have been inspected

AndyH24 · 08-20-2012, 08:19 PM

i agree, id say it does have a trap. I don't know why i'm getting this smell.

jaydevries · 08-20-2012, 09:23 PM

if you have a clean out you can smoke bomb and look for smoke

08-19-2012, 04:27 PM	#1
AndyH24 Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kingsport, TN Posts: 40	Need advice about washer drain Hi all. I live in East TN. I have a split foyer house that was built in 2001. We moved into the house in late 2009. I am having a problem with a sewer smell in the bathroom /laundry room. Everytime we turn on the washer we start smelling sewer. We are on city water and sewer. We have not always had this problem. It started several months ago and it doesn't do it everytime we turn on the washer but here lately it is starting to be everytime though. We have a whirlpool front load washing machine. The best I can tell by looking at the plumbing in the basement is that I have a 2" vent line (vented through roof) coming down inside the exterior wall and it goes through the floor into the basement and ties into my main 4" drain to sewer. Now, somewhere inside the wall I believe the washing machine standpipe is tied into this vent line. And, if it has a trap, it must be inside the wall. I'm betting it doesn't have one though but I don't know. What could my problem be and what else could I look at to help you all determine the problem? I will be working night shift tonight so I won't be able to look at anything at the house but I can respond to posts. Thanks very much! Andy

08-19-2012, 05:07 PM	#2
TheEplumber call me E Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Idaho Posts: 4,144	Need advice about washer drain First step I'd take is to make sure all the room's traps have water in them- floor drain shower/tub, lav.. I'm confident a laundry installed in '01 will be trapped __________________ When posting in forums, letting us know your location will help others give better feedback/advice/solutions to your questions

08-19-2012, 10:20 PM	#3
AndyH24 Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kingsport, TN Posts: 40	Need advice about washer drain Yes, all the other traps in the room have water in them. The smell is coming from behind the washing machine where the standpipe is.

08-20-2012, 10:21 AM	#4
Alan Doing it myself Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 3,454	Need advice about washer drain Pictures showing what you're describing below the floor would be helpful... for some reason i'm having a hard time picturing this one. __________________ Journeyman Plumber

08-20-2012, 02:12 PM	#5
md2lgyk Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: WV Posts: 2,216	Need advice about washer drain It certainly sounds as though there's no trap on the washer standpipe. Since you have a basement, I'd be really surprised if a trap was inside the wall. That isn't normally done. There is another remote possibility. The newer front-loading washers are so watertight that mold can build up in them if you leave them idle with the door closed for long periods.

Need advice about washer drain