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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
We have been having a problem with the washer flooding into our kitchen sink after it drains for a while. It's just a little bit, but it peeks up through the kitchen drain. I ripped the drywall off behind our washer a year or so ago after we had a flood from the washer. I ran a large motorized snake throughout the main drain of the house and it didn't find anything.

Last week, our high efficiency furnace's (located in the attic) condensate drain froze from outside and went up the pipe, all of the way to the furnace. Luckily, the furnace had a safety shut down switch for a situation like this. I know that these units should not be installed in an attic space, but the guy who lived here before us put it together. All of the lines are insulated really well, but since an icicle formed on the outside and moved it's way up the pipe, it insulation failed (according the HVAC tech). I currently have a temporary vinyl hose connected to the furnace and draining into the garage into a bucket. I want to maybe install a utility sink next to the washer and dryer. I would then rebuild the condensate drain and run it through the ceiling and into the sink itself to drain. This will eliminate any further freezing, I hope.

I attached an image of the drain behind my washer and dryer. There is an odd vent connected to the pipe coming down from the washer drain and a solid vent pipe (on the right) going up through the roof (it's not clogged from what I could see from the rooftop).

Does anyone have any other ideas for what to do with the condensate drain or ideas about how I would go about running a drain from the utility sink to the main drain, without causing any further issues. Maybe I should rebuild the drain system behind the washer with PVC pipe? The double vent seems odd to me. I know nothing about plumbing though so there is that. haha

I'm wondering if it would be better to just put the utility sink in the garage, to the right of the washer drain. I used a an image that I found on this forum and edited it to maybe work for my situation. Let me know what you think.

Thanks so much for your time!
 

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Discussion Starter · #2 ·
The current setup with garage future location of sink:



There is also room to the right of the washer to put a utility sink, but I'm not sure how to run the sink drain, without bothering the washer drain.

Any idea of how I could install the sink. Let me know if this is way off for me.

 

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ok, easy...cut the fitting that the washer is draining in now, just above the cleanout, get a double cross ty and clamp it in place of that T fitting, hook up the washer drain and you will now have the same opening on the other side to run your sink, and both are vented by the common vent out the top of the fitting..then run your water lines..
 

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Discussion Starter · #13 ·
ok, easy...cut the fitting that the washer is draining in now, just above the cleanout, get a double cross ty and clamp it in place of that T fitting, hook up the washer drain and you will now have the same opening on the other side to run your sink, and both are vented by the common vent out the top of the fitting..then run your water lines..
Excellent. I can do that. I appreciate the quick response friend. You rock!

I plan on putting a new 2" line to the washer and a new drainage box. I think the pipe going from the box to the main drain is currently 1 3/4" or something around there. It was installed in the 50s, I'd assume.
 

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
What does that pipe go to that connects into the washer box?

You could just run it up for the furnace condensate. It's not a vent. Unless New york plumbers always vent the inlet side of the trap..
Oh yeah. That pipe goes up another 5 inches and ends. It's an extras vent pipe for the washer, I guess. Yet the water from the washer still comes up into the kitchen sink.

Do I need to build that extra vent again when replacing all of the piping?
 

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Discussion Starter · #19 · (Edited)
Do you think that I should cut below the clean out as well and install a new PVC clean out before replacing everything to the washer? Cut above the trap and below, connect the vent pipe back up.

Also, what should I use to connect the PVC to the copper pipes afterward?
 
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