What Are Washing Machine Drain Hose Backflow Prevention Options?

Washing machines drain their wastewater into either a laundry tub, outside pipe connection, or standpipe.

Regardless of the method you use for draining your washing machine’s wastewater, it’s important to work to prevent backflow from occurring.

You can ensure optimal performance and prevent backflow by making sure your drainage is properly installed. By following some key steps, you can effectively prevent backflow and ensure that potential damage doesn’t occur.

Optimal Standpipe Height

What is it: A standpipe connects your washing machine’s drain pipe to your home’s waste stack. By choosing to use a standpipe instead of connecting your washing machine to a drain line, you can avoid water overflow, as well as unwanted fumes from the sewer.

This is a sturdy vertical pipe that has a curved end. This end is designed to hold water so that the smell of sewer doesn’t permeate your laundry room and home.

The standpipe also serves to ensure that the water level in the washing machine’s tub doesn’t rise above the drain. All standpipes should be no less than 36 inches from the top of the washing machine.

This helps to prevent siphoning from occurring while keeping wastewater from backing up into your washing machine.

If backflow does occur, the siphoning can result in not only the water coming back into your washing machine but also out into the floor of your laundry room.

This can lead to serious damage to your home. If your laundry room is located with floors below it, you could be looking at a major headache and a lot of clean-up.

Why it fails: When backflow occurs in your standpipe, it’s usually one of two things. It could be due to a clog between the drain pipe and waste stack or blockage in the main sewer pipe.

Obviously, you would rather have a clog between the drain pipe and waste stack. One is a relatively easy fix while the other can lead to exponential expenses.

If the issue is with an improper height, you could be seeing backflow issues and overflowing wastewater on your laundry room floor.

If the standpipe is too low, overflow can occur, causing water to come back out of the standpipe. If the standpipe is too high, your washing machine will have to work harder than usual to keep itself drained. When this happens, wastewater can return to the washing machine.

How to fix: If the clog is in the drain hose that connects to the back of your washing machine and rests in the standpipe, begin by removing the drain hose.

If you have an air compressor, shoot some air through the drain hose after it is removed. If the airflow is weak, you’ll know that there’s an obstruction blocking your water flow.

You can use a handheld drain auger to snake through the drain hose and break free from the congestion. Alternatively, you may use a stout piece of wire to fish through and attempt to knock loose and buildup.

Once the drain hose is free of blockage, you may reattach it to the back of the washing machine and rest the curved elbow back into the standpipe.

Washing machines drain their wastewater into either a laundry tub, outside pipe connection, or standpipe.

Regardless of the method you use for draining your washing machine’s wastewater, it’s important to work to prevent backflow from occurring.

You can ensure optimal performance and prevent backflow by making sure your drainage is properly installed. By following some key steps, you can effectively prevent backflow and ensure that potential damage doesn’t occur.

Optimal Standpipe Height

What is it: A standpipe connects your washing machine’s drain pipe to your home’s waste stack. By choosing to use a standpipe instead of connecting your washing machine to a drain line, you can avoid water overflow, as well as unwanted fumes from the sewer.

This is a sturdy vertical pipe that has a curved end. This end is designed to hold water so that the smell of sewer doesn’t permeate your laundry room and home.

The standpipe also serves to ensure that the water level in the washing machine’s tub doesn’t rise above the drain. All standpipes should be no less than 36 inches from the top of the washing machine.

This helps to prevent siphoning from occurring while keeping wastewater from backing up into your washing machine.

If backflow does occur, the siphoning can result in not only the water coming back into your washing machine but also out into the floor of your laundry room.

This can lead to serious damage to your home. If your laundry room is located with floors below it, you could be looking at a major headache and a lot of clean-up.

Why it fails: When backflow occurs in your standpipe, it’s usually one of two things. It could be due to a clog between the drain pipe and waste stack or blockage in the main sewer pipe.

Obviously, you would rather have a clog between the drain pipe and waste stack. One is a relatively easy fix while the other can lead to exponential expenses.

If the issue is with an improper height, you could be seeing backflow issues and overflowing wastewater on your laundry room floor.

If the standpipe is too low, overflow can occur, causing water to come back out of the standpipe. If the standpipe is too high, your washing machine will have to work harder than usual to keep itself drained. When this happens, wastewater can return to the washing machine.

How to fix: If the clog is in the drain hose that connects to the back of your washing machine and rests in the standpipe, begin by removing the drain hose.

If you have an air compressor, shoot some air through the drain hose after it is removed. If the airflow is weak, you’ll know that there’s an obstruction blocking your water flow.

You can use a handheld drain auger to snake through the drain hose and break free from the congestion. Alternatively, you may use a stout piece of wire to fish through and attempt to knock loose and buildup.

Once the drain hose is free of blockage, you may reattach it to the back of the washing machine and rest the curved elbow back into the standpipe.