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Washing Machine Drain Hose Backup at Drainpipe - Video

6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

As shown in the attached video, when draining, water backs up from where the drainpipe and drain hose are connected. Also, there is a small gap between the drainhose and drainpipe (my understanding is there needs to be a gap to prevent a vacuum from forming).

Prior to this video being recorded, I inserted a garden hose into the drainpipe, and eventually ran it at full blast, and there was no water backup.

Which is why this video has me baffled.

I don't think the drainpipe itself is clogged, as it can discharge water from a garden hose at full blast.

So why is it backing up when the washing machine empties itself into the drainpipe? Any ideas on how to fix this, please?

Since shooting the video, I have the washing machine unplugged, and have been using towels, fans, and a wet/dry vac to clean the affected area beneath the washing machine.

If you have any advice, and/or can point me in the right direction on how I can fix this problem, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.



Comments (12)

  • 6 years ago

    At the old house, when the drain hose was in a tight u, I would find water on the floor. I pulled the washer 6-8” away from the wall, no more overflow.


    turbulance?

  • 6 years ago

    You didn't reference what kind of washer but making a guess on it, the drain hose looks like a WP or KM direct-drive machine. Those have a very fast pump-out rate, they can drain much as 25 to 27 gallons in a bit less than 2 minutes. Higher flow rate than a garden hose.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks for the helpful feedback. It's a Kenmore Model 92574800 Top Load Washing Machine.


    I'm leaning towards snaking the drainpipe, as, based on feedback, it seems it could still have a clog, given the fast pump-out rate.

  • 6 years ago

    The washer at the old house was a large capacity top loader kenmore, IIRC, 51 gal of water per load.

  • 6 years ago

    In addition to snaking the pipe, can you check the vent.

  • 6 years ago

    The full model is 110.92574800. The leading 110. is part of it, and also indicates the machine is sourced from Whirlpool.

  • 6 years ago

    We had the same problem when we had a top loader washer. We found out that the drain pipe was plugged and had to snake it out at least once a year. Eventually bought a front loader washer and since it uses less water, we have not had the overflow problem for four years. When we had to rent the snake for the drain pipe, the man at the store told us to pour bleach down the drain at least once a month.....we used chloryx. That helped a lot, so you might try that after you have your drain pipe cleaned.

  • 6 years ago

    What diameter pipe is the standpipe and the rest of the drain?

    The old standard was 1.5" drain which is insufficient for newer washers. 2" drain is now the standard.

  • 6 years ago

    Yeah, look at that drain pipe. It looks small. If it is, you could convert to a laundry sink.

  • 6 years ago

    Here’s the other thread along with some pictures of the rubber caps I tried.

    https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5637109/speed-queen-drain-hose-question-top-load#n=32

  • 6 years ago

    Your stand pipe is not large enough. Newer washing machines pump real, real fast. Code used to be a 1.5" stand pipe. Nowadays it is 2", and in some localities they want a 3" drain line(yeah a bit overkill IMO but you see the point).


    How far out does the 1.5" run? Does it empty into a stack nearby or join a larger drain line as part of a group?

  • 6 years ago

    The OP's machine is not a "newer" washer. It's a design produced from 1981 to 2010, old-style agitator, full-fill tub. Looking at the parts diagram, it may date to the mid/late 1990s. The pump is driven directly by the main motor that also runs the transmission. It does pump out quite fast. I worked for a Whirlpool dealer when the design was introduced, a change from the design Whirlpool had produced since the late 1940s. It wasn't unusual that the drain overflowed when we delivered and tested one of these new-at-the-time models (early/mid 1980s) to a customer who had an older machine.

    New frontloaders and HE toploaders today have a small electric pump, separate from the motor that drives the drum or wash impeller. They typically drain slower than the OP's machine, and there's also less total volume of water involved.