Can washing machine drain to floor drain?

[Mark P]

A washing machine and wet bar both in basement both drain into a floor drain. I'm not sure how to write this up, if at all.

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[fqp25]

That is just wrong...

First of all according to State Code, any indirect [gray water] waste line can not exceed 5 feet in length. I'm not sure about that line but 5 feet is not that much.

Also according to the State's definition of Indirect Waste:

"A pipe that does not connect directly with a drainage system, but conveys liquid waste by discharging through an air gap INTO the drainage system."

"Into" not above. Either way it's just wrong.

[ozofprev]

Mark,

Regarding capacity, the drain needs to handle 2GPM (3 d.f.u.) plus whatever floor drainage it was designed to handle.

Regarding safety, it's hard to tell. The more interesting plumbing is upstream from the picture. What sort of venting is there? And how are the discharges joined?

Regarding style, Frank's right about it being ugly. The receptor should be of an approved type, not allow splashing/flooding, and it should be sized correctly.

Frank, does your state allow for longer lengths if the discharge plumbing is trapped?

[Chad Fabry]

Regarding safety, it's hard to tell. The more interesting plumbing is upstream from the picture. What sort of venting is there? And how are the discharges joined?

This application would require no venting because traps would also be superfluous.

[ozofprev]

Damn, that's true Chad, what gases are blocked??? I mentioned it because of the length issue Frank brought up. The IPC says(802.2) that all indirect waste piping exceeding 4 feet shall be trapped.

I was also listening to a Sabres program [:-hockey]

[fqp25]

Originally posted by ozofprev

Frank, does your state allow for longer lengths if the discharge plumbing is trapped?

They allow 15 feet for clear water waste, such as condensate, or waste or overflow form a water chiller. Most residential condensate lines do have running traps.

I'm interested in the bar sink connection as well. At the very minimum, there should be some kind of stand pipe to eliminate splashing.

I recently saw a messed up washing machine drain connection also. This one is about 5 feet in the air, connected untrapped to a 2" sink line. The hose was stretched to the max. I was surprised not see any water marks or stains from past leakage.

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[chicago]

Hi frank.....What is the extension cord hanging from the joists all about.?

That intrigues me more than the lovely odor emanating from the cast iron.

Wonder also what that hole strap was doing there?

[fqp25]

Extension Cord? That's Romex just hanging there. There is a piece of plastic flex tubing around a portion of it, so somebody had tried to protect it from something. The white cable in the center of the picture is a communication line just dangling there. Many problems with the wiring...

That hole strap is from former plumbing, most likely the original pipe going into that Tee. Couldn't really figure out what it could be though.

[ozofprev]

That pretty smurf tubing really brightens the place up, doesn't it?

[MMustola]

Another issue to consider, where does the floor drain drain too? In my area basement floor drains almost never drain into the sewer system. They Drain to sump pits which pump up into the storm sewer system or just drain to the back yard.