# Washing machine waste line



## Hmrepairs (Sep 11, 2010)

Does a washing machine waste line need to be vented? It is 2" pvc, has a trap, and runs about 20' until it gets to the 4" stack. Will it work that way? Will it get enough airflow around where the washing machine hose hangs in the top to give proper venting? Dont' want this baby backing up. This is located in one of our rentals, and none of the tennants have used a washer/dryer there since we have owned the place. Now new renters are wanting to use the hookup. Just seems like it may give some problems to me. What say you?


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Does your code say it needs to be vented?


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

All fixtures need a vent....PERIOD. It doesn't matter if you live in India or in America, if a fixture does not have a vent and a properly sized vent, it will not work 100%.

Fixtures not only need vents but they have to be follow certain measurements, like total vent length and location of vent from the fixture.

The hose going into it has nothing whatsoever to do with venting or how a fixture will drain.

You need a vent that works. What you have will not work well because you have exceeded the length of the (unvented) fixture drain required to have a vent.

20' is too long no matter what the situation is, and the stack, odds are, isn't a properly designed vent designed for venting your laundry.

You need a vent.....and no, not the discharge hose.

Mike


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

They don't use loads of vents like they do in the US in the rest of the world. In Europe 99% of homes have only 1 vent for a whole house. No venting on basins, baths, sinks, toilets, showers etc etc and they all work fine. I didn't put any vents in my house here in Virginia and they all drain nice and fast. I really don't understand why the requirement on so many vents. The houses in the UK that did have issues with venting because main vents were so far away got vented traps. 

I would love to know the reason for US homes requiring so many vents. Some of my neighbors have around 10 vents coming up through their roofs. Looks such a mess and is totally uncalled for in my eyes.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

I Like your new logo Mike. A handy duck to have around.
Steve 



Mike's Plumbing said:


> All fixtures need a vent....PERIOD. It doesn't matter if you live in India or in America, if a fixture does not have a vent and a properly sized vent, it will not work 100%.
> 
> Fixtures not only need vents but they have to be follow certain measurements, like total vent length and location of vent from the fixture.
> 
> ...


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

here you only need one VTR but every fixture needs to be vented either off the main or seperate vent...as long as its within distance

every vent gets tied into together in attic or dropped celing or whatever and only one penitration....haha penitration

therefore no need for multiple VTR

sometimes you gotta have multiple VTR all depends on how your ventin the system and where you can go and size of building


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

The other thing I have noticed over here also is hardly any sinks or basins have over flows! I have seen so many flooded out bathrooms and kitchens since being over here. I'm supprised that's not a code over here.


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

stp57 said:


> I Like your new logo Mike. A handy duck to have around.
> Steve


Thank you

A little history on why the duck

I'm not sure it's the best idea but while I decided to move and under go a big change in life I decided to change my logo, name etc. A guy doesn't have to many chances to do this so I figured it was kind of a chance to do it a little better than last time. It's a little freaky starting from scratch again, it's a whle different ballgame these days.

The idea for the duck came from thinking to myself "What else can I give my customers as a reminder" I'm not big on logos, I gues in my opinion it doesn't do only so much. The logo is a rubber duck and came from my 9 year old after watching a cute video on Youtube, and I found out where I can buy rubber ducks by the thousands for pennies so it all worked out.

(I'll post the video we got the idea from but be WARNED!! The song is so catchy you will be singing it for the rest of the night)---you have been warned!!!!

I then found a guy that will print on them using a process called "pad printing" and he can print my logo and name on them.

Every service job I do I will leave a rubber duck behind, maybe leave it on the counter or toilet tank for people to discover. It's kind of a branding thing.

Every shirt, paperwork, folders, and advertisement will be done in multi colors and will have the duck shown.

I'm producing a series of youtube videos where the duck will be in every one of them.

The photograps on my website will also have a duck in them.

I found a lady who does costume making less than 20 miles away. She is excited to make me a bunch of funy duck costumes to wear in all the parades I go to.....it should be not only funny but should be great for branding. I want ducks everywhere!!!!

Ducks, ducks, and more ducks. 

------------------

Venting

It sometimes seems like things get over vented and at times they can be. Just remember though that venting is a matter of mathematics. Wate, when pitched in a pipe, reaches the top of the pipe after so many feet. If the inside daimeter of a pipe is 1 1/2 and the pipe is pitched at 1/4" per foot the water, in theory, reaches the top of the pipe in 6'.

This length is not absolute though. The reason is vents come in many shapes and forms. In Wisconsin you can vent a laundry 7 different ways. That said, the system in the OP here has no vent, 20" far exceeds any law of mathematics.

What I would do is put a "T" on it's back a couple feet from the trap. Run a pipe straight up and put a mechanical vent on it (sometimes called a Studor-Vent).

I'm not a fan of these, and in Wisconsin you can't do this on laundry....but it will work.....assuming you don't have other issues with the horizontal drain. If you do this you will see a big difference.:thumbsup:

In other countries where they don't have vents I find that hard to imagine because math works on a global scale. It could be done using a complete vent system. In this type of system the entire plumbing network acts as a vent. Still, to do this it's very critical drain lines have certain limits and guide lines that need to be followed.

Wisconsin does have an "over venting issue", not sure why, I just follow the rules.:laughing:

Mike


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## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> I didn't put any vents in my house here in Virginia and they all drain nice and fast


No plumbing inspections required in VA?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Anti-wingnut said:


> No plumbing inspections required in VA?


Yes but i didnt want hundreds of vents coming through my new roof. i now have one vent for the front of the house and one for the back.

Also i should have said i have 2 end of run original vents. I removed all the others.


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## kennewickman (Dec 22, 2006)

BCConstruction said:


> Yes but i didnt want hundreds of vents coming through my new roof. i now have one vent for the front of the house and one for the back.
> 
> Also i should have said i have 2 end of run original vents. I removed all the others.


Just because each fixture needs to be vented, doesn't mean there needs to be a hole through the roof for every fixture. :no:


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

*I'm glad the dude didn't shoot the duck....*

I was waiting for it and my 4 year old loved the song......


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

kennewickman said:


> Just because each fixture needs to be vented, doesn't mean there needs to be a hole through the roof for every fixture. :no:


Try telling that to who ever built this whole estate and 99% of the house in this area.


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## 422 plumber (Mar 21, 2010)

Sigh,
vents have nothing to do with draining, they protect the traps. However, I have seen residential systems get air bound and only work after a vent as cut in.


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

Vents are for both.

Put a straw in a glass of water and put you finger over the top, then carry the water around. Now take your finger off and see what happens.

Vents are a matter of mathmatics not opinion. Can you get away with out vants? Sure, but plumbing is not guess work.

Mike


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## atlassdrain (Nov 16, 2010)

2" waste line should be vented after 8ft of run so if yours is traveling after the trap 20 ft to the 4 inch stack, then yes it should be vented.


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