Your washing machine drain could overflow from a blocked drainpipe or a more severe problem like a central sewer line obstruction. It doesn’t matter what is causing the overflowing, and it’s crucial to address the issue immediately to avoid any permanent damage to your home.
How to Drain a Washing Machine
It is essential to understand how water is removed from washers during washing cycles to identify what causes them to overflow.
Your washing machine drains water from the tub at the end of each cycle using a pump. This forces water into a drain pipe. The drain hose curves up and out of the machine to meet the standpipe, usually near your hot or cold water supply valves.
How to diagnose a problem with your drain
It would help if you verified that the washer’s drain line had been clogged. While some advanced washing machines can detect leaks by sending out signals, most will require a test to determine if the problem is there.
First, run your washer through a drain cycle. Watch the washer as it pumps water through the hoses into the standpipe. Your washer drain may be the problem if water leaks back into the standpipe.
It is the time taken for the standpipes to fill up and overflow. This helps you determine where the clog is. Let’s look at what each timeframe could mean.
Take a few seconds–If your pipe overflows in seconds, the clog is likely near the standpipe’s surface. You may be able to use a hand-operated snake to remove minor clogs.
It takes 30 seconds to one minute -The clog in the drainpipe may be deeper than you think. To reach the pipe and remove the clog, it may be necessary to use a long drain snake. To get the clog, you should contact a plumber.
Water that overflows after entering the drain pipe takes longer than one minute–This could indicate a more significant blockage in your plumbing system. To determine the problem, contact a licensed plumber.
Clogs can cause overflowing drainpipes, but they don’t always have to result from a clog. Insufficiently sized drainpipes or kinked pipes can also cause overflowing drainpipes. For a thorough diagnosis, call ARS Rescue Rooter to have the problem diagnosed.
How to operate a drain snake
These steps will help you to control a snake:
To release the drum from the pipe, push its end into the drain opening.
Continue pushing the snake’s head deeper into the pipe until it becomes stiff.
You can rotate the snake counterclockwise or clockwise until the clog is gone.
To ensure that the pipe can drain, pull the snake out of it.
How to prevent your drain from overflowing
These preventative steps can help reduce the chance of your washing machine overflowing.
Use a garment bag and lint bag to prevent lint buildup in drainpipes.
Clean the washer’s lint trap.
To promote drainage, ensure at least 1/2 inch between the drainpipe and discharge pipe.
Make sure to use a suitable detergent to avoid soap residue buildup.
Regularly clean your washer hoses, drainpipe, and washing machine.
Backup plan for your washing machine
Like all major appliances and systems in your home, your washing machine will experience normal wear and tear. We recommend homeowners purchase a home warranty to avoid unexpected costs from their washing machine breaking down or any other appliance.
Home warranty plans typically cost between $25 and $50 per month. Homeowners with a home warranty plan pay a small service fee to have an appliance or system repaired or replaced if it fails due to normal wear and tears. This usually ranges from $75 to $125. You can save a lot of money over the long term, as replacing some of your most valuable appliances without a home warranty can be costly.
