How to Put a Washing Machine Drain Into a Sewer Line
Household washing machines use your home water supply to clean dirty clothes, ejecting the water through a drain hose once complete. Washing machine drains are fed by an electric pump, which moves water from inside the cleaning drum, through a flexible drain hose on the underside of the machine, and out into your home sewer system where it makes its way out of the house. When installing a new washer, or moving your current washer, it is necessary to put the washing machine drain into the sewer line. The process is straightforward and requires only a few simple items.
Step 1
Locate the drain hose at the rear of your washing machine. The hose is a plastic tube which protrudes from the water pump within the bottom of your machine. The hose is typically located at the top rear of the machine.
Step 2
Lift the drain hose and check that it reaches your sewer standpipe easily. There should be no stress on the hose, or the standpipe, and there should be no obstructions in the path of the hose. Check that no kinks or tight bends occur in the hose, which may cause a backup and flooding in the future. Use your razor knife to cut the hose to fit the length required.
Step 3
Raise the open end of the drain hose, and put it into the open end of the sewer line standpipe. Insert the drain hose to a secure depth, no lower than the water level inside your washing machine. The drain hose should be smaller in diameter than the standpipe, which will typically measure 2 inches across. It is necessary that air be able to enter the space around the drain hose while it is inside the standpipe. This air allows for the proper pressure required for your washing machine waste water to escape rapidly.
Step 4
Use a cable tie to securely attach your washing machine drain hose in place. Fasten the drain hose to one of your water supply lines or some other sturdy structure with a cable tie. Loop the tie around both items, and pull tight. Do not pull so hard that a crease develops in either line. This minor precautionary measure will prevent your drain hose from releasing out of the sewer standpipe and causing a flood.
References
Writer Bio
Robert Morello has an extensive travel, marketing and business background. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in 2002 and has worked in travel as a guide, corporate senior marketing and product manager and travel consultant/expert. Morello is a professional writer and adjunct professor of travel and tourism.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images
More Articles
