water backing up into laundry machine, and upstairs sink (ejector, dishwasher, drain)

[ovi8]

About the last year we *sometimes* have water come back up to our kitchen sink when the laundry in the basement is running (draining) but it was minimal. We would hear the bubble sounds while in the kitchen and the water level wouldn't be very high at all.

This morning we were about to throw in clothes for laundry and upon opening the lid there were a few inches of dirty water in the washing machine. We think it's from the dishwasher from a few days ago as it had what looked like remnants of food particles and it stunk like rotten eggs. I started the washing machine (no clothes) at the last few minutes of a cycle and it drained it just fine, so it's not a clog in the washing machine - it appears water is just backing up into it.

After that was clear and cleaned up a bit, I ran a load of laundry and the machine ran normally and drained, but when it drained water, almost the entire sink in the kitchen was filled (smelled like laundry water) - I used a bucket to assist in removal since it got so full, but it is draining back down fine (and not back into the laundry either). Why would dishwasher water get the into laundry machine (as described earlier) but sink water (this time) won't go back in there?

http://i.imgur.com/6XWMKY4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lfXKLvC.jpg

Where is this clog? Is it all going to the main sewer line or is there something else? Would a clog company be able to get to it relatively easily? We also have a full bathroom in the basement and I vaguely recall there's a pump or similar of some sort that gets the water out and the home inspector says to watch out for that filling up over the years - can't remember what they call it. Could this be in play?

[North Beach Person]

It sounds like you have a clog downstream from the washer (I'm assuming it's the last fixture before the main soil line). The clog/blockage could be anywhere from there to the connection with the main out in the street.

Yes, plumber/clog company could knock it out (assuming the worst case scenario, a collapsed lateral, isn't the cause). They would likely use a power snake. A newer house will have a cleanout somewhere in the line for access.

I had a similar issue (without the overflow in the house) recently. It was tree root infiltration where the lateral met the main.

[harry chickpea]

I wouldn't use flex drain if you paid me. You may be best off paying a real plumber to some out and inspect your situation.

I can think of a half-dozen or more possible reasons for what you describe, but the real issue is not the immediate problem. Properly planned plumbing drain systems don't have *sometimes* problems.

[thecoalman]

I can see two issues with this picture alone let alone your back up problem.






That clear plastic hose coming into the side is presumably for the dishwasher, minimally that should be looped up above the sink drain so water doesn't drain into the diswasher. Secondly where the flexible pipe is there was probably a p trap, that prevents sewer gas from coming into the house.

You should have something like this:







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

As far as the backup goes, just so it's clear the clear plastic hose is for the dishwasher?

[nybbler]

Flex drain isn't to code where I am -- plumbing inspector mentioned it when he did the rough inspection for my bathroom, but it was just left over from the old bathroom anyway. But it's got nothing to do with this issue, which is downstream of the laundry machine. I doubt the same people did the house drain line as installed the fixtures.

And certainly a properly planned drain system could have "sometimes" problems -- if it's damaged. Could be broken and shifting around, could have dirt and debris getting into it. Anyway, bottom line is you'll need to have a pro come out and look at it.

A full bathroom in the basement, with an ejector pump? ewww... I prefer my "blackwater" gravity drained. But it's unlikely the laundry feeds into that system and even if it did, it wouldn't cause the problems described.