Need Advice From A Plumber....

[drummereef]

Looking to install a utility sink in an unfinished area of our basement. I'd like to install the sink between the clothes dryer and the master bath shower/toilet drain.

My question is... Where would be the best place for the sink to drain and vent? Is it against code to plumb the drain into the washing machine standpipe? Any advice would be great.

Thanks!


Pic of washing machine standpipe, sink placement, and master bath drain.

Pic of traps from the master bath drain.

Pic of master bath shower/toilet drain (left) and master bath sink drain (right)

Pic of washer/dryer, standpipe drain, and sump pit.

 

[Morn2112]

drummereef,

I'm not a plumber, but I was told by a plumbing engineer that it is ok to tie into the washer standpipe under two conditions:
1) The sink cannot have a trap because the standpipe already has one and a fixture cannot be double trapped.
2) The sink drain must be within 30" horizontally of the trap, so the sink will need to go between the washer and dryer.

To be sure, you should call you local building department and ask.

 

[drummereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13052201#post13052201 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Morn2112
drummereef,

I'm not a plumber, but I was told by a plumbing engineer that it is ok to tie into the washer standpipe under two conditions:
1) The sink cannot have a trap because the standpipe already has one and a fixture cannot be double trapped.
2) The sink drain must be within 30" horizontally of the trap, so the sink will need to go between the washer and dryer.

To be sure, you should call you local building department and ask.

Morn2112, I did some research in the past couple days as what you are suggesting is 100% correct. I'm going to read up on some other applicable codes and tackle this myself. Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

 

[bmrescort]

Well drumer if you would have supplied some clear pics of what you wanted to do maybe somebody could help you out, HA HA. I think putting the sink between the washer and dryer would be an ideal spot and I do believe that it would pass code just fine. And besides look at it this way even it did'nt pass code it would still operate just fine, and if you went to sell your house, the day before you list it just remove the sink and VIOLA all good.

 

[drummereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13053938#post13053938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bmrescort
Well drumer if you would have supplied some clear pics of what you wanted to do maybe somebody could help you out, HA HA. I think putting the sink between the washer and dryer would be an ideal spot and I do believe that it would pass code just fine. And besides look at it this way even it did'nt pass code it would still operate just fine, and if you went to sell your house, the day before you list it just remove the sink and VIOLA all good.

Thats what I thought too, although I really want to do it to code. Now all I have to figure out is how to get the hot and cold lines down the wall around the washer lines.

 

[bmrescort]

That is the easy part. All that you have to do is cut the existing copper lines that are running to the washer now and put a T in them and attach shut off's to the line where they will go to the sink and you should have no problems.
I installed a sink in my basement for the bar and did a similiar set up as you have there and for 5 years I have had no problems at all, in fact I am getting ready to do something very similiar in my fish room now.

 

[MayoBoy]

Put a wye fitting on the hot and cold taps and hook the washer and faucet up to the wye. (if you don't have much experience with sweating copper)

 

[drummereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13066664#post13066664 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoBoy
Put a wye fitting on the hot and cold taps and hook the washer and faucet up to the wye. (if you don't have much experience with sweating copper)

I asked a plumber about this and he suggested using a bypass valve from the hot/cold cutoffs to get water to the sink? Have you seen this before?

 

[MayoBoy]

At our old house, I used one of these:

Then I just used the braided hose to the faucet and washer. It took about 10 minutes (including drinking a beer after all the hard work).

We're staying in this house so I ran hard copper to the faucet, washer, etc.

 

[bmrescort]

Hey Mayo did you steal off the outside faucet that attaches to your sprinkler, HA HA.

 

[drummereef]

Thanks for the help guys. :thumbsup: Looks like this project is getting easier as it goes on. Got to do some research for the bypass valve and I'll be good to go.

 

[MayoBoy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13071997#post13071997 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bmrescort
Hey Mayo did you steal off the outside faucet that attaches to your sprinkler, HA HA.

That's exactly what it is - I didn't feel like futzing with the galvanized plumbing in a 90 year old house. Gotta pick your battles.

 

[bmrescort]

You still have to sweat the by-pass valve into the picture and they are not very cheap from what I have seen so that would just go right along with a reef set-up ($50.00 for a $5.00 item, lol
I never had a problem sweating copper so I guess that is why I would do the T thing but to each his own, good luck.