Washing machine water emptying into sink...

janninew

I have exactly the same problem at my house, and its been like this for 4 days now! I can't use the washing machine, dishwasher or sink as the water overflows into my sink, its a right old pain in the bum! I'm assuming its frozen pipes as well, I've tried using a hair dryer, wrapping the exposed pipes outside, but all to no avail! I'm just waiting for the temp to heat up a bit and defrost it. I had the same problem about 3 weeks ago and it resolved itself when the temp went above freezing.

Sensemaya

Thanks for everyone's help and advice.

I'm off out now and b/friend is coming round tonight. Luckily the water is running OK, we can use the bathroom and wash dishes there too.

Having buckets at hand what would be likely to happen if I ran an empty 95 degree wash or 60, perhaps?

Would it be stupid, would it perhaps burst the pipe, it is just a daft suggestion?

I will log back in tonight.

Thanks again.

ormus

yes that is stupid.
you need to thaw the pipes out with some external heat.
or remove the pipe/s and clear the ice slug out.

(its almost certainly a frozen pipe problem).

SailorSam

I spent the day before Christmas with the same problem when the shower backed up.
It discharges into a grid outside, the grid was full of leaves which was frozen solid, the water from the shower had no where to go so the pipe froze up,
I had to clean out the grid (very smelly job) then take the pipe off to clear that.

challengedavid

as others have said, will just be a blocked pipe, you can leave it to thaw out (hopefully the next couple of days) or as i had to do last year take the pipe out and clear the blocked ice in the shower, looking back at it as soon as i found out what it was 10 mins later all working ok

ormus

forecast is for plus 7 degrees c, here next tuesday.
so i imagine all these frozen pipe problems will be solved.

Sensemaya

ormus wrote: »

yes that is stupid.
you need to thaw the pipes out with some external heat.
or remove the pipe/s and clear the ice slug out.

(its almost certainly a frozen pipe problem).

:rotfl::rotfl::T:T:T:beer:

Your reply made me laugh out loud. He's coming over soon, so we will take it from there.

Sensemaya

Hope this picture works. Excuse the mess too...soda crystals etc.

It was blocked. Appears that the waste pipe is very near the electrial sockets and is an unnecessarliy complex series of right angle joints.There is no fall on the final six foot of 3/4 inch pipe which joins to the soil pipe. Soil pipe is cased in without any access.

Going to do a maintenance wash now.

Any suggestions about remedying this mess the kitchen fitter did when it was installed 3 years and what is the likely cost?

Thanks.

macman

Can't make out anything from your photo. It's not so much the right hand bend, but the lack of fall that is causing the problem-water will not defy gravity, even for kitchen fitters. Water will sit in it and grease and soap scum build up until it blocks.
Does it have to run to the soil stack? Is there a gully it could discharge into instead?

Sensemaya

Hi macman

There is no gully.