Plumbing causing washing machine/clothes smell?

MiserlyMartin

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Can anyone especially a plumbing expert look at this for me and give an opinion? I had both the dishwasher and the washing machine plumbed to the drain pipe by a plumber. Its a sealed drain with no access from outside the house - it just goes underground.

The dark grey hose is the dishwasher and that is attached to the drain pipe quite low down directly bypassing the U bends. The washing machine hose is a white flexy hose and is connected to the U bend of the sink. Could the smell be caused by the hose being too low down thus the drain pipe not being sealed off by the U bend? Also by the sink plughole going into the washing machine perhaps the waste is going into the drain hose of the machine too? I've changed my washing machine a while back and still suffer the same problem. I don't want to change it again to no avail. Its difficult though as once I wash new clothes with the old then they start to smell too! Its a New Year coming I want to sort it once and for all! Thanks for any suggestions

ic

ic

I'm struggling to make out what is connected to what there, however the waste pipes really should fall in at the last moment, before then they can be lower. You should be able to slacken the lighter pipe's connection and twist it up. The dark grey I can't figure out where its connecting in.

In my kitchen I have this kit - http://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-space-saving-sink-appliance-p-trap-white-40mm/66149. Both machines come in from the base, then loop above their connections either side then fall in. My only complaint is the gurgling noise that comes from the sink when the machines empty.

MiserlyMartin

I do believe I've managed to post a picture! This shows what the connection is of the grey pipe (Dishwasher). Thanks for the reply, interesting pipework in screwfix. I see the connection to the hoses are low but still above the U bend on that which is of course correct. I have two U bends, one for the sink , the other for the pop up waste centre bit, but they are not above the other U bend, could this be my problem?

Jonesya

Looking at your washing machine hose, it's connection appears slightly lower than the outlet of the trap, so there would always be waste water sitting in the end of the hose, also the hose doesn't appear to be looped upward to prevent back flow, so I'd imagine you could get waste flowing backward down the hose when you empty a full sink.

Also there's no obvious trap on the dishwasher outlet, it might have a built in valve in the outlet but can't be sure from the photo. Again, the hose isn't looped up to prevent back flow.

If it were mine I'd plumb it differently, I'd have one trap, lower down where the waste pipe enters the cupboard, and connect everything to that using a normal kitchen sink kit with appliance connectors. Something to give more vertical clearance between the trap and the waste pipe connections, and loop the hoses at a high point to stop back flow.

I'd use something like this if it would it:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-1-bowl-sink-kit-trap/6295p

Ruski

The dark grey self cutting connection to the waste does come with a backflow prevention, BUT it very often fails and will allow foul gas to enter the connected hose - this is probably the cause.

As others have suggested, fit a proper sink and half waste kit.

HTH

Russ

Mr.Generous

Jonesya wrote: »

Looking at your washing machine hose, it's connection appears slightly lower than the outlet of the trap, so there would always be waste water sitting in the end of the hose, also the hose doesn't appear to be looped upward to prevent back flow, so I'd imagine you could get waste flowing backward down the hose when you empty a full sink.

Also there's no obvious trap on the dishwasher outlet, it might have a built in valve in the outlet but can't be sure from the photo. Again, the hose isn't looped up to prevent back flow.

If it were mine I'd plumb it differently, I'd have one trap, lower down where the waste pipe enters the cupboard, and connect everything to that using a normal kitchen sink kit with appliance connectors. Something to give more vertical clearance between the trap and the waste pipe connections, and loop the hoses at a high point to stop back flow.

I'd use something like this if it would it:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-1-bowl-sink-kit-trap/6295p

Even with those trap kits you have to make sure the outlet hose has a decent drop into the spigot or it can backfill when you drain the sink.

southcoastrgi

Loosen the light coulered hose & turn the spigot up, get another trap with a spigot like the left hand one & fit that on the right hand side & move the dark pipe to the new spigot & don't use the bolted on connection

MiserlyMartin

Hi everyone. Thanks for the replies. The darker pipe is actually the dishwasher outlet and I don't have any problems at all with the dishwasher. What I've done now is to take off the lighter washing machine drain pipe, turned the spigot right up, re routed/refitted the pipe to make a big upside down U loop above the spigot. The top of the loop is now touching the metal of the sink bowl so its way above the plastic bend, about plug hole level. I can't see that now anything should get back into the washing machine!

I've looked at those traps I'm not sure if they will fit inside the cupboard, but will my solution work?

I've run the machine with one of those washing machine cleaner solutions at 90C wash. I'll see how I go but I fear the machine could be contaminated? I cleaned the rubber door seal too. Maybe I ought to replace it. Its old anyway - a Bosch with a hot water fill. Can't get those anymore...

googler

The washing machine outlet hose needs to be looped up higher than the level where it meets the solid pipework. The instructions for machine will likely specify this.

You need a hole in the side of the base unit as close to the worktop as you can get, passing the hose through that, or something to secure the hose up at worktop level. Like this;



or this



or this



I'd also recommend a jubilee clip to secure the hose onto the spigot.

I reckon the root cause of your problem is that water from the sink can feed into your washing machine hose before reaching the U-bend, and it's pooling in either the hose or machine

peachyprice

If you lose the shelf you should be able to extend the U-bend to below the level of the outlet.