How the job runs
- 1Watch a drain cyclesee whether the standpipe overflows or the laundry tub backs up
- 2Clear lintsnake the standpipe and the branch to remove lint and detergent sludge
- 3Check height and trapcorrect a standpipe that is too short or missing its trap
- 4Replace hosesswap rubber supply hoses for braided stainless ones
- 5Add a lint trapfit a mesh trap on the discharge hose to catch fibres
01Lint is the enemy
Synthetic fabrics shed fibres that pass the washer filter and settle in the drain with detergent residue. Over a few years the line narrows. The first sign is usually water backing up into the laundry tub during the spin cycle.
A cable clears it, and a cheap mesh lint catcher on the discharge hose stops most of the buildup.
| Common setup | Washer emptying into a laundry tub next to it |
|---|---|
| Rubber hoses | Worth replacing well before they burst |
| Shut-off valves | Close them when away for long periods |
02Hoses that burst
Rubber washer hoses become brittle with age and can split while nobody is home. A burst supply hose runs at full house pressure until somebody notices. Braided stainless hoses are a small upgrade that removes most of that risk.
03Moving the laundry
Plenty of Scarborough bungalows have laundry tucked in a corner of the basement next to the furnace. If you are moving it upstairs, that is a rough-in job that needs proper drainage and venting, and a permit.
04Upstairs laundry
Second-floor laundry needs a drain pan.