In every laundry room, water is in abundance. So, it would be a brilliant idea to control it and point it in the appropriate direction. And the best route for it would be down the drainpipe and into the main sewer. Hence, installing a floor drain for the laundry room is necessary because it serves as a water infiltration point.
The good thing about the floor drain is that it’s pretty easy to install; you only need the essential tools, and you’re ready to go. However, I’ve never installed one; how can I go about it? Is that what you are asking? You don’t need to worry about that. After going through this article, you’ll know about how to install a floor drain for the laundry room;
- What Is A Laundry Room Floor Drain?
- How Does Laundry Room Drains Work?
- What You’ll Need for Laundry Room Floor Drain Installation?
- Points to be Considered before Installing Floor Drain for the Laundry Room
- How to Install a Floor Drain for the Laundry Room Like A Pro?
- How Should You Maintain Your Washing Machine Floor Drain System?
Now, let’s dive in.
What is a Laundry Room Floor Drain
A laundry room floor drain is a plumbing fixture installed in the structure’s floor to remove any standing water. The water leaves the laundry area through the floor drain.
How does Laundry Room Drains Work?
The laundry room drains offer a route out of the laundry room for the water spilt while doing the laundry. The water from the laundry room enters a 2-inch drain that is grate-covered and travels vertically through a PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) pipe buried beneath the floor. The water then moves through drain pipes inside the house to the sewage main through a P-trap.
What You’ll Need for Laundry Room Floor Drain Installation?
Tools/ Equipment for Installing a Washing Machine Drain
The followings are the tools or equipment required for installing a floor drain for the washing machine.
- 6-foot ladder
- Circular saw
- Cordless drill
- Hack saw or reciprocating saw
- Speed square
- Bubble level or a laser level
- Jigsaw or hole saw
- Tape measure
- Carpenter pencil
Materials for Installing a Washing Machine Drain
The followings are the materials required for installing a floor drain for the washing machine.
- 2-inch PVC hub-x-hub P-Trap
- Sandpaper
- 2-inch PVC shower Floor Drain
- Glue for PVC pipes
- 2-inch PVC hub-x-hub Couplings
- Galvanized Steel Hanging Strap
- 2-inch PVC Pipes of about 8 feet
- 2-inch PVC DWV(Drain Waste Vent) hub-x-hub-x-hub Tee
Points to be Considered before Installing Floor Drain for the Laundry Room
- Finding the final tie-in point where the sanitary tee would be located is necessary before beginning the installation process. If the lower area is a finished basement or habitable floor, you’ll have to remove its ceiling portion.
- You can access it by removing ceiling panels if it’s a drop ceiling. However, if it’s a drywall ceiling, you will need to cut into it and remove the necessary portion. Following your completion, you install the drywall.
How to Install a Floor Drain for the Laundry Room Like A Pro?
Here is the laundry room floor drain installation process in the 6 easy-peasy Steps:
Step 1: Locate and Cut a Hole in the Floor
- At the position of the proposed laundry floor drain, cut a 2-inch hole in the laundry floor using a jigsaw. What if the room already has tile flooring or you are installing a floor drain in concrete? Okay, don’t worry. You only need to take out a small section of mortar and tiles or concrete to cut the hole.
- Make sure you locate the drain hole at the floor’s lowest point to enhance proper drainage.
Step 2: Connect the Drain in the Laundry Room
Attach the shower floor drain with screws after placing it on the floor. Ensure that the lower extension fits through the hole and extends underneath the floor.
Step 3: Extend the Drain Assembly with an Extender Pipe
- Make a square cut of 2 inches in the PVC pipe and remove the plastic burrs using sandpaper.
- Apply PVC glue/adhesive on the outside and inside the 2-inch coupling and around the pipe extending below the laundry floor.
- Firmly hold the two pipes together for about a minute, or until the glue/adhesive has dried.
Step 4: Connect the P-Trap
- The drain pipe will finally connect with the drainage system that’s currently in place. So, draw a line between the two and link the P-trap to the assembly you created in the previous step, making sure it stays in a straight line.
- Next, glue the P-trap’s two sections together, being sure to position it straight forward towards the drain line.
If you want to know more about the different types of traps used in plumbing, click on the below link-
Step 5: Cut into the End-Point Drainage Pipe
- Using a hacksaw or reciprocating saw, cut the end of the drainage line (assume it is PVC pipe)
- Fit the 2-inch sanitary tee into the cut section and glue it in place.
- Add steel hanging straps and fasten them to the floor joists to carry the PVC pipe weight.
Step 6: Fix the Pipe to the PVC Tee
- If at all possible, make sure that the drain line slopes at least ¼-inch for every horizontal foot.
- Cut ½-inch PVC pipe to stretch from the PVC tee to the P-trap. Be sure to account for the inside of the coupling’s hub when measuring.
How should you Maintain your Washing Machine Floor Drain System?
A washing machine floor drain left unattended for a while can result in flooding and water damage. Your laundry floor drain will operate more effectively with water flow, if you follow these simple maintenance plans.
01. Regular and Effective Cleaning
Your floor drain needs to be cleaned efficiently and frequently, just like all other plumbing system components. You don’t need to regularly clean your floor drain, though only once every four months is required.
To clean the floor drain, you have to take out the drain cover and look for debris. If there is some debris, you can manually remove it or use a hose. A safe liquid drain cleaner would also be useful. For the cleaning of the floor drain under the washing machine, you have to regularly move the machine. So it is advisable to avoid placing the drain under the washing machine.
02. Fill Regularly on the Drain Trap
A drain trap is one of the most significant floor drain components. It prevents sewer gases and a lousy odour from wafting into your house. And to enable the drain trap to work effectively, always fill it with water. The water keeps the gases and offensive smells away from the house.
03. Unclog the Floor Drains as soon as Possible
The floor drain in your laundry room handles all kinds of debris, which can cause clogs at any time. A clogged floor drain in the laundry room is responsible for many problems. Therefore, if possible, you should clear any obstruction in the floor drain right away. To remove the debris in your floor drain, you’d need a plunger. A household plunger is such a must-have tool to deal with the clogged floor drain in the laundry room. Additionally, a solution of vinegar and baking soda would go a long way.
If you are passing through the same hustle, go through the below blog. It will surely help you to resolve your problem.
The advantages of installing a floor drain in your laundry room outweigh the costs by far. Therefore, if your home has plumbing connections, installing a floor drain for the laundry rooms can go a long way towards reducing water damage and flooding risk in your home. But, it is always advisable to provide flooring for the laundry room with a floor drain at the time of construction. Providing it afterwards, i.e. once the construction is over, might lead to certain recurring problems, such as leakages due to floor cutting.
A well-functioning laundry area is a must-have in every home. Any problem in this area brings your washing tasks to a standstill. The following are seven methods for detecting and preventing laundry plumbing problems. If you follow them, your regular laundry problems will be a thing of the past.
7 Ideas for Solving Laundry Plumbing Issues in the Room!
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Author Bio
Jennifer Kiminza – Jennifer Kiminza is a content writer and content marketing professional at Hub Spot, an inbound marketing and sales platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. Previously, Jennifer worked as a marketing manager for a tech software startup. She graduated with honors from Nairobi University with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing.