Plumbing advice needed...

[jjfj80]

My washer wasn't draining, and a plumber couldn't snake it out.
The drain stack is/was galvanized pipe, going into a cast iron J-trap and cast iron drain.
Plumber quoted me a minimum of 500.00 to fix it.
My house was built in the 30's, and the addition where the washer is was put on in the mid-50's.
The thing is, this drain isn't vented. While I'm in there, must I add a vent?
This thing's been working fine for 50+ years.
I'm planning on replacing the J-trap on up with PVC,
and using a rubber coupling to join the cast iron drain to the PVC.

 

[jjfj80]

Thought a pic might help. I rented a 20 lb jack-hammer at
Home Depot this morning. Black goo oozed out of the bottom
of the old trap.

 

[Koffer]

Cut the cast iron at the old leak , use a rubber coupler then install a Y to make a cleanout with a cap so you can clean out going toward the cast iron(you know that its about a 1/2" inside by now 50 60 years later) toss in a "P" trap and up to the washer . how far away is the vent stack away ? I wouldnt worry too much about a vent

 

[jjfj80]

I'm in the process of cutting the cast iron just to the left of the
old leak. If there's room, I'll put in the "Y" cleanout. I think there is.
I cut a hole in the floor under the washer to avoid a 50 foot crawl under the house.

Thanks for the input.

 

[haystax]

No need for a vent stack - just throw in a AAV under the sink and you should be good. Might keep from siphoning the trap at least.

 

[Toyo FJ40]

Like Koffer said the distance is the thing to worry about for venting. If it's a 2" line and the trap less than 8 ft from the main line than you don't need a vent. I wouldn't put the trap back in the slab, just stub the line up and put the trap above the floor.

 

[Photoman]

I would also put a cleanout tee with threaded cap in the stack marked "galvanized washer drain". It would then be easy to snake the trap in the future.

 

[jjfj80]

Well, this is what I came up with this morning...

 

[Koffer]

looks good but I would have used a Y fitting and then a 45deg as its a bitch to run a snake that far thru that one but its way better then what you had

 

[jjfj80]

I saw the "Y's" when I was getting fittings this morning, but it didn't dawn on me to add a 45. Everything is glued, and no leaks.
I feel a lot better about having PVC down there, sooo much easier to fix. And I've got an access panel under the washer.
Now we've got a buttload of laundry to do.