How to Prevent Washer Siphoning

If you have ever experienced the problem where you washer continually fills but never reaches the proper level (not an overflow). Or, the wash tub water level cannot be maintained, because the water level keeps dropping. You may be experiencing what is known as “siphoning”. This occurs when there is no air gap for the drain line at the standpipe. The standpipe is the drain pipe at the wall where the washer drain line is placed. With no air gap, a vacuum is created, and water will begin to drain from the wash tub prematurely. To prevent this from occurring, follow this advice:

• The standpipe should be 2 inches in diameter to allow a sufficient air gap between the top of the standpipe and the drain hose.
• The standpipe should be a minimum of 34” from the floor, and should not exceed 72 inches in height.
• DO NOT seal the top of the standpipe. Many consumers seal the standpipe in the belief that this will prevent overflows, or get rid of drain odors. This often creates more problems than solutions.
• DO NOT place the drain hose too far down into the pipe. Water stays in the drain trap area of the standpipe. If the end of the drain hose rests in this area, no air gap is created, and this can also cause siphoning. 4 to 6 inches is sufficient.
• The drain hose length must not exceed 10 feet in length. Excessive drain hose length can cause drain problems and back wash.

I hope these tips are informative and will help prevent some of the more common washer drain problems that can easily be mistaken for a more serious problem. You can save yourself a service call, just by double checking your installation.