My poor husband has worked all week in the evenings trying to locate and fix a block in the pipes from the washing machine. Couldn't find a thing and even took pipe apart that he now needs to gaffer tape back together (for now). We thought it was the pipes because I tried to wash a charity shop throw that lost a lot of lint and he found the pipes had a lot of blue stuff in it (probably just jeans dye or something).
Finally got to the outside pipe to the drain, got into the drain. Part of the pipe to the drain had been obstructed by some little thing that the water softener people had put in it, which didn't help, but the main reason for the "block" was that the outlet pipe had frozen up solid.
Poor man, all that work only to find it was something simple, on the outside. Hope you all fare better. We need to get insulation around that pipe quick now!
Learn from our mistake - lagging error
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the-gnole
Re: Learn from our mistake - lagging error
Last year was one of the worst for outside drain pipes freezing up, and if it was the one carrying the condense from a gas boiler it often resulted in no heating as the boiler won't work when the drain is blocked.
Anyway, another way to try and avoid frozen waste pipes, usually about 32mm diameter or 40mm diameter is to make sure that they have a good fall from the wall to the drain and as short a run as possible to the gully, or if you can do it enlarge it to a bigger pipe, something like 50mm is the biggest waste pipe size.
Another thing to watch for is the cold wash cycles so many folks do, the water just isn't as hot as it used to be.
The best way to clear the block is really simple, a kettle of hot water should be poured over the whole length of the pipe, this will probably only thaw the outer contact with the pipe, so the plug of ice will still be in the pipe, so more warm water needs running inside and outside of the pipe.
lagging wise, a trip to the local pipe merchants for some lagging to suit the size of pipe, best type is "Armaflex", this is black closed-cell foam and can be glued along the split to keep in place.
Another way is to box the pipe in with about 50mm gap between the outside of the pipe and the inside of the box, then fill the void with sawdust, make sure it cant run out top and bottom and seal with paint or varnish so as to keep it dry. Only thing worse than no lagging in wet lagging.
Anyway, another way to try and avoid frozen waste pipes, usually about 32mm diameter or 40mm diameter is to make sure that they have a good fall from the wall to the drain and as short a run as possible to the gully, or if you can do it enlarge it to a bigger pipe, something like 50mm is the biggest waste pipe size.
Another thing to watch for is the cold wash cycles so many folks do, the water just isn't as hot as it used to be.
The best way to clear the block is really simple, a kettle of hot water should be poured over the whole length of the pipe, this will probably only thaw the outer contact with the pipe, so the plug of ice will still be in the pipe, so more warm water needs running inside and outside of the pipe.
lagging wise, a trip to the local pipe merchants for some lagging to suit the size of pipe, best type is "Armaflex", this is black closed-cell foam and can be glued along the split to keep in place.
Another way is to box the pipe in with about 50mm gap between the outside of the pipe and the inside of the box, then fill the void with sawdust, make sure it cant run out top and bottom and seal with paint or varnish so as to keep it dry. Only thing worse than no lagging in wet lagging.
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Rosesandtea
Re: Learn from our mistake - lagging error
Thanks, I'll get my husband to read your post gnole. It turns out that something else is still wrong, although he has defrosted the pipe and checked all the pipes coming out of the machine.
Some friends of ours who kindly let us use their washing machine today told dh the same thing about the water temps, and recommended we run a wash at 95 C once a month. This may explain why when I was using cloth nappies (for kids!) we never had a problem.
Some friends of ours who kindly let us use their washing machine today told dh the same thing about the water temps, and recommended we run a wash at 95 C once a month. This may explain why when I was using cloth nappies (for kids!) we never had a problem.
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the-gnole
Re: Learn from our mistake - lagging error
Evening R&T
I guess that you have already tried the machines filter, usually behind a small spring loaded door on the front bottom right hand corner?
Have you tried taking the waste water hose and hooking it over the sink edge or a bucket and give it a very short hot rinse cycle?
I guess that you have already tried the machines filter, usually behind a small spring loaded door on the front bottom right hand corner?
Have you tried taking the waste water hose and hooking it over the sink edge or a bucket and give it a very short hot rinse cycle?