Separation wall issue?

[Brandon Whitmore]

I run into this every once in a while and am curious as to what others would say, if anything. For this house, the washing machine pan is placed on the 2nd level of the home above the garage area. The drain pipe appears to daylight in the garage........

Click to Enlarge

28.49 KB

Click to Enlarge

19.89 KB

[Inspectorjoe]

Around here, they run them to the basement. I've never seen one terminate in a garage.

I'd recommend it be moved for two reasons: flame spread and carbon monoxide entry.

[Garet]

That's a stupendous way to bring automobile exhaust into the living space.

[Brandon Whitmore]

Thanks guys.

I've been writing them up, but I see this installation just often enough to where I'm starting to wonder whether I'm missing or not considering something.. This was on a near perfect house built in 2011, so it really got me to wondering if my brain was messed up.

On a side note....... my afternoon inspection was for a "new construction" house built back in 2006--- builder is still sitting on it.

[Jim Katen]

I run into this every once in a while and am curious as to what others would say, if anything. For this house, the washing machine pan is placed on the 2nd level of the home above the garage area. The drain pipe appears to daylight in the garage........

. . .

I saw one exactly like it just this afternoon. (Townhome built by Renaissance.)

I recommend installing a check valve, such as a Dranjer D-R2, at the pan's flange. Those valves are made to prevent radon from entering basements via the floor drains. http://www.radon.biz/drainaccessories.aspx

I don't believe that fire spread is much of a risk with the pipe entering the garage near the floor like that. However, carbon monoxide is a real danger. Between the dryer and the laundry room's vent fan, the laundry room can suck 250 cubic feet per minute, which can have air whistling up that vent at a pretty good clip.

By the way, every time I've tested one of those pans with water, the water leaks right out the front under the little aluminum dam. They need caulk or something there.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

Thanks Jim..

This was a Centex (Pulte?) home in Hillsboro.