Does a Washing Machine Drain Hose Need to Be Elevated?

If you’re installing a new washing machine in your home, you might be wondering about the installation.

One of the questions that comes up a lot about installing washing machines is whether or not the drain hose should be elevated.

The short answer is yes, a washing machine drain hose must be elevated.

The drain should be at least as high as the washing machine door. This prevents any water from overflowing the drain while it is in use.

If you already have a washing machine in your home, you can take a look at the drain. It is basically a pipe that sticks out of the floor about 2 ft or 600 mm.

When installing your washing machine, you push the drain hose into this pipe, and it will then drain all of the water away.

If the drain pipe isn’t elevated like this, it can create siphoning, which will push water back up the pipe and all over the floor.

 

What If You Don’t Have a Washing Machine Drain?

If you don’t have a washing machine drain like the one mentioned above, you can plumb your washing machine into the sink drain instead.

This does mean that the placement of your washing machine in your kitchen can be somewhat restricted. Still, at least you can install your washing machine fairly easily.

Unless you’re a dab hand at plumbing, it is worth having a plumber plumb your washing machine drain hose into the drain for your sink.

This isn’t too complex for a plumber to do and certainly won’t take too long or cost the earth, but it can get tricky for even a very seasoned DIYer.

You could also hook your washing machine drain hose over your sink. This isn’t a long-term solution, though.

While your washing machine will be useable if you do this, you’ll need to ensure there is nothing in the sink that can cause a blockage in the drain hose. Even a dishcloth, for example.

Anything in the sink that can cause a blockage can mean a very expensive bill. If you are cautious, though, hooking the drain hose of your washing machine over your sink is a simple solution to use while waiting for a plumber to hook it up to the sink drain.

 

Do You Need a Plumber to Install a Washing Machine?

If you’re replacing an old washing machine and have a perfectly good washing machine drain pipe to use, then no, you don’t. It is very simple to install a washing machine in this case.

If you do need to connect the drain hose to the sink, or another part of the plumbing, then yes, we would advise that you call a plumber to install it for you. The installation must be done correctly, otherwise, your plumbing may be affected.

We hope this look at whether a washing machine drain hose should be elevated has been helpful.

To recap, yes, the drain hose of your washing machine should be elevated. While most homes in the UK already have a system in place for this, if yours doesn’t, plumbing it into the sink is the best option for you.

For more common washing machine questions and answers, please explore In The Wash further.

We also have some of the best washing machines available in the UK right now if you are still looking at new washing machines to replace your current one.