Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home water softener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both
hoses. I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe.
Everything works great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an
overflow, so I can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm
going to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

There is a nearby laundry drain that drains into the same vent via a
"P" trap, but it is higher than the water softener, so the gravity
feed overflow hose wouldn't work there. If I tried to connect the
discharge hose to the laundry drain, it would require some type of
fitting so the laundry water wouldn't come out place where the
softener hose goes in.

I really hate plumbing. LOL

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks,

Ron

rradliff wrote:

Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home water softener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both
hoses. I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe.
Everything works great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an
overflow, so I can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm
going to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

There is a nearby laundry drain that drains into the same vent via a
"P" trap, but it is higher than the water softener, so the gravity
feed overflow hose wouldn't work there. If I tried to connect the
discharge hose to the laundry drain, it would require some type of
fitting so the laundry water wouldn't come out place where the
softener hose goes in.

I really hate plumbing. LOL

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks,

Ron
Hi,
Mine is instralled by a plumber in the basement years ago. OF drain goes
to drain hole on the floor, Rinse drain goes to washer drain stack.

"rradliff" wrote in message
...
Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home water softener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both
hoses. I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe.
Everything works great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an
overflow, so I can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm
going to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

There is a nearby laundry drain that drains into the same vent via a
"P" trap, but it is higher than the water softener, so the gravity
feed overflow hose wouldn't work there. If I tried to connect the
discharge hose to the laundry drain, it would require some type of
fitting so the laundry water wouldn't come out place where the
softener hose goes in.

I really hate plumbing. LOL

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks,

Ron
You have a classic plumbing cross connection hazard and no inspector should
approve it. There is a definite possibility of sewage gases, bacteria, and
liquid getting into your water supply. Proper plumbing will make that not
just unlikely, but impossible. You need those lines to empty into a trap
with an air gap between the line and any possible water level from a
backed-up sewer. Above the laundry tub would be good for the main drain and
the overflow could go onto the floor near a drain.

If you can't figure out a way to fix it, you should have a plumber check it
out.

Don Young

On Wed, 4 Jun 2008 19:06:38 -0700 (PDT), rradliff
wrote:

Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home water softener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both
hoses. I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe.
Everything works great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an
overflow, so I can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm
going to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

There is a nearby laundry drain that drains into the same vent via a
"P" trap, but it is higher than the water softener, so the gravity
feed overflow hose wouldn't work there. If I tried to connect the
discharge hose to the laundry drain, it would require some type of
fitting so the laundry water wouldn't come out place where the
softener hose goes in.

I really hate plumbing. LOL

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks,

Ron

Others have given good advice. I'll add that you can raise the
softener up on a 6 or 8 inch platform if that helps get enough height
for the gravity overflow connection to work. I did this to mine in a
previous house and ran the overflow (with an air gap) into a pvc pipe
that ran along the wall and emptied into the floor drain under the
laundry sink.

HTH,

Paul F.

ask the inspector

----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

On Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:06:38 -0700, rradliff wrote:

Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home water softener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both hoses.
I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe. Everything works
great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an overflow, so I
can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm going
to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

There is a nearby laundry drain that drains into the same vent via a "P"
trap, but it is higher than the water softener, so the gravity feed
overflow hose wouldn't work there. If I tried to connect the discharge
hose to the laundry drain, it would require some type of fitting so the
laundry water wouldn't come out place where the softener hose goes in.

I really hate plumbing. LOL

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks,

Ron

Contact local building inspector and ask for an opinion based on a visual
inspection of your situation. BI's are pretty good with their advice.
Then fix the problem based o what he/she says. Homeowners can do their
own plumbing/electrical usually. If you need a permit, it's a small
price to pay because you know it will be inspected and approved. Still
cheaper than hiring a plumber. You might even be able to fix the problem
without a permit but this depends on how reasonable the inspector.

Yours sounds like a very minor issue that would take very little time/
materials to fix. Don't even admit to the inspector that you did the
work. Say that it's always been this way and now you are prepping the
home for sale.





--

=================================================
Franz Fripplfrappl

On Jun 5, 6:39 am, franz fripplfrappl wrote:
On Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:06:38 -0700, rradliff wrote:
Several years ago, I bought and self-installed a home watersoftener.
The unit has two output hoses. One is for the discharge during the
cleaning cycle and the other is a gravity feed overflow hose incase
something goes wrong and the unit starts to fill with water.

Undoubtedly not in the best plumbing practice, I cut a couple of holes
in a nearby plumbing vent pipe and used that as a drain for both hoses.
I sealed the hoses where they entered the vent pipe. Everything works
great with absolutely no problem. I've never had an overflow, so I
can't speak for that particular hose.

Now, I'm getting ready to sell the house and I'm wondering if I'm going
to run into a problem with inspectors.

If so, how can I correct the situation?

The actual drain line from the control valve of the softener/filter
can go up from its connector on the control valve 5-7' depending on
the brand/model of control valve, then sideways 10-30', again
depending on the control valve, it can go farther sideways IF the line
comes back down.

Any line from the elbow overflow fitting (EOF) on the side of the salt/
brine tank can not go uphill. It can not be connected to the softener/
filter drain line or the salt tank will fill with the discharge water
form the softener. That line must run downhill only. The vast majority
of people do not install a line on the EOF.

Yes hard plumbed no air gap drain line connections create a cross
connection between potable and gray or black sewer water and should
not be done. And there has to be a trap to prevent sewer gas escape.
Washing machine drains are an ideal place for a softener/filter drain
line, just make sure that adding the drain line along side the
machine's hose will not kink or close the softener drain line. In many
cases you can get a reducer fitting and a piece of larger pvc and get
both lines in the larger pipe. I.E. a 2" stand pipe with a 2.5" x 2"
fitting and 6" of 2.5" pvc.

BTW, vent lines are usually not allowed to be used.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

Thanks to one and all for the suggestions, advice, and
recommendations.

To clarify things a little, we have no basement so the softener is
located in a hall closet. Within the back wall of the closet is a
plumbing manifold that provides for turn-offs for every faucet and tap
in the house. That's where the vent pipe is also located. No floor
drain. On the opposite side of the wall is the laundry room with the
usual drain that connects (properly) to the vent pipe. Since the
drain is behind the manifold and it's many connections, I'd have to
cut out the drywall in the laundry room to make any connections to the
laundry drain. Since that is still higher than the overflow tube on
the softener, I'd still be confronted with that little problem.

My wife and I discussed the matter last night and have decided to call
a plumber (to get the job done right) and just remove the softener
completely and reconnect the water line in a straight through manner
like it was before I started playing handy man. He'd also have to
plug/repair the spots where I've entered the hoses into the vent pipe.

The next owner can fend for himself as I don't want to butcher up any
more walls with trap doors and access panels. As it is, I'll have a
bit of a drywall job on my hands.

Thanks again,

Ron

On Jun 5, 7:26 pm, rradliff wrote:
Thanks to one and all for the suggestions, advice, and
recommendations.

To clarify things a little, we have no basement so thesofteneris
located in a hall closet. Within the back wall of the closet is a
plumbing manifold that provides for turn-offs for every faucet and tap
in the house. That's where the vent pipe is also located. No floor
drain. On the opposite side of the wall is the laundry room with the
usual drain that connects (properly) to the vent pipe. Since the
drain is behind the manifold and it's many connections, I'd have to
cut out the drywall in the laundry room to make any connections to the
laundry drain. Since that is still higher than the overflow tube on
thesoftener, I'd still be confronted with that little problem.

My wife and I discussed the matter last night and have decided to call
a plumber (to get the job done right) and just remove thesoftener
completely and reconnect the water line in a straight through manner
like it was before I started playing handy man. He'd also have to
plug/repair the spots where I've entered the hoses into the vent pipe.

The next owner can fend for himself as I don't want to butcher up any
more walls with trap doors and access panels. As it is, I'll have a
bit of a drywall job on my hands.

Thanks again,

Ron

IMO that is a big mistake. Especially if you have a signed sales
contract and the prospective buyer has seen the softener in place and
now you remove the softener but if not...

Selling a house with hard water and no softener is harder than if
there was a softener, and you have one! And all you have to do is
drill a 5/8" hole through the wall into the laundry room and run the
drain line through it. Any hardware or big box stores or a softener
dealer sells the drain line. You don't have to cut holes and do access
doors etc.. And you do not have to connect a drain to the salt tank;
especially if there is a float in the salt tank. I'm telling you this
after spending 21 years selling, installing and servicing softeners
and other water treatment equipment. if the new owner doesn't like
your drain line installation, s/he can change it easily, if there is
no softener, they will have the same problems you see now but, there
will be no evidence of a previous install and they will not be happy.
You can also ask any real estate agent about what I'm telling you and
see if they don't agree.

Normally a washing machine drain does not connect to a vent line, it
goes to a regular sewer drain line.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

On Jun 6, 8:37*am, Gary Slusser wrote:
On Jun 5, 7:26 pm, rradliff wrote:





Thanks to one and all for the suggestions, advice, and
recommendations.

To clarify things a little, we have no basement so thesofteneris
located in a hall closet. *Within the back wall of the closet is a
plumbing manifold that provides for turn-offs for every faucet and tap
in the house. *That's where the vent pipe is also located. *No floor
drain. *On the opposite side of the wall is the laundry room with the
usual drain that connects (properly) to the vent pipe. *Since the
drain is behind the manifold and it's many connections, I'd have to
cut out the drywall in the laundry room to make any connections to the
laundry drain. *Since that is still higher than the overflow tube on
thesoftener, I'd still be confronted with that little problem.

My wife and I discussed the matter last night and have decided to call
a plumber (to get the job done right) and just remove thesoftener
completely and reconnect the water line in a straight through manner
like it was before I started playing handy man. *He'd also have to
plug/repair the spots where I've entered the hoses into the vent pipe.

The next owner can fend for himself as I don't want to butcher up any
more walls with trap doors and access panels. *As it is, I'll have a
bit of a drywall job on my hands.

Thanks again,

Ron

IMO that is a big mistake. Especially if you have a signed sales
contract and the prospective buyer has seen the softener in place and
now you remove the softener but if not...

Selling a house with hard water and no softener is harder than if
there was a softener, and you have one! And all you have to do is
drill a 5/8" hole through the wall into the laundry room and run the
drain line through it. Any hardware or big box stores or a softener
dealer sells the drain line. You don't have to cut holes and do access
doors etc.. And you do not have to connect a drain to the salt tank;
especially if there is a float in the salt tank. I'm telling you this
after spending 21 years selling, installing and servicing softeners
and other water treatment equipment. if the new owner doesn't like
your drain line installation, s/he can change it easily, if there is
no softener, they will have the same problems you see now but, there
will be no evidence of a previous install and they will not be happy.
You can also ask any real estate agent about what I'm telling you and
see if they don't agree.

Normally a washing machine drain does not connect to a vent line, it
goes to a regular sewer drain line.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Gary,

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't really considered just running the
hose straight through the wall and dumping into laundry drain. I was
thinking I'd have to add a "Y" to the existing laundry drain PVC and
entering that way. Maybe I need to rethink this a bit more.

As far as the overflow, there is no float or anything of that nature.
The softener unit is a fairly cheap one. I believe it's called a
Water Boss (I'm at work right now and don't have access to it). It
only stands a couple of feet tall at most and is setting on a 6"
platform that I made to get it off the ground. I've never been even
close to having an overflow problem. My main concern in this whole
thing is the overflow drain since it's totally gravity feed and must
dump into drain etc which is lower than itself. If you think I'd be
OK by just plugging the overflow at it's source, I could easily
proceed along those lines.

I haven't sold the house yet, so there's no problem with bait and
switch with a buyer. We won't be selling until early next year when I
retire. I fully agree that that an installed softener, of any size or
quality, would be a definite selling point. I just don't want to end
up where the hastle/expense out weighs the gains.

Ron

On Jun 6, 10:38 am, rradliff wrote:
On Jun 6, 8:37 am, Gary Slusser wrote:



On Jun 5, 7:26 pm, rradliff wrote:

Thanks to one and all for the suggestions, advice, and
recommendations.

To clarify things a little, we have no basement so thesofteneris
located in a hall closet. Within the back wall of the closet is a
plumbing manifold that provides for turn-offs for every faucet and tap
in the house. That's where the vent pipe is also located. No floor
drain. On the opposite side of the wall is the laundry room with the
usual drain that connects (properly) to the vent pipe. Since the
drain is behind the manifold and it's many connections, I'd have to
cut out the drywall in the laundry room to make any connections to the
laundry drain. Since that is still higher than the overflow tube on
thesoftener, I'd still be confronted with that little problem.

My wife and I discussed the matter last night and have decided to call
a plumber (to get the job done right) and just remove thesoftener
completely and reconnect the water line in a straight through manner
like it was before I started playing handy man. He'd also have to
plug/repair the spots where I've entered the hoses into the vent pipe.

The next owner can fend for himself as I don't want to butcher up any
more walls with trap doors and access panels. As it is, I'll have a
bit of a drywall job on my hands.

Thanks again,

Ron

IMO that is a big mistake. Especially if you have a signed sales
contract and the prospective buyer has seen thesoftenerin place and
now you remove thesoftenerbut if not...

Selling a house with hard water and nosofteneris harder than if
there was asoftener, and you have one! And all you have to do is
drill a 5/8" hole through the wall into the laundry room and run the
drain line through it. Any hardware or big box stores or asoftener
dealer sells the drain line. You don't have to cut holes and do access
doors etc.. And you do not have to connect a drain to the salt tank;
especially if there is a float in the salt tank. I'm telling you this
after spending 21 years selling, installing and servicing softeners
and other water treatment equipment. if the new owner doesn't like
your drain line installation, s/he can change it easily, if there is
nosoftener, they will have the same problems you see now but, there
will be no evidence of a previous install and they will not be happy.
You can also ask any real estate agent about what I'm telling you and
see if they don't agree.

Normally a washing machine drain does not connect to a vent line, it
goes to a regular sewer drain line.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Gary,

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't really considered just running the
hose straight through the wall and dumping into laundry drain. I was
thinking I'd have to add a "Y" to the existing laundry drain PVC and
entering that way. Maybe I need to rethink this a bit more.

As far as the overflow, there is no float or anything of that nature.
Thesoftenerunit is a fairly cheap one. I believe it's called a
Water Boss (I'm at work right now and don't have access to it). It
only stands a couple of feet tall at most and is setting on a 6"
platform that I made to get it off the ground. I've never been even
close to having an overflow problem. My main concern in this whole
thing is the overflow drain since it's totally gravity feed and must
dump into drain etc which is lower than itself. If you think I'd be
OK by just plugging the overflow at it's source, I could easily
proceed along those lines.

I haven't sold the house yet, so there's no problem with bait and
switch with a buyer. We won't be selling until early next year when I
retire. I fully agree that that an installedsoftener, of any size or
quality, would be a definite selling point. I just don't want to end
up where the hastle/expense out weighs the gains.

Ron

You may be able to drill a hole through the wall to the outdoors at
the floor etc. for the salt tank drain line. Just plug or cover the
end of it with screening so water can get out but insects etc. can't
get in. Over flowing of the salt tank happens but not very frequently
but, it can cause a real mess when it happens; it depends on how soon
it is found.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

On Jun 6, 5:52*pm, Gary Slusser wrote:
On Jun 6, 10:38 am, rradliff wrote:





On Jun 6, 8:37 am, Gary Slusser wrote:

On Jun 5, 7:26 pm, rradliff wrote:

Thanks to one and all for the suggestions, advice, and
recommendations.

To clarify things a little, we have no basement so thesofteneris
located in a hall closet. *Within the back wall of the closet is a
plumbing manifold that provides for turn-offs for every faucet and tap
in the house. *That's where the vent pipe is also located. *No floor
drain. *On the opposite side of the wall is the laundry room with the
usual drain that connects (properly) to the vent pipe. *Since the
drain is behind the manifold and it's many connections, I'd have to
cut out the drywall in the laundry room to make any connections to the
laundry drain. *Since that is still higher than the overflow tube on
thesoftener, I'd still be confronted with that little problem.

My wife and I discussed the matter last night and have decided to call
a plumber (to get the job done right) and just remove thesoftener
completely and reconnect the water line in a straight through manner
like it was before I started playing handy man. *He'd also have to
plug/repair the spots where I've entered the hoses into the vent pipe.

The next owner can fend for himself as I don't want to butcher up any
more walls with trap doors and access panels. *As it is, I'll have a
bit of a drywall job on my hands.

Thanks again,

Ron

IMO that is a big mistake. Especially if you have a signed sales
contract and the prospective buyer has seen thesoftenerin place and
now you remove thesoftenerbut if not...

Selling a house with hard water and nosofteneris harder than if
there was asoftener, and you have one! And all you have to do is
drill a 5/8" hole through the wall into the laundry room and run the
drain line through it. Any hardware or big box stores or asoftener
dealer sells the drain line. You don't have to cut holes and do access
doors etc.. And you do not have to connect a drain to the salt tank;
especially if there is a float in the salt tank. I'm telling you this
after spending 21 years selling, installing and servicing softeners
and other water treatment equipment. if the new owner doesn't like
your drain line installation, s/he can change it easily, if there is
nosoftener, they will have the same problems you see now but, there
will be no evidence of a previous install and they will not be happy.
You can also ask any real estate agent about what I'm telling you and
see if they don't agree.

Normally a washing machine drain does not connect to a vent line, it
goes to a regular sewer drain line.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Gary,

Thanks for the advice. *I hadn't really considered just running the
hose straight through the wall and dumping into laundry drain. *I was
thinking I'd have to add a "Y" to the existing laundry drain PVC and
entering that way. *Maybe I need to rethink this a bit more.

As far as the overflow, there is no float or anything of that nature.
Thesoftenerunit is a fairly cheap one. *I believe it's called a
Water Boss (I'm at work right now and don't have access to it). *It
only stands a couple of feet tall at most and is setting on a 6"
platform that I made to get it off the ground. *I've never been even
close to having an overflow problem. *My main concern in this whole
thing is the overflow drain since it's totally gravity feed and must
dump into drain etc which is lower than itself. *If you think I'd be
OK by just plugging the overflow at it's source, I could easily
proceed along those lines.

I haven't sold the house yet, so there's no problem with bait and
switch with a buyer. *We won't be selling until early next year when I
retire. *I fully agree that that an installedsoftener, of any size or
quality, would be a definite selling point. *I just don't want to end
up where the hastle/expense out weighs the gains.

Ron

You may be able to drill a hole through the wall to the outdoors at
the floor etc. for the salt tank drain line. Just plug or cover the
end of it with screening so water can get out but insects etc. can't
get in. Over flowing of the salt tank happens but not very frequently
but, it can cause a real mess when it happens; it depends on how soon
it is found.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Unfortunately, there is no outside wall where the unit is located.
I'm considering one of two things:
1. Build some kind of stand so the unit will be high enough to
utilize the drain in the laundry room.

2. Buy a taller unit and install it at the same location.

Obviously, I'd prefer the first option to keep the costs down.

Ron