I’m installing a Laundry to Landscape system that drops outside the wall then has a slight uphill (still below the washer). I put a check valve in at the low point to prevent water from flowing back, but when I disconnect it (at a union), there is standing water on both sides…should I be concerned about this stagnant water in the line? I wondered about putting a drip emitter on the uphill side to drain the water out, but realized that would break the vacuum from the washer pump – any ideas? Leave the water in the line? Put a check valve closer to the washer as well?
- spencer asked 10 years ago
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It doesn’t sound to me like you really need a check valve in the system. Since check valves add friction and are a potential clogging point I don’t think they should be used unless necessary (e.g. the water would actually flow back into the washer).
In your install it sounds like there will be standing water in the line with or without the check valve…. so I would remove it. The standing water will get a little stinky as it sits there, but since it’s going to be distributed subsurface the odor won’t be a problem. Worst case scenario you’ll smell a faint anaerobic odor for a few seconds next time someone does laundry and the old water gets pushed out.
A potential alternative option would be find a plant to irrigate near the low point and dig a larger basin so it can soak up the water as it drains the line.
- Guest answered 10 years ago
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So no check valve is ok? Let the water settle where it wants?
and what about not having more than a 2′ rise and 50′ run?
What was the last bit you mentioned? About finding the plant to irrigate – you mean with the check valve in place and the irrigation emitter to drain the line? Will the emitter mess with the pressure in the line? Especially since I am close to 50′ from the washer…
Thanks
- spencer answered 9 years ago
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Maybe you should draw a diagram in case I’m not understanding the set-up. (Are you going up 2 feet and 50 feet horizontally?) But, if all the GW lines are lower than the washer, then I would not put in a check valve anywhere in the system since there is no way for the water to drain back into the machine. You could put an outlet at the low point if there is a nearby plant to irrigate, then the water would drain out there after the machine stops pumping.
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