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Author:
cvcman
Ok guys I cant figure this out for the life of me..we eft a weeka ago for vacation , I shut the main water off like I always do. We live in a ranch with a first floor laundry, its a stackable washer dryer Kenmore brand...I came home to a damp smell and when I went in the basement the floor was soaked and there was water dripping from the floor joists and celeing...I ran upstairs and looked in the laundry and the tub of the washer was full to the brim overflowing...
My wife thinks maybe the sewer backed up in there but it wasnt septic water and the bathtub was dry as was the stand up pipe that the washer drains into.
How could this have happened ???? My rug outside the laundry is soaked so after a 13 hr straight home drive im trying to run the dehumidifier and soak up everything....will this ruin all the plywood that got wet ???
Man im too old and too tired to do this ....
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Call you homeowners insurance co. This seems like dejavu......I know I've read this same posting from others on here before.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
As we warn to leave a faucet open on the drained system.seems you have a valve whole house that did not fully close.and with no relief to an exterior point the washing machine solenoid failed and flooded your residence.As said this is mechanical failure and where homer owners will not fix the machine it would pay to restore most of the damage as it is probably extensive.nothing beats a s/s ball valve.ALWAYS,Have a water drain point that will not damage the interior of your dwelling.
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Author:
cvcman
well I got a 500.00 deductable so it probably wouldnt be worth it to turn it in
1)I wonder if the plywood will be ruined ?? Its double 1/2" plywood NOT particle board..It was able to run down into the basement thru the hole under the washer that the pipes run thru so it wasnt satnding water..
2)I wonder if the water inlet valve stuck or something and the main shutoff didnt shut off tight, its the original and the house is 55 yrs old
3)Do you think I should put another shut off above the one thats there like a ball valve ??
4) If so this is 3/4" line would I use a sweat connection ??
5) will the carpet and pad dry out or will I have to replace it ( i hope not )
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
Cave I would pull the padding to save the carpet.Dry dry dry.dehydrators de-humidifers,ect.the valve could be seconded by what ever the tubing used suggests.Copper sweat in anew brass ball valve pex galzanized cpvc?placing a drain on the house side of the tubing that run's off all water is key.
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Author:
cvcman
i think the dehumid is drying the carpet ok...
Not sure I follow on the drain ???
Its 3/4" copper coming in. I could have the village sut the water off out side and change the washer in the tur shutoff, or..just put a ball valve above the turn one ???
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Author:
cvcman
it seems to be drying up with the dehumids on its still very damp, it doesnt smell or anything as it was clean water...we shall see I guess
I left the main water turned on all night and looked in the washer this morning and it was bone dry.....could something have just stuck or something ?? The only thing I did before we left AFTER i turned the main water off is went up to the washer and turned to button to call for water just to release the pressure in the hoses, then I turned it back to STOP and kept the button pushed in....
Where is HJ he is usually my hero on these things, i just dont know what to do..The carpet guy said the pad will not soak up water it is a commmerical pad and the carpet will dry fine....I may turn on my central ac today that usually drys things up quick...
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Author:
jimmy-o (CA)
Rarely can you get away with not replacing the pad. Time will tell.
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Author:
PlumerDan (CA)
i know you think 500 is a lot but if you do it yourself and the floor warps or the floor joists twist ,the ins co may say you caused the extra damage buy waiting.you need water damage experts with thier big blowers etc. did it get the sheetrock wet?what about future mold or mildew? just bite the bullit and let the prows handle this.good luck
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Author:
hj
The water did NOT back up from the sewer, and with the washer turned off, the valve should not have opened to let water into the machine, so whatever happened was a "glitch". Your valve probably does NOT have a washer in it, and a plumber would remove it and install a ball valve in its place. IF you were to call a "flood control" company, they might remove the carpet and padding, or just loosen it and blow air between the carpet and padding to dry it out.
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Author:
cvcman
ok update; I was advised that when I released the pressure on the washer valve by having it call for water with the water turned off it "relaxes" the valve, that and my main shut off not completly shutting off made this happen ???
so.. i went to the vilage dpw this morning and borrowed the shutoff tool and shut the water off at the curb, I removed my main shut off screw valve and there was NO washer and no screw to hold the washer, i assume this would let water leak by !! It has been this way for awhile because the screw hole was full of crud..
So I ran a tap to clean up the threads and put a new washer and screw and reassembeled it and it seems fine now...
1) So water was probbaly leaking by with no washer there and by me releasing the pressure at the washer it came out in the tub right ??
2)If I had left the basement faucet open this would never have happened right ??
It is a ranch house with the stackable washer and dryer on the living floor BUT there is a 2ft sq hole under and behind that washer that MOST of the water came thru so there was NO standing water on the living floor and no sheetrock damage ...the floors are 2 layers of 1/2" plywood ( 55 yr old hosue ) I did talk to my carpet guy and he said " its all synthetic pad and carpet so it will not mildew or mold, let it dry"
so....
1) do I leave the inlet valve alone, i had the water on last night all night and not a drop in the tub
2) should I buy a pan to go under the washer just in case and have it drain down on to the basement concrete floor to my floor drain ?
3) when I replaced the screw and washer on my shutoff I dug the old packing out from under the packing nut because it was all falling apert, I installed NEW packing but its not the graphite its like teflon , is that ok ???
4) so do I just let the dehumidifers run and let the carpet continue to dry or rip it up...
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
deja vue: after you shut the whole house valve ..... open a hose bibb (or a faucet) to ensure you have a 'tight' shut-down ..... leave the bib open while away
- - - - - - -
Measure twice, cut once.
Retired Plumbers Local Union #1
Edited 2 times.
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Author:
hj
1. Yes
2. Only if you are concerned it will happen again.
3. Since you valve has a washer and screw, it is the WRONG type of valve and should be replaced with a ball valve.
4. Too soon to tell. Wait and see if you start to get mold odors.
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Author:
NICK (CA)
just be sure you do it right. if you get mildew, you will nevr get rid of the smell and every time you walk in there, it will bother you. That is a couple of freak incidents. reminds me of the couple times ive had people get a clogged toilet and have the flapper stick in the up position and flood over the bowl. Not sure, but maybe lack of pressure had something to do with the solenoid failing on the washer. I have a feeling if you never tried to shut the main, that you would have come home to a dry house.
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Author:
cvcman
it seems to be drying nice, humidity is at 30% right now and the bottom of the plywood in the basement is dry, carpet still damp but not soaked, its an area about 4ft x 6 ft that got wet, the rest is dry....
the carpet guy said keep the dehmid going in the basement which i do antway and the carpet will wick the moisture up thru and settle on the top...It doesnt smell in here now and really didnt before, the basement did when it was wet but shes pretty dry down there now
I think i will get one of those pans...
could this same thing happen with a dishwasher ???
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Author:
mr leak (CA)
Your plywood and floor joists should be fine. When homes are constructed all year around the joists, plywood or Osb flooring ,framing etc always get wet some times for weeks at a time and is not damaged. If your dyrywall got wet then it WILL grow mold on the back side and has to be replaced. You said only the wood flooring and associated members so you should be fine.
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Author:
cvcman
yea the sheetrock did NOT get wet as there was NO standing water because there is a big hole under the washer that let t drip down onto the basement floof and run down the floor drain...
Now im wondering IF I should buy a pan to put under the washer..they are like 60.00
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
Find or install a tubing not to be used other than to be the lowest open area for the tubing to run as near dry as possible.you open it just after you close the whole house valve.any water coming into the system will run out this low point to near freezing.At freezing this valve would still be left open but may not protect water admitted at freezing temps.this drain only must not be vb protected.@0 lbs of back pressure is failure.code accepted as threaded removed.
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Author:
NICK (CA)
Anything is possible but it is highly unlikely to happen to your dishwasher. I've been servicing appliances among other things for 20 years and ive never even seen it happen to a washing machine. the reason it overflowed on the washer is because the washer water sensing level was not working because the washer was in the off mode. I believe it truly was a freak incident.
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
As HJ said.give or take .the padding also prevents the wood from being able to dry as air cannot get through it.
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