washing machine drain backs up

This is the first place I have a back-up. It seems the problem is roots growing into the drain in the front yard of my house. I have to have Roto-rooter come once a year (or so) to rooter out the roots.

If you really want to know what's going on, it's really not that pricey to have them come out and video your sewer pipes. They can tell you where the problem areas are. Perhaps you have a break in your pipes that doesn't allow things to drain properly?

Eventually I want to get a front loading machine so I don't have the massive volume of water that need to drain quickly from my bigger top loading machine. The drain wouldn't be so vulnerable to the roots I think.

Sounds like there may be a problem with your machine if it is flushing out large amounts of lint. But who knows.

If you think the problem is local to the drain/connector at the washer (and not caused by a clog in your drain somewhere downstream), it may be that your washer is overwhelming the drain capacity.

In our place the pipe into which you place your washer drain hose went through a 1.5" constriction where it connected to the 2" drain. We had that piece of pipe replaced so that we get 2" all the way.

Are you say that your drain used to back up to until you change the drain from 1.5 to 2 inches? I also have a 1.5 drain at the washer.

Tom,

Sorry for the confusion. No, I'm not saying that the washer backed up.

Before we moved in we remodeled our kitchen (our laundry is in the kitchen) - and as part of this we 'expanded' that connection to the drain as a preventative measure.

We did this after hearing that some washers overwhelm the drain capacity and that this 1.5" constriction is a contributing factor.

We bought European front-loading w/d and have not had any problems so far.

In your case, I'd get someone to assess whether the backup seems to occur right at the washer/drain connection or somewhere downstream of it.

Good luck.