# Draining Wash Water UP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 9, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959 "2003-12-09T17:29:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ChunkyLover53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@ChunkyLover53](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChunkyLover53)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959/1 "2003-12-09T17:29:06Z")

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OK, we just bought a house with hot and cold water supply lines in the basement in a configuration that looks like a washer could go. The problem is there is no drain there and the one exiting the house is about 5 feet above the basement floor. My question - if I install a washing machine can I get the water to “drain up” to the main sewer line? I know many people have washers in their basement so I’m thinking there must be an easy solution.

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**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959/2 "2003-12-09T17:42:33Z")

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they use a pump… like this one…

[http://www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/10032.shtml](http://www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/10032.shtml)

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**Author:** ![ChunkyLover53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@ChunkyLover53](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChunkyLover53)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959/3 "2003-12-09T17:47:32Z")

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Excellent! Thank you very much.

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**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draining-wash-water-up/217959/4 "2003-12-09T21:10:29Z")

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Any washing machine should be able to discharge the waste 5 feet above the floor without adding any additional pumps. All you should need is a longer discharge house from your local home improvement store.