I recently had a plumber install a washer drain, but it's positioned too close to the floor. I was told it needed to be this way because the tie-in to the main sewer is shallow. I'm worried that the drain will either leak or crack under weight, since the concrete above it will be quite thin and partially exposed. I'm not concerned about looks, just reliability. What options do I have to fix this issue?
2 Answers
I agree with the previous point. The plumber had to ensure that water could actually flow properly which is why it couldn’t be deeper. Another solution is to elevate the area around the drain. You could pour concrete over the pipe and then use strong tiles or even create a wood frame to raise it up. This way, you’ll protect the drain and have a more stable surface.
It sounds like your plumber went shallow to maintain a proper slope for drainage, which is definitely important. To address your concerns, raising the floor could be a solid solution. You might want to fill the trench where the drain pipe is located with concrete and patch it smoothly. After that, consider laying down a thick tile over the area—make sure it’s big enough to cover the washer and give you a clean space in front of it. If you want a quicker fix, you could build a small wood platform with treated 2x4’s and plywood. That way, you won’t have to worry about the drain being exposed.