Leaking water from the washer drain pipe in the wall could damage the drywall if it will not get fixed at the right time. As the drain pipe goes into the wall, we have to intentionally check what causes the leakage.
Sometimes the pipe doesn’t leak but its valve causes the leakage. So first you have to check what is actually causing the issue.
You should check the condition of the valve gasket, and the drain pipe, and see if the hose is clogged or broken. If water is backing up through the wall from the standpipe to the laundry area, the pipe is likely clogged. Start by checking the drain hose from the washer to the wall to find the root cause.
Let’s dive into the guide to know how you can fix the washer drain pipe leaking in the wall.
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Why is My Washing Machine Drain Pipe Leaking in the Wall?
There could be one or a few reasons behind the leaking drain pipe in the wall, such as a broken gasket, loosen valve, cracked hose, or overflow due to a clog. You have to check for each possible fault to know the actual leaking part. Let’s check for each possible cause:
Here’re some possible causes of drain pipe leaking in a wall:
- A broken gasket: If your washer’s drain pipe goes through the wall, it may have a valve that opens its end into the gutter line. Every valve has a gasket that can cause leakage if the gasket is broken or goes bad.
This gasket fills the gap between the valve and pipe connection. It can lose its shape if it gets dry and glazed as it has rubber material to seal the valve connections.
On the other hand, if the gasket was not installed correctly, it can also allow the water to leak. However, if the gasket is broken, it will not tighten the valve.
- Loose valve: A hose in the wall always has a connection that is made of valves. If the pipe goes into the wall, it also has a valve that connects the pipe to another pipeline.
In case the valve is not fully tightly connected to the hoses, it can also cause leakage. Check if there are gaskets or not on both ends of the valve. You cannot tighten and connect a valve if there is no valve.
To check this you can keep an eye on the end of the drain hose, you will find a valve there which connects the washer waste hose to the house gutter line.
You should also check in which position and style the drain hose is connected to the pipe that goes into the wall.
- The drain pipe is in the wrong position: If the wall has a standpipe into it and you have put the drain hose into it in the wrong way, it will cause overflow, and water will come back to the laundry room.
If this is the case with your washer drain pipe, you will notice water coming in instantly from the wall when you run the drain program.
You must take the hose position up to down and just take it 2 – 3 inches far inside the other drain pipe. It will prevent overflow.
- Cracked hose: Sometimes plastic drain pipes cracks when dealing with too cold temperature for a long time. The too-cold temperature inside the wall makes the thin plastic drain pipe hard and loses material flexibility.
Hard thin plastic hoses can damage when they get cracked. You have to open the drywall where the water is coming to check if the hose is cracked or not.
You will only replace the cracked part, no need to change the entire pipe.
- Overflow due to a clog: When dirt, small particles, and small fiber pieces get stuck into the pipeline, it creases clog and clogged the pipe.
If the washer drain filter is broken, it fails to prevent dirt and small particles from going inside the drain hose. However, if the pipe is used for a long period, it needs cleaning. But if the user doesn’t clean it, it will clog.
A clogged pipe creates a blockage in the water flow, and the water will come back, and it is known as Overflow.
How to Stop a Washing Machine Pipe from Leaking into the Wall?
Leaking water into the wall can affect the cleaning and drywall. You have to fix it as soon as possible to prevent damage to drywalls. Investigating the leaking point is the number one factor to stop leakage. As the drain pipe is leaking, this can also produce odor from the walls. And also it makes it difficult to wash clothes when the odor is in the laundry. This fixing procedure may take up to 15 to 30 minutes to stop leakage.
Here’re steps to stop drain pipe leakage in a wall:
- You have to detect the actual leakage point first. Start looking at the hose connection from the washer to the wall. Detect where the water is leaking.
- Check the valve first then pipe clogging. Use a wrench and try to rotate the drain hose valve anticlockwise, if the valve moves anticlockwise, it means the valve was not tight.
- Remove the valve and then its gaskets. See if the gaskets are broken. These gaskets are made of metal from the outside but their inside is made of rubber. If that rubber is damaged, this will make a gap, and water will leak.
- Get a new gasket and put it on the valve, and connect the valve again to the pipe. You must tighten the valve properly. Be sure nothing can break the pipe, tight the pipe slowly.
- If the valve looks fine and no water is leaking from it, check the pipe cracks and clogs.
- If the pipe is not cracked or broken, check how far the drain hose goes into the drain line.
- You can put a thin metal wire into the drain pipe that is in the wall because by doing this you will know if the pipe is clogged or not. If the pipe is found clogged, this metal wire will unclog the pipe. Just hit the clogged point with the wire and the clog will go away.
- Run the drain program, and now the drain pipe will not leak into the wall.