Problem: Jim Mitchell, a retired automotive engineer from General Motors, and his wife Mary faced a challenging plumbing-drainage situation in their home. Its lower-level laundry room was frequently plagued with overflow issues caused by repeated pump failures. The home is somewhat unusual in that it is constructed entirely from wood. The foundation is exposed on one side, with six-by-six posts embedded in the ground every 8 feet. The walls and flooring are made of marine-grade plywood, tar and visqueen, giving the home a distinctive wooden aesthetic. Given the room’s below-ground position on the property, traditional plumbing solutions were not feasible.
Solution: Mitchell’s search for a new product for his laundry room took him to a local hardware store where a close friend worked. The product that Mitchell was shown was the Saniflo Saniswift Gray Water Drain Pump. He was initially impressed by the installer-friendly, compact design of the pump and the fact that it was floor-mounted. “The appearance of the pump was an important factor for me because it needs to fit underneath the laundry tub,” says Mitchell. “While it doesn’t necessarily have to be stylish, I didn’t want just a big black plastic box.” The Saniswift is installed beneath a 20-gallon laundry tub, into which a washing machine and sink faucet drain. From there, the gray water is pumped 10 feet vertically to a 1.5-inch PVC line that angles horizontally and runs 30 feet to the home’s main waste line on the first level. The unit is vented through an 1.5 inch PVC pipe which runs vertically upward 18 inches.
Result: The pump successfully installed, Mitchell has been impressed with how he can now be completely hands-off, in stark contrast to the previous, consistently malfunctioning pumps he had installed in the past. “I’ve got every confidence in the world that the pump will last me a very long time,” he says. “The laundry tub is evacuated instantly with no overflow issues.” 800-571-8191; www.saniflo.com
