The Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) do not address washing machine drain hose attachment. But manufacturer’s installation instructions are specific about requiring that the drain hose be secured, to avoid it jumping out of the standpipe at a surge of pressure in the beginning of the drain cycle of the machine, and flooding the floor. Many manufacturers provide securing devices in the bag of installation supplies. The simplest solution is shown below, securing the drain hose with a zip-tie to one of the fill hoses at a washing machine faucet box, and an example of an unsecured hose simply stuck into the standpipe is shown above.

     The diagram below, from a GE installation manual, also shows recommended ways to secure the hose to the side of a standpipe that is not in a washing machine faucet box at #2, and how to secure the hose with a high loop when the standpipe is below 30-inches above the floor at #3—to avoid creating a vacuum that siphons the water out of the machine.

    Also, see our blog post What are the most common problems with washing machine installation and maintenance? 

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about PLUMBING PIPES:

• How can I protect my pipes to keep them from bursting during a hard winter freeze in North Florida?

• Can galvanized steel pipe still be used for new water lines in a house? 

• How can I tell if I have cast iron pipes in my house? 

• What are the code requirements for layout of drain piping under sinks?

• What causes a gurgling sound when a bathtub or sink drains? 

• What is a "combination waste and vent" in a plumbing system? 

• What is a building trap?  

• What is a galvanized nipple?

• What are the pipes sticking out near my water valves?

• How do you accurately find a broken water pipe leak under the floor slab?

• What is the difference between water pipe and sewage (waste) pipe? 

• Are plastic pipes (PVC, CPVC, and PEX) safe for drinking water? 

• Why is there a flexible accordion pipe under the sink? 

• What is the difference between PVC and ABS plumbing pipe?

• What is the difference between water service pipe and water supply pipe? 

• Can you connect CPVC pipe directly to a gas water heater?  

   Visit our PLUMBING and APPLIANCES pages for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.