A vent pipe for an upstairs washer?

Question

My parents don't have access to their basement except by going outside, down a hill around to the back. They're older now so the wintertime will be a problem. Dad is putting a small apartment type washer upstairs.

The question is this: The washer is being drained into the stand pipe ( I believe that's what he said). Does he need to put in a vent pipe? If so, does it have to be a straight shot up through the roof, or do we have leeway to run the pipe around some obstacles? For instance, could the vent pipe come up from the washer, then with a 90 run horizontally across the attic for ten feet or so and Then outside? Or if not horizontally, maybe on an upward angle?

Sorry folks, hope I've been clear enough with this question.

Answer 1

Actually, you need to have a vent drain. This is  a requirment to almost all fluid drain line at home. It is just a perpendicular pipe of your drain line and yes you can put them together with the existing drain. i.e add a T connection into the stand pipe to connect the vent pipe up to the roof if accessible. If not, reroute the vent.

Answer 2

sorry grammie, drains have vents too.

has to be a way to vent sewer gas that is blocked by the trap.

if you are tieing into the vent pipe for the rest of the house, the washer would be ok, but you could force backflow into other fixtures when the washer is draining.

could be embarassing if the potty decides to fountain at a delicate moment.

Answer 3

You don't have to vent your washing machine. Only a dryer. My washing machine is on the second floor and no vent pipe. There is nothing to vent. just drain water.