Laundry Sink in the Garage

Does anyone know of any good online resources for plumbing? I want to put a laundry sink in my garage.

All in all it seems like it should be pretty easy since the garage wall is located against the basement where there is conveniently the main drain and hot and cold water. I should be able to drill through the dry wall.

I really like this idea because of the benefits. I will be able to brew in any temperature and I clean all my brew equipment in the garage.

There's a lot more involved than you might think. Utility sinks require a vent pipe to the roof, not just a drain line. You'll also have to open the main pipe & put in a Y-connector. If there is a clean-out, you might be allowed to extend that.

Maybe I should just put in a faucet.

The nice thing about this project is that it could be a good learning project for me. There are quite a few water lines I can tap into. Ideally I want to put in a valve on both sides.

I just installed a laundry tub in my basement.
It was dead simple because I was also very close to the main drain and had easy access to hot/cold water pipes.

I extended my clean out and put a Y on that which gave me an easy drain without having to actually cut a drain pipe. Extending my cleanout actually raised the drain pipe higher than the drain on my laundry tub, so I had to raise my laundry tub using cinder blocks. It's actually at a better height now, so I don't have to hunch over while scrubbing stuff.

A previous posted stated that you will require a vent pipe to the roof, but that might not be true. I read in a plumbing book and confirmed with a plumber friend that you only need to to vent the drain if you are more than a certain distance from the drain. I think that distance was 8 ft or something like that. Since I was 3 ft away, I didn't use a vent, and my tub drains very quickly.

You might find some helpful advice from Home Depot or a similar store. Good luck.

I have a stainless steel double sink I snagged when SWMBO got a new one.

When I get the time, I'm mounting it on a 2x4 frame to use as a portable sink. By hooking it to a garden hose, I'll be able to use it in the garage, or in the backyard. Going to add a hose to the drain, it will either lead outside, or into a bucket.

In our old house, the basement led into the garage and contained a mud room. It had one of those big, deep laundry sinks. It was VERY nice for soaking stuff.

I'm not sure about NJ, but I wouldn't put a sink in my garage in MN because the water supply lines would freeze and bust. Nov-Mar I have to bring in all liquids from the garage because they'll freeze.

Be careful brewing in the garage. I know this is not exactly related to your question, but make sure you don't use your propane burner in there without the garage door open or otherwise being very careful about your ventilation.

david_42 said:

Utility sinks require a vent pipe to the roof, not just a drain line.

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This is not entirely true, my garage sink has a vent pipe inline with the drain just after the trap. It has this little mushroom shaped thing to vent it. It's very similar to this:

http://www.oatey.com/aav_public/resources/photos/6_sink_app.jpg

Also, while we're on the topic. I think I've decided personally that a floor sink is almost more handy in a garage than a regular sink. You know, the thing where restaurants keep their mop buckets. You can use it to clean the dogs, fill large mop buckets, etc.. Just an FYI, alot of brewing equipment barely fits (or not at all) in a regular garage sink. If I ever build a house, there will be a tiled floor sink in the corner.

ajwillys said:

This is not entirely true, my garage sink has a vent pipe inline with the drain just after the trap. It has this little mushroom shaped thing to vent it. It's very similar to this:

http://www.oatey.com/aav_public/resources/photos/6_sink_app.jpg

Click to expand...

Air admittance valves do not meet code in many areas. You need to check with your jusidiction to find out. Then again if it doesn't meet code, no one will care until you go to sell the house and the inspector finds it. Then fix it or take the sink out.

With the economy being so slow, we have several out of work contractors working at the local HD and Lowes. I found a guy in plumbing that walked me through every single step, laid out the peices and tools, and gave me his cell phone if I needed more help.

It was super easy, and I love having my sink and hot/cold water in the garage.

MSUConrad said:

With the economy being so slow, we have several out of work contractors working at the local HD and Lowes. I found a guy in plumbing that walked me through every single step, laid out the peices and tools, and gave me his cell phone if I needed more help.

It was super easy, and I love having my sink and hot/cold water in the garage.

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Heh. We'll see. I like the idea of having a sink, but the codes for my town are really strict. I might end up just adding a faucet. The nice thing is that since it is in the garage, I can get away with a short hose. I really hate bringing in the 30' hose into the house after I brew in the winter.

Mike

codes, ahhh live a little, we dont need no stinkin codes..:rockin:

jesserc said:

codes, ahhh live a little, we dont need no stinkin codes..:rockin:

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Seriously, this is plumbing. There are only three things you need to know in plumbing. Hot on the left, cold on the right, and $hit don't run uphill.

ajwillys said:

Seriously, this is plumbing. There are only three things you need to know in plumbing. Hot on the left, cold on the right, and $hit don't run uphill.

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BWAAAHAAAHAAA!! Good one!

If you are leary about the connections, get the "shark bite" brand. All you do is:

1. Turn off the water to your house.
2. Drain the system by opening the faucet closest to the cutoff and furthest from the cutoff.
3. Cut the line where you will tap in
4. Take your "shark bite" T and stick the original pipe in both sides, and you new pipe in the bottom.
5. Route the new line to the faucet

The sharkbite connections use little "grabbers" to seal the pipe. No soldering, glueing, taping, etc...

The draining part is just like gluing anything else together. Wipe the connection with the purple cleaner, wipe it with the glue, and stick it together. If you mess up, just cut if off and start again!

I've got a utility sink that I havn't put in yet. Just got it, frothing at the mouth to get it set up. For brewing I already have threaded on a valved "Y" fitting to each the hot and cold. Just going to run long hoses to the sink. I figure all I got to do is cut into the dry wall and insert a T fitting into the washing machine drain and hook up my drain. I know nothing is up to code in that setup but it's quick, easy and when I move it comes with me. Also going to install another faucet on the back corner of the tub. It's going to have a pressure activated bottle cleaner attached to it. One of THESE!!! Now just gotta get 50 more buck together for some parts to hook it up. SWMBO will be happy when my brew crap is out of her kitchen but 50 bucks comes out of my brewing "allowance"... LOL, she'll give eventually, HA!!

njnear76 said:

Heh. We'll see. I like the idea of having a sink, but the codes for my town are really strict.
Mike

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I wouldn't tell them about it. I know. It's like talking when the teacher is out of the room. As long as the supplies don't leak and it drains whoever buys your house will find it useful.

ajwillys said:

Seriously, this is plumbing. There are only three things you need to know in plumbing. Hot on the left, cold on the right, and $hit don't run uphill.

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Forgot the first and possibly most important rule an apprentice plumber learns - don't bite your fingernails.

MadDwarf said:

Forgot the first and possibly most important rule an apprentice plumber learns - don't bite your fingernails.

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uhh... I can imagine why, and I have a good imagination... why's that again?

I ran the cold water line to my garage a while back but I'm thinking about running hot now also for cold weather cleanup. It's a lot nicer to scrub the kettle and rinse out with warm/hot.

The reason I bought the house we live in is because the guy had a utility sink in the garage. As soon as I saw it I thought "brewery". When doing the plumbing he rigged it up in the basement so I can drain the lines to the garage in about 10 seconds. When it looks like it might freeze I turn the water lines off and open the drain valves, done. Nice!

I've been plumbing for 10 years and chewed my nails everyday. (Gross I know) A laundry tub in your garage isnt that big of a deal. Are you close to a floor drain? Indirect waste with no vent is legal in Nebraska. For the water the sharkbite fittings are very homeowner friendly, and you hook them onto pex tubing (hope fully legal in your neck of the woods). Put 2 Woodford brand sillcocks and hook the faucet up from those, you can unhook them and drain when done using. I have hooked up numerous garage laundry tubs, you will love it.

Whatever you do...install a double basin shop sink.

Right side is constantly filled with sanitizer, left side is the working side: