A question: why does my 1930's house have 2 outlets from the sewage inspection chanber

[NigelCollins]

I have had to clear the feed from the kitchen to the main sewage inspection chamber in my garden. Only a short distance so it was quick to do. On lifting the inspection chamber I assumed I would find this was exposing the main sewage run for the other house in the road; so an inlet and outlet. I found instead I had two outlets one directly above the other both angled slightly down and further into the garden. When I tried to push a rod into the bottom outlet it seemed to hit a load of gravel as if it was a soak-away. I didn't pursue anymore as this part of the system was running fine - no evidence of any build up of anything in the inspection chamber and I proved that this was where all water and sewage runs through.

So can anyone explain this arrangement please - very curious.....

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

I have found some thing similar. The bottom outlet goes into a trap (U bend). The top one should be sealed with a plug and is used to rod out the main run the other side of the trap. So find a plug and use a wet and dry vacuum cleaner get the gravel out of the Trap.
Frankl

 

[stuart45]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=i...ei=YIOLV6ayIoP0UO7VgugK#imgrc=lIWW0BRFEQwGHM:

Real pain, not used nowadays. Was supposed to stop sewer gas, rats etc coming to the house.

 

[vinn]

OP, is it an"inspection chamber" or the larger possibly deeper manhole?
I can imagine the possibility that you have a kitchen waste gulley - you also have an independent soil pipe - you also have a down pipe gulley all entering the chamber? Am i right or wrong?
Plus the neighbour's sewer is running through your chamber?

I have never heard of a house trap on a common sewer - but I live and learn?

Can you post a photo looking down the chamber?

 

[NigelCollins]

Photos as requested

The pipe on the right is from a new ensuite and the pipe at the top on left is a vent

 

[NigelCollins]

OP, is it an"inspection chamber" or the larger possibly deeper manhole?
I can imagine the possibility that you have a kitchen waste gulley - you also have an independent soil pipe - you also have a down pipe gulley all entering the chamber? Am i right or wrong?
Plus the neighbour's sewer is running through your chamber?

I have never heard of a house trap on a common sewer - but I live and learn?

Can you post a photo looking down the chamber?

Photo posted. No feeds from neighbours only from my property.

Single feed from my property (apart from new pipe from ensuite). The soil pipe and other waste pipes are all in a line at the side of property so assume they all collect and then run into this inspection chamber

 

[endecotp]

Yes, looks like a trap as in stuart45's google link above.

 

[vinn]

NigelCollins, I'm curious about your drainage arrangements.

So no neighbour's drainage - why did you expect to find it running through your manhole?
Where is the kitchen waste ("the feed from the kitchen") outlet in the manhole?
What is the "top left vent" venting?
Does the"ensuite" have a WC?
If the bottom hole has a "load of gravel" in it how come its able to take (apparently) the total house drainage when its blocking the progress of your rod?

 

[Newboy]

It's an interceptor trap - very common installation

 

[vinn]

newboy, I'm confused - are you responding to me or replying to the OP?

 

[Newboy]

Either or both!

To the OP - that addition of the waste from the en-suite is dreadful. If there's a WC in the en-suite then over time the benching is going to be covered in tissue and waste.

 

[endecotp]

that addition of the waste from the en-suite is dreadful. If there's a WC in the en-suite then over time the benching is going to be covered in tissue and waste.

Agreed. Does anyone have a diagram of what it's supposed to look like? I'm sure I've seen a good one linked previously.

 

[HERTS P&D]

He also has rats!

Andy

 

[noseall]

We've dug out and replaced many interceptor traps. P I T A.

 

[Newboy]

Agreed. Does anyone have a diagram of what it's supposed to look like? I'm sure I've seen a good one linked previously.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain05.htm#exmh