Drainage problem outside house!

[madonnafan]

Not sure what the actual name for these things are.
I will call them 'thing' if unsure!

The 'thing' outside my house that all my water goes into.
Well I have my washer,sinks and bathwaste and also rain water from gutter going to it.
Well the water is constantly above the metal grid (is that the right word for that too?)
Then when bath,washer etc are emptied it is going up higher and over and is flowing onto my flagstones.
Not noticed this before as its been winter since moved in and ground has been either covered in rain or snow plus I didnt venture into the back garden either.
Thought it would be the obvious like a blockage of leaves etc above the metal grid.
Got the gloves on and used a garden trowel to poke about!
Did come across a fully grown dead frog-but that was not the problem!!!
After the initial fright I have got the frog out plus many frogspawn.
Must have thought it was a pond!
Took the metal grid off too and poked about deeper.
Looks like the blockage is further as there was nothing there.
I have a large triangular metal 'thing' further down the garden and I imagine that could be somewhere to check if water is flowing freely or not.

Any help with this please???
Plus I rent the house from friends.....if there is a problem that needs 'a man that can' then who is responsible to pay for it?!

Sharon x

 

[peca27]

if u have a good poke around + you still have a prob, it sounds like it's backing up elsewhere ...........as u say your gona have to look under the manhole (triangle).

if your renting out, just call the landlord......it's his responsibility

 

[jobloggs]

IF the grid is about 5 or 6 inches square and close to wall then the thing is a gully trap. Essentially this is a u bend ie it goes down and then up again and then turns to the horizontal and connects to a pipe. Essentially works like a toilet bowl trapping water. However these are designed to trap material in the U and not let it go into pipe. Put your hnd down inside as far as it goes and feel around. You should be able to feel an opening on one of the sides if the trap is not blocked. In this case the problem is further along the pipe line. Lift the manhole (inspection chamber) cover to see if pipe is clear there. If chamber is full then blockage is further on again and requires sewer rods to clear.

However it is likely to have blocked up with fat from sink, grit from roof leaves etc. To clear it you need to break up the accumulation by poking it quite hard with the garden trowel and then removing it. Take care not to break the gully trap which is likely to be clayware in an older house.

 

[Nige F]

IF the grid is about 5 or 6 inches square and close to wall then the thing is a gully trap. Essentially this is a u bend ie it goes down and then up again and then turns to the horizontal and connects to a pipe. Essentially works like a toilet bowl trapping water. However these are designed to trap material in the U and not let it go into pipe. Put your hnd down inside as far as it goes and feel around. You should be able to feel an opening on one of the sides if the trap is not blocked. In this case the problem is further along the pipe line. Lift the manhole (inspection chamber) cover to see if pipe is clear there. If chamber is full then blockage is further on again and requires sewer rods to clear.

However it is likely to have blocked up with fat from sink, grit from roof leaves etc. To clear it you need to break up the accumulation by poking it quite hard with the garden trowel and then removing it. Take care not to break the gully trap which is likely to be clayware in an older house.

Get a mop-long handled floppy head floor type A bucket of HOT water......pour in water and plunge vigorously with the mop

 

[madonnafan]

Any more ideas very welcome.

I will try all myself until I am forced to get professional help!

I actually changed the overflow and 'u-bend' under the sink when I moved in because the sink would drain very slowly after washing up.
When I took them off I could see the problem.
They were both clogged up with 'gunk' (black mouldy looking stuff!)
Works perfect now...so I think I can understand what's going on outside but on a larger scale!!
Never thought about this but does the toilet waste go the same way and meet up in the same pipes too?
Very often I am having to get a bucket of hot water and pour it down the loo to get the stuff flowing!
I have been blaming one or all of my four kids for using too much loo roll and not flushing between uses!!!
God I hope it doesnt have a syphoning effect!

Thanks,
Sharon x

 

[jobloggs]

Two types of drainage.

Storm drainage which is run off from roof, paths etc.
Foul drainage which is toilet, bath & kitchen sink.

Modern houses/estates should have separate systems, with storm drainage going into soakaways or streams and foul to treatment work. This is so that treatment works do not have to deal with high flows during heavy rain fall which might overload system and cause sewage flow into rivers.

Previously combined systems were used with problems mentioned.

In your case kitchen sink water, washing machine water bath water toilet flushings will all eventually be in same pipe before they leave your property. Foof drainage seems from what you said to go the same way.

You might be lucky with Nige's suggestion of hot water if fat is the main culprit. However some debris can become quite compacted and hard over time. Worst one I've dealt with was where the friendly builder had washed his cement covered bucket and trowel etc into a gully with very little water. Cement and sand settled out and hardened.

 

[madonnafan]

Just nipped out before it got dark and poured as much hot water as I could down gully until it was at the brim.
Dont have anything to use so used my good old garden trowel and two carrier bags up to my elbow and had a swoosh about in there.
God I have released the stench from hell and the colour is disgusting!
Both my adjoining and other neighbour don't have a problem and seeing as I am the only one with a manhole on property I assume that neighbours waste runs via that too!
I will persevere with hot water and get something to use as a plunger for a month at the most and see how it goes as its not a major problem at the moment but will be when I want to use the garden in better weather!

Sharon x

Ps..the house is circa 1950

 

[Softus]

However these are designed to trap material in the U and not let it go into pipe.

I really don't think that they are actually.

 

[jobloggs]

Madonnafan: Smell and colour are from rotting vegetable matter and dead frogs in the trap. No good just stirring it up. Bite the bullet, get a pair of very long gloves (try local vet) and get your arm in. Are your tetanus shots up to date?

Softus. Not often I would disagree with anything you say but gully traps are designed to trap grit, which is abrasive in sewer pipes, as well as providing a water seal against smells.

 

[chipollini]

Personally, as you rent the accomodation I would have thought it should be the landlords responsibility to sort this out - you shouldn't even need to get your hands dirty!

If you had a leaking room, would you fix that for them as well?

"Rented accommodation should comply with basic legal minimum standards. It is the landlords’ responsibility to ensure the property meets all statutory requirements set out in the Housing Acts, Environmental Protection Act, Landlord and Tenant Act and also Planning and Building Control legislation.

In determining whether the property is suitable for occupation, the following factors are taken into account:

Structural stability ;
The presence of any serious disrepair ;
The presence of any dampness that might have an affect on the occupiers;
The adequacy of lighting , heating and ventilation ;
The adequacy of the water supply ;
The presence of suitable and sufficient facilities for the preparation and cooking of food , including sinks with a supply of hot and cold water;
The presence of sufficient and suitably located toilets ;
The presence of sufficient and suitably located baths or showers and wash hand basins , each with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water;
The effectiveness of toilet, bathroom and sink waste and surface water drainage ;
The number and size of ‘habitable’ rooms (bedrooms, lounges or dining rooms);
In the case of ‘houses in multiple occupation’ (properties that are occupied by more than one household, for example bedsits and non self-contained flatlets), the adequacy of fire precautions and means of escape in case of fire .
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
All gas installations and appliances must be checked and maintained annually by a suitably qualified CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers) registered gas installer and the installation must meet the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
All electrical installations should ideally be in compliance with BS7671: 1992 – Requirements for electrical installations, with the work being carried out by an NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) registered contractor.
All furniture provided by the landlord must comply with the provisions contained in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. This applies to anyone who rents out residential furnished (or part furnished) accommodation which includes the supply of furniture, furnishings and other upholstered products.
"

 

[peca27]

As i said off the top, thanku chipollini

It isn't a case of 'it should be' the landlord's resposibilty. IT IS the responsibilty of your landlord......i should know I'm a landlord

Pull your hands out of that drain, ring your landlord. Give him one week to do the work. If nothing is done write to them warning them that you will be paying a professional to do the work in another weeks time (which will then be invoiced to the landlord). If he still doesn't do anything you are within your rights to get the work done + invoice your landlord + even withold your rental payment. Check your contract

 

[Nige F]

Any more ideas very welcome.


God I hope it doesnt have a syphoning effect!

Thanks,
Sharon x

I have just interceded for you....and He says NO .it doesn`t..........but He wants to see you in Church @ Easter

 

[madonnafan]

Thanks,
I do like to give anything a go, but I will take this to the landlord/lady.
As they are very good friends of mine (and dont want this to change)I will bring this up in conversation nicely.
As for the general landlord thing ...I have copied and pasted landlord info a couple of you have put, as my friends having problems(3 yrs worth!)
She tells him,he goes,nothing is done.
Over Christmas she was without heating/hot water.
She lives on her own with her disabled child and rent is being 'helped' by housing benefit so he has a regular check via them so she cant with hold payment.
Is there a forum for this???
I will look into it for her.

Cheers,

Sharon x

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will persevere with hot water and get something to use as a plunger for a month at the most and see how it goes as its not a major problem at the moment but will be when I want to use the garden in better weather!

1) It might get worse.

2) As the weather warms up the smell will get worse, and the potential smells you may have to deal with if it needs unblocking downstream will get worse. A cold day with a strong wind is excellent rodding weather..

When you bale water out of the gully trap, does the level slowly rise again?

And I really think you should lift the inspection cover and have a look-see.

I once ignored the symptoms you have, because I'd had them before and it had always been local clogging of the trap, cured by scraping and blasting with a hose.

By the time I lifted my inspection cover, the chamber was full to the brim...

 

[madonnafan]

Thanks for all replies etc.
A cold and windy day a couple of weeks ago I'd been out and noticed the water in the gully trap was really low.
Went and got the marigolds on and an old small cup.
I baled out all the water then got my hand down round and up the 'u bend'!
It was so clogged up!
I began to scrap out with my hand and a stick what looked like hair,lumps of washing powder,peas,grit,pegs,fat and maggots!!!....till I could stand the stench no more!!
I then gave it the boiling hot water treatment,baled it out and went through the whole process twice again.
The third time the bucket of boiling water just flowed easily away!
I am so pleased with myself!

Sharon xx

Ps...I am more wary myself as to what goes down the sink now.
I have also informed my landlord/lady (good friends) that I have saved them a dynorod charge!