Advice on drain that keeps blocking

Citizen Smith

hello...

I have an intermitent drain blockage problem. If I may I\\\'ll run you through it.

A couple of years ago we moved our bathroom suite to the top floor (3rd) of our house. It was on the middle floor... Its a 1900ish terrace.

We started to get intermitant drain blockage from the waste ... We\\\'ve got a set of drian rods and this ususaly clears it.

The annoying part is when it does block, it seeps back into the cellar... and creates an unpleasant smell.

My question is... The original toilet was circa 1975ish... The new cistern is a modern dual flush. I assume the new cistern uses less water.. and as its on higher floor... is it sruggling to clear the waste?

Would a larger cistern be an option?

Any ideas / help appreciated

Thanks

Agile · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:45 pm Post Subject:

I cannot offer any suggestions because you have not explained where the blockage is occuring or even been very clear if the blockage is to the bath, toilet or combined soil pipe.

Do you or anyone else know why your posting contains \\\ within the word I'll

Tony

Nige F

Citizen Smith wrote:

hello...

I have an intermitent drain blockage problem. If I may I\\\'ll run you through it.OK

A couple of years ago we moved our bathroom suite to the top floor (3rd) of our house. Its a 1900ish terrace.OLD drains then

We started to get intermitant drain blockage from the waste ... We\\\'ve got a set of drian rods and this ususaly clears it.Cheaper than Contractor

The annoying part is when it does block, it seeps back into the cellar... and creates an unpleasant smell.

Then the pipes are cracked/ broken

My question is... The original toilet was circa 1975ish... The new cistern is a modern dual flush. I assume the new cistern uses less water.. and as its on higher floor... is it sruggling to clear the waste?Maybe

Would a larger cistern be an option?
Not Legally, it would contravene building regs
Any ideas / help appreciated

Thanks

Time for a CCTV survey

.......or just keep rodding and put up with smells....OK until you sell the property

Citizen Smith · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:52 pm Post Subject:

No idea re: \\\

Sorry.... I'll try and be clearer....

The blockage occurs after the soil pipe, which carries all the waste from the bathroom... (is it the gully?)... the sewage/drainage part which you access via the manhole cover in the garden..... its shaped like a Y.. one branch comes for the soil pipe the other from the kitchen drain.....

Citizen Smith · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:55 pm Post Subject:

Why would a larger cistern be against building regs?

JohnD · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:49 pm Post Subject:

Does the bath or shower waste go down the same soil pipe as the WC?

Do you mean the blockage is occurring inside the manhole where the two wastes join in a "Y" shape and continue in a single pipe? Or is it further up (or down) one of the pipes?

You say you have some cracked and broken pipes. these must be replaced. Is the blockage occurring at the broken part?

JohnD · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:52 pm Post Subject:

Agile wrote:

Do you or anyone else know why your posting contains \\\ within the word I'll

because "This topic originated from the How to page called Clearing blocked drains" and the mover/translator gets confused by apostrophes.

Citizen Smith · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:59 pm Post Subject:

Whoaaaa.. I never said I had cracked pipes.... it was suggested by Nige F it may be cracked...

All the waste from the bathroom goes into the soil pipe... Bath, Shower, Toilet....

When the blockage occurs I lift the manhole cover and there is waste sludge in the straight pipe... the sludge also carries up the pipe under the ground.

As its backing up from something it go down the Y part and I assume its eaten throgh some kind of joint and is able to find its way into the cellar....

I suppose I'm answering my own question.... If its backing up along the single pipe that would point to a blocage further down the pipe.. but its easily unblocked with rods.... could this point to something like tree roots? something flexible?

Plus if its been backing up its found a way through to the cellar either through an old joint thats gone or a crack....

Mind you..... thinking back.... when we first moved in we had a problem with the drain gully... water from that was seeping into the cellar... that turned out to be the mortor holding the top part of the gully had been erroded away and the water had washed the soil away between the gully and the coal shoot... then through the mortor there and into the cellar.....

Maybe this has been a contributing factor to the sewage working its way through....

Either way I suppose this does sound like a damaged drainage system and I should have a case for my Emergency home repair insurance....

Agile · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:34 pm Post Subject:

It seems as if you already know that your soil drain is in poor condition.

It could be soil washing in through a cracked pipe. You ask about tree roots but only you know what trees are in the vincinity!

Be careful about your insurance! Digging up drains is quite expensive and your insurance may not cover those things or have an upper limit.

Tony

Citizen Smith · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 3:02 pm Post Subject:

Thanks for advice... bottom line is it has to be done..... something is wrong and it needs fixing....

I think there are a few phone calls to make......

bobs156 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:56 pm Post Subject:

just because it keeps blocking it doesnt mean that the waste pipe cant take it.

it means that there is a problem within the system, such as roots or an ignorant/stubborn blockage.