driveway drains

cjkenn · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:30 am Post Subject: driveway drains

The drains in my drive are a circular sump about 2.5ft deep. There is an outlet at the bottom of the sump connecting vertically to another half way up. By this higher outlet there is a stopper on a chain which fits this outlet. Is the stopper normally supposed to be in place?

Agile · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:35 am Post Subject:

Its not very well described but I think you mean an inspection chamber and a late victorian running trap with a rodding eye above it with the stopper which should be in place.

Most of them and a blocked trap and they fill up and exit through the rodding eye.

Tony

ChrisR · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:42 am Post Subject:

They go much later than Victorian. They might still be used?
I think Tony meant to say that the stopper, in the rodding eye, is often missing. You don''t get a trap then of course, but they are less inclined to block.

Agile · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:45 am Post Subject:

The stopper has usually fallen out and is now blocking the trap.

Most have by now been removed as that gives continued operation when the trap blocks.

I have only ever seen them on late Victorian and edwardian properties.

Tony

JohnD · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:44 pm Post Subject:

I had one in a 1923 house.

But yes, the lower one is very often blocked and the stopper missing.

If the bottom port is not blocked, or you can clean it out, put the stopper back in. It is supposed to prevent rats and smells getting through, as there is a trap in the lower one.

cjkenn · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:59 pm Post Subject:

Thanks very much for the prompt replies, I suspected the stopper was supposed to be in place. Fortunately the stoppers in both the drains are still attached by their chains and so did not block the bottom ports - it was about a foot of sludge blocking these until I cleaned them out.