Blocked Drain SOS!!

[zuki79]

hello all

we live in a semi detached house on the side of the building (not attached) we have three drain covers, 1 soil pipe if that makes sense

when we use the shower/ washing machine etc two of these grids over flow with water - nothing else has come up yet. when no water is running, you can see standign water in the drains

i have tried to rod the drains but i cant seem to get past the "u bend" in the drains?

i have even cut a hole in the waste pipe (steel) to try an rod but the rod just seems to hit the bottom an goes no further

we have an inspection cover in the front garden which i have put the full length of the rods down. besides smelling a bit funky this has had no effect

anyone any ideas?

we havent long moved in so we are really really skint so im trying as hard as i can to not bring a drain company in if at all avoidable

thanks all

 

[Burnerman]

Ok, so you have 3 gullies at the side of the house - presumably receiving rainwater or soil water from the kitchen etc.
These have a U bend water trap - no way will rods go around this. You will see standing water - this prevents smells coming back up from the sewer.
The gullies will empty into an inspection chamber which you seem to have found.
This will have one outlet to the sewer, and maybe a couple of inlets which connect to those gullies.
You need to rod downstream to the sewer - if you like - away from the house, then back up to the gullies. Just use the straight rods at this time - no bung or anything that could compress the waste. Once this chamber empties, its my guess that the gullies will too.
John

 

[zuki79]

Cheers burnerman!

sorry to sound stupid but how would i rod downstream?

would that be through the inspection cover in the front garden - its only about 5" wide

something i shoudl have mentioned before, we also have a down pipe off the gutter on the rear of the house, i took this pipe out but it seems to go really really deep, is it possible the drain runs at the back of the house?

 

[Burnerman]

Okey dokey and there's nowt stupid about a blocked drain
First things first - these gullies empty into an inspection chamber (manhole). Is it empty? It should be - these things don't hold standing water. There could be more than one (occasionally they get grown or even concreted over) Maybe its even in next door's garden, if there isn't anything visible.
Inspection chambers are around 24 x 18" wide - what you seem to be looking at is a lid for the house stopcock so there's nowt in there.
If you have a wet vacuum cleaner, suck all of the crap out of the gullies (the stink will be unbelievable - you'll smell it through your ears ) and you'll see the bottom of the gully, and can feel the bend outlet if you like.
I can't comment about the down pipe, but as thats for rain water we'll not worry about that.
You need to find those manholes, mate.
John

 

[zuki79]

right

im off to try an find a man hole cover

the inspection cover in the garden is covering a pipe that i have already rodded, but i didnt feel like the rod hit anything etc an the full length of the rod went down

i have already had my hand down each of the gullies an emptied a bucket of black sludgy soil/ leaf crap. i also felt the u bend thingy in them

i have dug down under the first gully (at the front of the house) but that drain seemed to go towards the inspection cover an not towards the other drains (side of the house)

i will knock next door to see if she has a man hole cover

i will keep you posted

thanks for the help!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Post pictures or drawings of your set up.

If next door is blocked then call the council/water board as it will be cleared free of charge.

But if you have found a manhole and it is not blocked then you just have to 'rod' backwards. Be careful when you do unblock it as it comes out at quite a force. It not nice getting covered in $hit.

Andy

 

[zuki79]

Thanks for the help guys

please excuse my dodgy ms paint skills

i tried to rod the "inspection covered hole" last night an ended up snapping the drain rods, leaving 3 or 4 rods still down there.

god knows how they snapped - possibly just cheap an nasty SilverLine from toolstation

my reckoning is i have to dig down to uncover the inspection drain open the drain an remove the pipe

i dont know if it makes a difference but the inspection drain had water in it. i know it doesn't normally

 

[Burnerman]

Hell what a nightmare
I guess your 'eye' inspection cover is whats known as a rodding point - usually either oval or square.
With these, you should be able to rod down to an inspection chamber (manhole) which doesn't appear to have surfaced yet.
The rodding points should be dry really - did the rods seem to want to travel horizontally?
Its an absolute swine that the rods have broken - they'll have to come out or there will be problems forever.
John

 

[zuki79]

it was definitely an Oh "&*(??!! moment

i was rodding away when the rods felt odd, so i tried to retrieve them, i got some back plus the brass collar of the one that snapped

i have a feeling it has snapped passed the bend in the drain too,

i will try an put another rod down with a slip knot to try an "lasso" it (fingers crossed!!!!!!)

i'm guessing if i cant retrieve it, i will have to dig the drain out, break it open an pull it out. can i/ someone else just replace the removed part of the drain then?

im thinking because there is water in the inspection drain, does that point towards the blockage maybe in the neighbours drains??

thanks once again

 

[Burnerman]

As far as I can see, the gullies on the side of your house will connect to the line that you are rodding.....they should connect with swept bends and finally there should be this elusive inspection chamber not too far away.
If the underground is plastic then repairs can be made once uncovered - its a bit more involved if they are salt glazed (easily broken) but still possible.
Very best of luck getting those rods out! You should get some idea as to the position of the break, by laying what came out on the ground.
Fingers crossed!
John

 

[zuki79]

the drain is a clay looking pipe im guessing that is the slat glazed stuff

i have a feeling there is a break somewhere in the pipe though as where i was digging out was absolutely drenched/ soggy down there

so it might be a blessing that i had to dig it up (trying to find a positive in all of this!!!)

thanks once again

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Check your house insurance, drains may be covered. How old is the property? That may give a clue to the construction (and possible layout) of the drains. (Salt glazed indicates an older property.)

The salt glazed stuff has a habit of 'falling apart' at the joints, they will then leak and saturate the sorrounding soil. Plus point is though they will fall apart allowing to to remove each section fairly easily. Beware of buried services though if you plan to excavate yourself. Gas, electric and water services could be anywhere!

 

[zuki79]

Fixed it!!

well, after the rod snapped, i thought "what the hell" im goign to have to dig it out

so i dug down the shaft of the inspection cover, where i found the pipe was oozing water an god knows what else

i uncovered the whole pipe an found the inspection cover pipe was just sitting on the main drain. so i removed that, put on my best marigolds an felt around in here

luckily the snapped rod was within hand reach (thank god)

i went to B&Q an bought some "Bailey" rods, attaching these to another set i had, i put the whole length down the drain with no effect

so i spoke to United Utilities who said they would be around within the 4 hours

when they arrived the said it was a "shared service" so they were responsible for it YAY!!

they stuck a camera down found it, jetted... still stuck, jetted...still stuck

then used something called a "warthog" his cut through roots an other assorted objects within the drain

so now all is fixed

thanks for all the help/ advice an also thanks United Utilities (UU also said the houses wer built in 1933 so would have been covered even if it wasnt shared)

thanks!

 

[Burnerman]

Zuki, you have the heart of a bloomin' lion
Well done for your efforts, and I'm sure we are all dead chuffed regarding the outcome.....at last!
Yet another no vote for Silverline gear Baileys rods will take enormous abuse though.
Best wishes for future work on your new place!
John

 

[Agile]

Does anyone know what this "Warthog" was?

Tony