blocked drain?

[silverbootz]

Hi,

I have been having water in my cellar and I couldn't understand where it was coming from. After some investigation (standing very quietly in cellar) I noticed that air bubbles where coming through the concrete floor (thats why I couldn't find a leaking pipe or even where the water was coming in!) Anyway, after emptying the cellar on xmas eve and boxing day (happened twice). The problem seemed to go away (hurrah). Unfortunately it came back today. I open up the drain outside my front door (on my premises) and inside the inspection chamber the water level was about two foot from the top (the lid to the chamber was also craked in two).

Does this mean this drain is blocked? what should the level of the water be? could this be the cause of the water in the cellar ?(also close to the front door)

I am a little confused as the water in teh cellar doesn't appear to be smelly like that in the inspection chamber??

I read afew articles which state I should have another drain and I should unblock from there, but I haven't been able to find one (my gardden does have a lot of rubbish in it though). I have recently had building work could rubble have cause the blockage ? or things they were flushing into teh system??

help!!

 

[Nige F]

Hi,

Unfortunately it came back today. I open up the drain outside my front door (on my premises) and inside the inspection chamber the water level was about two foot from the top
help!!

there shouldn`t be a Water Level at all you should see a channel at the bottom of the chamber Get some rods for £15 from a diy shed and poke about

 

[Softus]

(the lid to the chamber was also craked in two).

Replace the lid.

Does this mean this drain is blocked?

Yes. As Nige has said, get some rods.

could this be the cause of the water in the cellar ?(also close to the front door)

Perhaps, but what confuses me is why your cellar doesn't fill with rainwater. This implies that there's a leak inside your house, possibly from a poor soil or pan connection.

I am a little confused as the water in teh cellar doesn't appear to be smelly like that in the inspection chamber?

If the water is seeping from the chamber and arriving in your basement then I would expect it to smell. Another possibility is that your rainwater drains to the same chamber and has backed up and is escaping from a joint somewhere.

I read afew articles which state I should have another drain and I should unblock from there

It often works out best to push an obstruction back up the pipe, in which case you need to find the next 'manhole' downstream of yours.

I have recently had building work could rubble have cause the blockage ? or things they were flushing into teh system?

Possibly, but who cares? You still have to get it unblocked.

 

[silverbootz]

Thanks, for the comments, I'm off to B&Q to buy some rods

how do I know what manhole is downstream of me? - will it be a neighbour, if so how do I know which one?

 

[Softus]

how do I know what manhole is downstream of me?

Call your sewerage authority and ask them where the public sewer is running. Work out the route from your chamber to that public run.

You never know - you might find that the blockage is in a public section and that the authority will come out and clear it. Have you asked any of your neighbours if they're affected by the blockage?

 

[Mrs Spanner]

Do be a bit careful with your home rodding though, if your pipe has partially broken you could potentially make it completely collapse if your rod gets on a snag and pulls it apart. I'd ask if your neighbours are affected too though as that means that technically they should also chip in towards the cost. Does the blocked chamber contain proper sewage water not just slightly whiffy surface water?

 

[bab]

if the manhole cover is broken is comman for a small bit to be missing. if so it may be whats causing ya blockage & there a pig to get out.