Blocked guttering downpipe drain

[katheh]

Hi all,

I noticed a downpipe was leaking a lot of water at water butt junction so took it apart and found the whole pipe below that point full of soil. Must be many many years of moss build up. I've dismantled it and unblocked in into the ground but can't unblock round the corner which is about 30cm below the concrete patio. (See photo)

Unblocking it doesn't seem feasible because I assume it goes to a soakaway. Also there were roots in what I pulled out so expect pipes are broken.

Any ideas how to solve this? Could I let the gutter run out on to the patio which would then drain to the lawn? Or run a horizontal pipe at ground level to drain it into the garden? Or is the only option to bite the bullet and get a new soakaway installed.

Thanks in advance.

Blocked Drain

• katheh
• 7 Jun 2020

 

[Nige F]

Just put a bend at the bottom and discharge it to where the old pipe is sitting

 

[katheh]

Just put a bend at the bottom and discharge it to where the old pipe is sitting

I was thinking that but is it a good idea to discharge water that close to the house?

 

[Nige F]

See how it goes on that part of the garden or turn it 90 degrees and let it run down the patio to lawn.

 

[^woody^]

Your don't want to be putting that much water into the ground so close to the foundations.

You need to sort the drain out or put a soakaway in 5m from the house

 

[katheh]

Yeah, I think you're right. I'm intending to live here for a long time so should sort it properly. A new well installed soakaway should outlive me if installed properly from what I have read!

I'm just wondering if there is any possibility of unblocking the existing one. Might be worth an £80 gamble for a call out to a drain unblocking company. Or would this be pointless?

 

[johnny2007]

If the pipe is not broken it can be unblocked.
Before you waste money, use a snake and then a jet washer without the gun, just the hose.
They also sell cheap attachments for jet washer to clean pipes.
If all fails, get the professionals in and they will sort it in minutes.
One question: does this pipe discharge in a soakaway or drain?

 

[katheh]

If the pipe is not broken it can be unblocked.
Before you waste money, use a snake and then a jet washer without the gun, just the hose.
They also sell cheap attachments for jet washer to clean pipes.
If all fails, get the professionals in and they will sort it in minutes.
One question: does this pipe discharge in a soakaway or drain?

I dug out the original house plans earlier (hand drawn from early 1960s). I now know it definitely goes to a soakaway.

Anyone know how far from the house a soakaway would have been in the '60s?

 

[johnny2007]

Anything between 6 foot and 50 yards.
They didn't have tape measures for ground work in those days.

 

[katheh]

Update: got a drain professional in and they managed to unblock it