Bodged Aco Drain Keeps Getting Blocked

[mb597]

I'm a builder and have just been out to a family members house about an aco Drain that keeps getting blocked. They've recently had the garden done by someone else and they installed an aco drain along the back of the house. It keeps getting blocked to the point where it's overflowing and causing the garage to flood as theres a door low level near the drain. This is happening every time theres any consistent rain for an hour or two.

Basically the previous builder has block paved right up to the top of the door threshold so when the drain overflows the water seeps inside.

I took the cover off the aco and they've just put a hole in the aco and sat it on top of the previous gully. The sink water is also going into the aco.

What would be the best thing to look at in this situation as I haven't got much experience with aco drains as I always just make my paving fall away from the house instead of into dedicated drains.

My thoughts are to see how the pipe runs to the sewer as there's a manhole pretty much right next to the drain and see if that's at fault. Also, I'm thinking of removing the blocks around the threshold to the garage door and installing some gravel.

But beyond that ripping it out and starting again looks like the only other option.

If anyone who knows more about drainage and aco drains can chime in that would help as to me even if it is installed correctly it looks like it would still be getting blocked.

Cheers.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

To start with you need to do a bit of detective work and work out the drain runs etc. Some photos might help.

 

[accelerator]

Yes, pics needed.

 

[blup]

Is it getting blocked by debris, inadequate flow/fall, or at the outlet to the sewer? You could test it on a dry day. If that fails to identify and resolve the issue then maybe shift the ACO further away from the threshold and add gravel as suggested

 

[noseall]

I took the cover off the aco and they've just put a hole in the aco and sat it on top of the previous gully. The sink water is also going into the aco.

Cowboy chancer stuff.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

An aco drain should exit into a 110mm pipe. I'm assuming yours goes into a smaller pipe, so it will inevitably block as a result of the twigs, pebbles and leaves that inevitably will find their way past the grate.

You need to find a way of plumbing it using only 110mm pipe. If into the sewer then it needs to be via a trap (u-bend), otherwise it will become a stinking ground-level sewer vent.

But photos are definitely needed.