Concern about an outside drain-gulley

[Lucky Luke]

Hi. Can anyone offer any helpful comment on the following concern? Outside our kitchen is a drain-gulley, into which, waste water from the sink (also the bathwater from upstairs, when the bath is emptying) drains. In recent days, when the sink is very near to being completely emptied, a loud "chuckling" (or gurgling) noise is heard. I am sure that this sound comes up from the outside gulley and through the sink discharge-pipe, then it comes out through the plug-hole of the sink. That must be the reason for the hollow gurgling (or "chuckling") noise that is heard — the pipe adds resonance to the sound.

I can only imagine that the gulley is not capable of taking a largish amount of water, so it may tend to "back up". The gurgling must be caused by air and water fighting to go down together. (Or something like that.)

In years past, the drain into which the outside gulley empties has been blocked occasionally, and the chuckling noise I hear has always been a precursor to a full blockage. It is not heard after the drain has been cleared. Now, because of my concern about an impending full blockage, today, I took a plunger-rod (a 5-ft handle, with a rubber disc on the end — manufactured especially for this purpose) and, with the kitchen tap being fully on, gave the gulley a really vigorous rodding. After having a rest, I then repeated this procedure. In the past, I have cleared a full blockage in this way, though it took nearly all my energy finally to clear it, so I did not spare the force this time.

When I filled the sink after this, and let it drain down, there was just the same chuckling noise as before, even though the sink did drain away at a seemingly normal rate.

I should hate for there to be a complete blockage in due course, so my question is: could there be some other reason for the chuckling/gurgling noise? And does anyone have any other useful comment to make?
Thanks for reading this, and for any helpful replies that this forum may have.
L.L.

 

[CBW]

Hello Luke, you may want to investigate the sink wastepipe setup for partial blockage.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Hello Luke, you may want to investigate the sink wastepipe setup for partial blockage.

Hey, Chris, strangely, I would not have thought of that! On the basis of what you say, it could be the trap that has accumulated bits of debris (it's not possible, is it, to avoid bits being washed down). I had such a fear of the outside drain or gulley being blocked (it's one of my bogies), that the waste-pipe itself did not occur to me at all! Thanks, I shall investigate when I get the opportunity.
L.L.

 

[foxhole]

Gurgling often occurs if discharge pipe in below the levels of water in the drain.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Gurgling often occurs if discharge pipe in below the levels of water in the drain.

Foxhole, the level of water in the outside gulley is lower than the end of the discharge pipe, if that's what you mean. I told Chris (Chris_W) that I would investigate for a blockage in the trap. Today, I took the trap off, and it was not blocked. However, when I put it back, I gave the sink outlet a good pummelling with a rubber force-cup, twice, in case there might be something in the pipe itself. However, since then, the gurgling has not ceased. I suppose I will just have to monitor it for a while, and see what happens, with fingers crossed. There does not seem to be anything else that can be done! Thanks for your feed back.
L.L.

 

[foxhole]

Gully needs clearing , you said it backs up when sink discharged?

 

[Lucky Luke]

Gully needs clearing , you said it backs up when sink discharged?

No, Foxhole, I didn't say that, though I fear that soon, it may need clearing. It does not back up when the sink is emptied, there is just this gurgling (seemingly coming from near to the gulley, though I think that it may then come along the emptied sink-drainpipe and up through the plug-hole, because this would be natural). In the past when this gurgling has started, it has soon led to a blocked outside gulley/drain. However, as I said earlier, I have given it a good pummelling with a rod and plunger-disc, and it made no difference. Whether there is solidified fat stuck to the gulley outlet-bend (thereby narrowing it), I can't tell (except by going up to my elbow in ice-cold gulley water, and feeling for a partial blockage). I am resigned to waiting to see what happens in due course, though I wanted to pre-empt an outside gulley/drain blockage.
L.L.