Drain blocked

[braddock71]

I've recently uncovered a drain at the bottom of a downpipe which looks like it had about 10 years of soil/roots growing over it!

My problem is that I can only unblock so much of it now it's uncovered as the soil is so matted together with roots (not sure how they've broken through the pipe itself!).

I've been troweling what I can out of it but now i can't reach down that far and also can't really lever the rest out. Is there a tool I can use which (maybe like a massive corkscrew) to pull out some more?

At the moment, it has standing water in it, so the roots are getting a good drink - so now, as the water will be stood in the pipe, will the roots rot and it will clear itself?

appreciate any hints!

 

[noseall]

Is there a trapped gully or just a vertical section of pipe visible?

We have dug up many a drain pipe that was completely full of soil and roots right back to the soakaway. These are often pipes with a bend collecting the rainwater and no trapped gully, with the lack of a drain gully being the problem.

You could try one of these attached to a drain rod........

 

[braddock71]

I do have chimney rods which also have drain attachments with something very similar to what you've pictured. I'll give it a try. Maybe now it's been uncovered and rain is sitting on it, might get a bit more loose (is not solid soil, but the roots are so thick, it makes it really tough).

I can only see the vertical section at the moment, so not sure if it's blocked at the gully or if there is one!

Thanks for tip, I'll give it a go. As my rods are flexible, this might make it hard to get a grip and twist the end into the soil/roots. Is there something I can screw onto the rod (like a T shape) so I can get better purchase?

 

[catlad]

Don't forget you can only twist one way or you will loose your end piece.