Drain overflowing

[Dylan123]

My outside drain that the shower emptied into is overflowing (see pics)

I presume this is just a blocked drain?

both the hole that the pipe goes into is overflowing and the grill drain by the side of it is also full to the brim.

This hasn’t happened before

any idea of cost or any advice here?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Do you have a jet wash?

If so put the nozzle in the drain and give it a blast.

Let us know how you get on.

Andy

 

[Dylan123]

Do you have a jet wash?

If so put the nozzle in the drain and give it a blast.

Let us know how you get on.

Andy

afraid not but I could buy one...

 

[HERTS P&D]

Or take off the grid and put your hand down the gully and see if it is blocked.
Use a black bag as a glove.

Andy

 

[Dylan123]

Or take off the grid and put your hand down the gully and see if it is blocked.
Use a black bag as a glove.

Andy

will try now

 

[Dylan123]

Or take off the grid and put your hand down the gully and see if it is blocked.
Use a black bag as a glove.

Andy

I couldn’t get it off. Pulled with pliers and a hammer and it won’t budge.

only way to get it open I would guess would be with a chisel.

I wonder if I push a rod or something down there and mash it abojt a bit? Or best to just get the drain cover off? I can always plaster it back in

 

[HERTS P&D]

You need to lift off the grate, before we can go any further.

Andy

 

[Nige F]

My outside drain that the shower emptied into is overflowing (see pics)

I presume this is just a blocked drain?

?

Blocked gulley - get the grating off - get a bucket of hot water and a old fashioned type mop - plunge the gulley, pour in the hot water then plunge again. If it's just a shower discharge it'll be soap and hair congealing.

 

[Nige F]

I couldn’t get it off.

only way to get it open I would guess would be with a chisel.

Indeed - break it open from the centre - less damage to the stoneware gulley.

 

[Dylan123]

Blocked gulley - get the grating off - get a bucket of hot water and a old fashioned type mop - plunge the gulley, pour in the hot water then plunge again. If it's just a shower discharge it'll be soap and hair congealing.

ok so I got the grate off and stuck my hand down there and got rid of some congealed earth.

the drain goes under the concrete - it kind of goes left, then up! So I’d expect the water in the drain to reach that level

It’s permanently got standing water in there. If you add more water the level rises and then after a while falls back

I’ve put another post on this thread to explain

 

[Dylan123]

So grid off and I’ve cleared what I can and reached as far as I can go

it seems the pipe that feeds to the sewer is too high. The drains around the front of the house are also too high and I get puddles when it rains. (Big dip in the middle under the window)

Here’s a diagram of what I mean

The water is always “standing” in the drain. If you add water, it rises. It will overflow if this continues. After you leave it, it slowly drains back to the standing level.

So it (kind of) works but it trickles into my greenhouse when you overload it.

there’s a manhole cover in the garden.

There’s a stream at the back. I have a slight fear as this house was built in 1939 they drain it to the stream and nobody has fixed it, which I know is illegal these days. However, I used to paddle in the stream as a kid and I could see people’s shower and washing machine waste going in there!!

I may be worrying over nothing. The manhole cover looks official, I’d be very surprised if I wasn’t connected to the main sewer lol

I wonder if all these drain issues are a bit of subsidence. I had this place surveyed and it came back as no subsidence and nothing looks odd, other than drainage issues. The middle of the house at front, the concrete in the middle has clearly sunk below the level of the 2 drains at each corner.

sorry for the long post of worries but I am an office boy who knows nothing except for pencil pushing!

 

[Madrab]

The gulley will be trapped, the water you can see is the water seal, similar to your toilet, stops sewer smell getting back out so there will always be water in it. The problem is that either the trap or the underground pipe run is restricted somewhere, so the drain can't evacuate the water quickly enough.

That's what you need to clear.

 

[Dylan123]

The gulley will be trapped, the water you can see is the water seal, similar to your toilet, stops sewer smell getting back out so there will always be water in it. The problem is that either the trap or the underground pipe run is restricted somewhere, so the drain can't evacuate the water quickly enough.

That's what you need to clear.

brilliant! Thanks.

I can’t feel any further down the pipe. So I’m guessing this is a “rod man” job here.

I have a newborn baby here; she would prob fit down there but her mother might have something to say - she’s a bit emotional and thinks my ideas like this are “dangerous”

would you try hot water, vinegar etc or is that unlikely to clear it ?

cheers

 

[Madrab]

Could you have a collapsed drain, as you mention there is a dip in the ground, yes of course you could but as the other guys have mentioned, you want to try and mechanically clear any restriction.

Firstly as @Nige F suggest, get an old style mop with a plastic bag on it, fill the drain full of hot water and plunge away, do that at least a few dozen times and see if it starts to flow better. If it doesn't then you could try rodding but if you can't get the rod past eh bends then that won't wont, the other option is to use a snake.

If all else fails then you would need to start digging and trace the run to inspect it.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

No issue with rainwater going to the stream, in fact I'd expect the rainwater drainage to be piped in that direction. Anything else should go to the sewer.