Drain rodding!!

[DizzyT]

Hi people,

Can you advise me please.... Have an outside drain that is blocked. The kitchen sink and washing machine drain into it so I brought some drain rods...like you do!! However.... once I took the drain cover off I found that the hole to shove my rods down is directly opposite my house and there doesn't seem to be enough room to get a rod down there and into the hole!,

Any advice is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance

 

[Tipper]

Can you rod back from the next manhole?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

If no other access is available, then you've no option. If the rods wont go round, you can try a 'snake' but that may not be man enough. If all else fails you'll have to bite the bullet and get it jetted. Force the rods in and there's a risk you'll break them! It is the outlet pipe away from the gulley that is blocked and not a build up of crud and detritus in the bottom of the gulley?

If you do need help, then phone around and get a fixed price before engaging a drain company.

 

[DizzyT]

Thanks for your answers,

I'm not sure about rodding from the next manhole...wouldn't know where to start looking!

Is there not an industrial strength liquid I can pour down the outside drain and it melts everything away?
The trouble is is that I'm the second house from the end in a line of terraced houses and think all the houses use the same drain?

As always your help is appreciated

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Chemicals are always a dodgy exercise in drains. You stand half a chance in a waste pipe, but a drain holds a lot more water and a lot depends on how diluted the chemical is before it gets to where it's needed. Then if it doesn't work and someone comes along and splashes it there's the risk of chemical burns....

Are any of your neighbours affected? If the problem is in a shared drain (i.e. you + at least one other uses it), then it's the Water Company's responsibility anyway. Check with next door, if they've also got a problem then ring the Water Co. and get them out to it.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Does the grid where the waste pipe for kitchen sink overflow when sink or w/machine is emptying? If yes, it's just the back enrty gully blocked with fat, etc.

Remove the grid and try pouring some caustic soda into the gully and leave undisturbed for a couple of hours. If this doean't work, you'll have to get yourself a long rubber glove, get your hand in and scoop the fat out of the gully's outlet pipe. Make sure caustic soda is dispersed before putting your hands in.

 

[gigz]

If its a gully, take the grate off and use the rubber disc rod like a plunger, be very careful sticking your hands down, last time i did that the gully was full of glass.

 

[HERTS P&D]

As said above, get a fixed jetting price OR you could use 'one shot'. This is sold in 1litre bottles, to get it unblocked use 2 bottles.

You will need gloves and goggles, pour both bottles into the gully at arms length and POUR IT IN VERY SLOWLY. Then leave it alone for 30minutes, then open up the kitchen tap and see if the water runs away.

If you use one shot and it does not clear, what ever you do not put you hand into the gully and if you call someone out afterwards, tell them what you have done.

Andy

 

[SandyLyon]

If you do use rods take care if the aren't the type where the joints lock together, I've seen many a. Rod that has become unscrewed and lost in the drain. They can be a sod to retrieve.

 

[footprints]

Trouble with sticking caustic things down a drain is if they don't work you also have the problem of the stuff in there while you try something else!

Worth a try is simply to stick the garden hose down the gully plug around it with some old rags or plastic dustbin bags and give it a good blast, do wear old clothes and if you have such thing a full face visor like you use for grinding etc is a good idea

Edit,
I did crack a gully myself trying to get spring rods around it.

 

[Nige F]

If you do use rods take care if they aren't the type where the joints lock together, I've seen many a rod that has become unscrewed and lost in the drain. They can be a sod to retrieve.

Righty Tighty - Lefty in the S*yty