We've had a long standing issue with a certain drain due (I believe) to a lazy builder.
I estimate that the 4" pipe length is approx 11m (that's the distance measured above ground so might be slightly longer). One end has the kitchen waste going into it. The other end goes into an inspection chamber in the garden where it joins into the shared pipe.
From the one end, I can rod about 4m before I get stuck. From the inspection chamber, I can rod about 7m, so that identifies the problem area fairly well.
I've used a cheap endoscope camera connected to my phone to have a bit of a look up the pipe but I keep getting water or gunk on the end of the camera and it goes all blurry. However I can't really see a blockage as such. Coming from the 4m end I've managed a better view but I get to what appears to be a sharp bend and I can't get the rod to go round the bend. Coming from the other way I keep ending up with it blurry before the rod gets completely stuck and sounds like it is hitting a bend again.
The problem is made worse by the fact that this point in the pipe is underneath our conservatory, so I can't easily just dig it up.
I've had professional jetters in to clear it out before but it just blocks up again. They also couldn't get their jet to go down the pipe, it got stuck in the same place and they were worried about smashing the pipe if they tried any more than they did. It did clear out a load of grey gunk though and then was flowing freely.
So I'm looking to try and sort it more permanently.
My two queries I guess are...
Any tips to keep the camera clean when pushing it up the pipe? (I have it taped to the rods)
Am I looking at having to take up part of the floor and put a rodding eye in on that bend?
My big worry is that they really bodged it and left some kind of U bend in the pipe. The point where the rods get stuck and I presume the blockage is, is where there end of the 4" pipe used to be and the kitchen waste used to drop into there, so I hope they didn't just extend it leaving that part in place.
I estimate that the 4" pipe length is approx 11m (that's the distance measured above ground so might be slightly longer). One end has the kitchen waste going into it. The other end goes into an inspection chamber in the garden where it joins into the shared pipe.
From the one end, I can rod about 4m before I get stuck. From the inspection chamber, I can rod about 7m, so that identifies the problem area fairly well.
I've used a cheap endoscope camera connected to my phone to have a bit of a look up the pipe but I keep getting water or gunk on the end of the camera and it goes all blurry. However I can't really see a blockage as such. Coming from the 4m end I've managed a better view but I get to what appears to be a sharp bend and I can't get the rod to go round the bend. Coming from the other way I keep ending up with it blurry before the rod gets completely stuck and sounds like it is hitting a bend again.
The problem is made worse by the fact that this point in the pipe is underneath our conservatory, so I can't easily just dig it up.
I've had professional jetters in to clear it out before but it just blocks up again. They also couldn't get their jet to go down the pipe, it got stuck in the same place and they were worried about smashing the pipe if they tried any more than they did. It did clear out a load of grey gunk though and then was flowing freely.
So I'm looking to try and sort it more permanently.
My two queries I guess are...
Any tips to keep the camera clean when pushing it up the pipe? (I have it taped to the rods)
Am I looking at having to take up part of the floor and put a rodding eye in on that bend?
My big worry is that they really bodged it and left some kind of U bend in the pipe. The point where the rods get stuck and I presume the blockage is, is where there end of the 4" pipe used to be and the kitchen waste used to drop into there, so I hope they didn't just extend it leaving that part in place.