Today's Failed Project

[dk1uk]

Hi - I'm in need of some advice please...

Last week I noticed my gutter overflowing. When I tapped the downpipe, I could tell it was full of water. The downpipe goes straight into the ground/concrete. Today I cut the pipe to see if I could clear the blockage - 5 hours later, it's still blocked. I'm very concerned that the pipe hasn't been installed into a proper soak-away or into the drains. I don't have the tools (or even the will after 5 hours) to dig up the concrete.

I wondered if Plan B might work - I have two gutters on the side of my house with two downpipes - for two different extensions. The attached picture shows the other downpipe - which definitely drains water away fine. In the top left of the picture is the gutter with the faulty downpipe.

Is there any reason why I could join the gutters together and remove with my non-functioning downpipe? Is there a maximum roof span that a downpipe could sufficiently cope with in the event of heavy, prolonged rain?

Or shall I just go for it?

Many thanks

Untitled

• dk1uk
• 14 Jun 2014
• 1

 

[footprints]

Do you have a wet & dry vacuum cleaner if so worth a try.
Wickes do a cheapie for about £40 which would do fine.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wet+Dry-Vacuum+Blower/p/215735

 

[dk1uk]

Hi - yes I tried that and I got some debris up. I have also used my Karcher and cobbled together a pole with a hook to dislodge anything. But still the water only runs away very slowly - like a mm every 5 seconds.

I'm thinking that joining the two gutters together and getting rid of the faulty downpipe may be easier!

Thanks

 

[footprints]

Well I guess you have nothing to loose by trying re-routing the gutter, I used a drain clearing attachment on my Nilfisk washer quite effective.

I see Karcher do one too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kärcher-7-5...49&sr=8-1&keywords=karcher+drain+cleaning+kit

 

[ree]

1. The foliage overhanging (and underhanging) the gutter will have to be cut back considerably.

2. Remove the clips from the RWP and drop it carefully down.

3. Clean the RWP out on the ground.

4. Clean the gutters and any roof debris - moss or leaves. Some advise fitting leaf screens and/or wire strainers at the outlets. Both devices carry their own difficulties.

5. Perhaps do similar cleaning with all the house rainwater goods.

6. Your pic stopped short of the ground-RWP junction?
With the RWP down you can investigate the ground drainage.

7. FWIW: The sand and cement pointing at the verge edge needs renewing.
Its always best to discharge into a conventional gulley.

 

[noseall]

I would be inclined to reverse the fall then add another d/p drop, in the corner close to the one in the image then swan neck it over at the bottom and into the (if there is one) existing gully.

 

[Bilabong007]

Aldi have a drain cleaning pressure washer attachment on sale this week for a tenner. Think it's universal, maybe worth a try?

Graeme

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Squareline gutter has a fairly high carrying capacity, and will drain a large area, however I think you'll struggle to join the gutters as they appear to be on different planes. You'd be better taking Noseall's suggestion, although you made need a plethora of bends to join the two downpipes, if that one also goes directly into the floor.

Possibly needs further investigation as to where the water drains to, appreciate your reluctance to dig the concrete up, but putting two downpipes into one may overload the system, particularly if currently both downpipes go to separate soakaways....

 

[oldbutnotdead]

From your pic it does look as if you could (with 2 90 degree bends and a length of gutter) link the high end of the gutter that isn't draining to the low end of the one that is draining. Better off (as someone else said) reversing the fall and linking, better off still clearing the obstruction.

Capacity-wise I'm sure Google will be your friend- I've got 70 square metres draining into a single 3" downpipe at the moment (due to similar issues) and it hasn't overflowed yet - it is very freerunning though, vertical drop straight into the drains (old house= surface water permitted into sewerage system )

How near the ground did you cut the downpipe?

Have you pulled a whole section of downpipe out so you can get a rod with a screw on the end in and drag out the plastic bag or coke can that is almost certainly causing the problem? (You can get a set of drain rods for about £15 last time I looked and you'll be able to get some torque onto the screw bit- built-up crud in rainwater pipes can be amazingly hard work to shift but it is sooo satisfying when you get the Big Lump out and it suddenly starts draining properly)

 

[dk1uk]

Many thanks for the replies.

I am going to try and clear the blockage before undertaken the gutter works.

I was going to try and blast it with an attachment for my Karcher. Going by how quickly the downpipe fills up with a hose, I am certain that the blockage is not too far down.

But regarding drain rods (I've never used them before) - how flexible are they? At the moment, I have cut the downpipe to about 30cm above ground level. Even if I cut it at ground level, the hole is still 30cm deep and then there's a 90 degree bend at the bottom. Given that the hole is only 60mm, will drain rods bend sufficiently to get past the 90 degree at the bottom?

Thanks again.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Ahhh, tricky one- I take it the blockage is past the bend? If it is a hard 90 degree bend then the rods will struggle (well mine would anyway)- if its more of a rest bend style then you might get away with it. Have you tried pushing a garden hose down and round the bend (to find out how far away the blockage is)?

Best try the Karcher first, but because you're flushing uphill of the blockage you'll have to stop every 5 minutes and try and get the debris out.

Think you're going to end up going under the concrete- have fun, especially since there should be 5 metres of pipe between house and soakaway!

 

[dk1uk]

It's a pretty hard 90 degree bend so I suppose I'll try the Karcher and keep fingers crossed...really don't want to dig up the concrete, not least because I only laid a nice patio over it less than a year ago! If the blockage is where I think it is, then hopefully worst case, I can lift one slab, dig down a bit and hope for the best...

Thanks again.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I wouldn't try and force the roads round, all rods will struggle on that sharp a bend, cheap rods may well snap. Then you will be digging it up......

 

[dk1uk]

My Karcher pipe cleaning attachment arrived yesterday - tried it this morning and the blockage went - total 5 minutes work!!

Thanks for all the replies...