Unblocking Drain Not Sure What This Is

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Hi, we have been having a problem with the kitchen sink and dishwasher draining away so I decided to investigate the outside drain that the kitchen waste feeds into. This is under the conservatory floor but there is a cover to gain access to the drain. Upon opening it all up it became apparent that the drain was blocked with fat/food deposits and was in a pretty filthy state.

Anyway, I have now cleaned it all out and now the waste is draining away without backing up as it was. However, in getting my arm down the drain and cleaning it out the following part came away drom the exit hole in the side:


The problem is that now I have cleaned it all out this item will not stay in place if I push it in the hole. I've tried searching the internet and I cannot find anything like this. It seemed to be surrounded by some hardish black substance which was holding it in place. I assumed this was just a build up of waste but I'm now wondering if it was something purposely fixing it in place.

What is this item for and what should I do about it. Also, if this is fixed in place then how does the waste get past it. I'm confused.


Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks
 
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It looks a bit like part of a back flow preventor. A one way valve that prevents sewage from overloaded or flooded sewers flowing back into your property.
 
It's a fireclay drain plug, they were used on rodding eyes.

from what you describe it should not be there and probably the cause of the blockage,

post a pic of the chamber.
 
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Thanks guys, that's usefull information.

Here are a couple of pictures of the chamber:




I would imagine that the plug has been in place since the house was built in 1964 and if that's the case then I don't know how it has worked up until now.
The black stuff around the hole is what was holding the plug in place and I just cannot figure out how the waste has got past the plug and into the drain.
 
I just cannot figure out how the waste has got past the plug and into the drain.
It simply went via the trap below - which fats' diagram shows. The idea of the trap is to stop smells coming up. It discourages rats too, though they can swim through.

All sewer "manholes" used to have much the same arrangement but practice changed so the plugs are left out.
The trap fills with gunk (hard) and everything goes down what used to be blocked by the plug, above.
If you get smells you might need to refurbish it. That would mean cleaning the trap properly and replacing the plug/seal, which has obviously disintegrated. No idea what seal would have been used in '64. It was probably hemp and tallow or something similar at one time :)
 
Ah, it's starting to make sense now. I didn't realise there was another exit hole further down in the chamber. I've now sucked all the water out with a wet/dry vacuum and this is what I've got:



As you can see the bottom is still blocked up but it is quite soft. So I shall have a go at clearing it.

Any suggestions for clearing it. I've been using soda crystals and hot water which has got me this far (you should have seen it before I started). Due to the confined space I can't get in there very well but I'll have a hunt around for something flexible.

Would one of these be any good do you think:


Thanks for all the help.
 
LOOVELY, isn't it :LOL:
Hand grenades .....
Otherwise, nothing that I've seen dissolves it very impressively. Boiling water works quite well to soften it. Otherwise, very long rubber gloves and a bent spoon or knife is what I've used. Looks like you could reach some down the rodding eye too.
Once you can get a drain snake/coathanger through, try to lift lumps of the stuff out rather than sending them on.
If you keep pouring kettles-full of boiling water down there once there's a way through, it'll come clean.
If you have a steam wallpaper stripper with a jet attachment or use the end of the hose as one, you might get somewhere, that I've not tried.
I have also used a domestic size pressure-washer which worked reasonably but made a mess.
 
Hi, we have been having a problem with the kitchen sink and dishwasher draining away so I decided to investigate the outside drain that the kitchen waste feeds into. This is under the conservatory floor but there is a cover to gain access to the drain. Upon opening it all up it became apparent that the drain was blocked with fat/food deposits and was in a pretty filthy state.

Anyway, I have now cleaned it all out and now the waste is draining away without backing up as it was. However, in getting my arm down the drain and cleaning it out the following part came away drom the exit hole in the side:
[
The problem is that now I have cleaned it all out this item will not stay in place if I push it in the hole. I've tried searching the internet and I cannot find anything like this. It seemed to be surrounded by some hardish black substance which was holding it in place. I assumed this was just a build up of waste but I'm now wondering if it was something purposely fixing it in place.

What is this item for and what should I do about it. Also, if this is fixed in place then how does the waste get past it. I'm confused.


Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks
That`s a Gulley - not an interceptor ! First one I`ve seen with that access plug . The plug does need to be back in place ( maybe with some silicone ) How do the waste pipes go into the gulley , and what covers it ?
 
That`s a Gulley - not an interceptor ! First one I`ve seen with that access plug . The plug does need to be back in place ( maybe with some silicone ) How do the waste pipes go into the gulley , and what covers it ?

Here are some pictures showing the waste pipes.

This one shows the waste pipe from the kitchen going through the concrete and into the gulley


...and this one shows the aluminium plate that is normally sealed with a bead of silicone and screwed down. The washing machine waste fits through a push fit connector fitted into the plate.


This is then all covered with a trap door in the conservatory floor.

I realise that the plug will need to be refitted to prevent fumes coming up from the drain. I was going to ask what would be the best thing to seal it in place with. Would silicone not make it a bit difficult to remove in the future especially with the limited access.

I have now cleared the waste exit hole at the bottom of the chamber by leaving some 'Mister Muscle Sink & Drain Unblocker' sitting in the bottom of the chamber over night and then washing it through with about five sink fulls of hot water. It now appears to be running through very quickly with no backing up whatsoever no matter how quickly I pour water down the drain.

So I think everything is clear now and I just need to refit the plug into the rodding eye.
 

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