Well and truly blocked sewer in 1912 house...

[aberant]

Morning all. I have a slight problem in that my sewer is blocked and having gone at it for 3 hours with the double worm screw at the end of rods and am getting nowhere. I *think* the blockage is caused by flushing Andrex Moist since I keep getting those in the worm screw. I've rotated with forward pressure and then removed the screw several times, each time getting large chunks of nasty back but its still not clearing.

Has anyone any suggestions as to alternative tools / methods to get this shifted? I have visitors coming tonight and a toilet not flushing properly is a bit embarassing....

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

You've just got to keep at it mate - unless you can rod from another inspection chamber?
You could call the Dynorod people or similar, who will pressure jet the pipe.
John

 

[aberant]

cheers mate, no other inspecation chamber unfortunately annoyingly its of an older type as well so there's just the gully (or whatever its called) and not the rod point above, so am going in at an angle just to make it that little bit harder.

How much would DynoRod want to jet? am skint. . .

 

[Burnerman]

I've really no idea how much Dyno charge...however you are getting stuff out so thats something. Obviously you don't want to be compressing the solids up there either. Presumably you are rodding from the chamber up to the house?
A real sods law trick, this.
John

 

[aberant]

I know, bloody typical isn't it. Its blocked a few times, I'm assuming partly due to it having quite a shallow slope?

Am rodding away from house towards main sewer since the only inspection cover is about 50cm from the back of the house.

Any particular technique to be used? Am pressing hard to get a good chunk in the worm since otherwise it doesn't bring anything back up....thought of taking the worm off and just trying to tw*t it out of the way with the rod end?

 

[Burnerman]

If you are heading from the inspection chamber towards the main sewer, then I'd go for a rod without any attatchment....anything just to get through, rather than compacting things.
With old drains, any obstruction can cause things to back up...but non biodegradable things like Moists certainly shouldn't go down the pan.
I wish you all the luck with this!
John

 

[gasmick2]

Hi best to phone a drain company they have power jetting systems that will shift it , or try a manhole further down the line and rod it the other way
you never know you might have a broken drain that has sunk as in those days most were not covered in concrete and were just laid on the clay just like the spread brick footings
and if thts the case you will need a camera putting down to locate it but that could be covered on your house insurance
best of luck mick

 

[aberant]

Rod without attachment and a bit of attitude then!

Having done some googling I've discovered that despite these things saying 'flushable and safe for septic tanks' they're clearly not. shame really cos they're a godsend at times (IBS!)

Thanks for wishes of luck - I may need it!

Merry Christmas

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

You're in a property built pre 1937, any shared drain laid prior to October 1937 comes under the responsibility of the water authority. Give them a call, quote "Public Health Act 1937, and they should come and sort it FOC.

 

[aberant]

Hi Hugh, thanks for the reply

I was aware of that rule, I spotted it when I was searching this forum ref this issue.

However, given that the blockage isn't affecting any other properties in my terrace (as far as I know), doesn't that mean that the blockage must be in the pipe from my house to the main sewer, therefore not shared?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

First point of call for me now would be to check if any others are affected. Also check the last chamber before the sewer enters the main in the road. This will likely have an interceptor trap in it, Victorian idea to stop gases and rats coming back up the house drains, but extremely prone to blocking..... These can block in the trap, effluent builds up and escapes through the rodding eye above. It will carry on like this for some time until solids build up in the standing effluent in the pipes until it eventually blocks.....

If it is just you with problems then all you can do is keep plugging away, I would expect your sewer 'tees' into a pipe running along the terrace taking all the houses. If this is blocked then water board job! As you say, if its just yours then you've either got to keep going, plenty of water sometimes helps build pressure to shift the blockage, or bite the bullet and call someone out. Independants may prove cheaper than Dyno, might be worth asking about prices before requesting their attendance....

 

[aberant]

Hi - first of all, it cleared! It turns out repeated pummeling with only the rod end shifted it, must have been quite far long though as it took 13 rods to reach it.

No others were affected. I have only 1 inspection cover / chamber between my house and the sewer. Having looked at the searches done when we bought the place, there is indeed a single main sewer that runs down the middle of the back alley. This 1 inspection cover is over a brick rectangle which ends in what I can only describe as a pipe with its top half removed. There's no drain rod point above the actual sewer as in more modern systems annoyingly. If there is a trap, I can't get access to it.

Any suggestions on preventing recurrences ? (apart from not flushing the Andrex Moist, which I have written in big black marker pen on top of the box!)

 

[dextrous]

It may be worth you while installing a rodding point, or replacing the gully with a plastic one which has a removable section for easier rodding. Other than than, may be worth getting a pressure washer and a drain jet pipe to routinely clean it out (maybe once a quarter).

 

[Burnerman]

Hi - first of all, it cleared! It turns out repeated pummeling with only the rod end shifted it, must have been quite far long though as it took 13 rods to reach it.

No others were affected. I have only 1 inspection cover / chamber between my house and the sewer. Having looked at the searches done when we bought the place, there is indeed a single main sewer that runs down the middle of the back alley. This 1 inspection cover is over a brick rectangle which ends in what I can only describe as a pipe with its top half removed. There's no drain rod point above the actual sewer as in more modern systems annoyingly. If there is a trap, I can't get access to it.

Any suggestions on preventing recurrences ? (apart from not flushing the Andrex Moist, which I have written in big black marker pen on top of the box!)

Yee Ha Aint that final gurgling noise the sweetest sound in the world??
Good on yer mate!
Nowt worse than this....I've had to clear septic tanks with disposable (?)incontinent pads, nappies and tampons. Talk about out of sight, out of mind!
John

 

[aberant]

@Dextrous - never worked with underground pipes before, how much of a p**s about is it? Already have a pressure washer so maybe if I get one of these drain jets that might keep on top of it... thanks for the info

@Burnerman - Indeed it is! At first I thought it was just swilling around with me rodding like fury, but no it was clearing! Would have whooped for joy except I was covered in sh*t and didn't want it going everywhere. Now to wash those clothes at 90 degrees.....

Thanks for help all