What can I do to sort this drain out?

[sy677]

The drain is coming off the back of the kitchen and has pipes from sinks, gutters, washing machine and dishwasher going all over the place.

The base of the gully is damaged and allows water to collect and stand, which in turn has given life to millions of mosquitoes.

Also, should the main drain opening have standing water or should it all flow away? Not sure if there is a slight blockage preventing all the water going or if that's just normal.

Should I get someone in?

Drain1

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Drain2

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Drain3

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Any advice appreciated!

 

[pete50]

I'm no expert but the reason you have standing water is because the top edge of the pipe is above the level of the ground. I would have thought that there should have been concrete haunches, is that the right word, leading down to the very top of that pipe but with a recess along the circumference of the pipe to accomodate a grid. I also think that water should drain completely immediately unless of course the drain itself is not sufficient to cope with the amount of water you are throwing down it or it is blocked.

Not the best picture but it does illustrate how the gully should be in relation to the surrounding area.

 

[dilalio]

The drain is coming off the back of the kitchen and has pipes from sinks, gutters, washing machine and dishwasher going all over the place.

The base of the gully is damaged and allows water to collect and stand, which in turn has given life to millions of mosquitoes.

Also, should the main drain opening have standing water or should it all flow away? Not sure if there is a slight blockage preventing all the water going or if that's just normal.

Should I get someone in?

Drain1

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Drain2

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Drain3

• sy677
• 8 May 2018

Any advice appreciated!

Defo needs attention.
Unless you’ve done this sort of thing before, get someone in.

First off, the services need directing away from the gully to allow it some respite... then fully clean and clear the drain to the sewer and make sure it’s free-running, trapped and you can get it full of clean water... it should be trapped but settled level needs checking and should be clear after attention.
The rest of the bunded gully needs clearing right out... that subsoil/substrate will be contaminated with years of grey-water and needs disposing of and replacing with decent backfill... hardcore/type1 etc... then it’ll need proper benching-in with an appropriate mix of sand/cement with waterproofing, then you can sort out the waste pipes and proper air-gaps and falls etc; gully guard to catch leaves etc.

 

[sy677]

Thanks for the advice. It was looking much worse before I took the photos, as I already cleared away a load of moss and other nasty looking scum that was on every surface.

The holes with the standing water had a couple of bricks in them and were covered in the contaminated soil.

Any recommendations for someone who can do this sorry of thing? (West London area)

 

[dilalio]

Any recommendations for someone who can do this sorry of thing? (West London area)

There’s a few drainage guys on here who are very good and may be able to help... it’s really a drainage guy you need and not a general builder, so beware who you get in.

@Hugh Jaleak
@HERTSDRAINAGE2010
@Ian H

 

[Nige F]

A couple of things - the socket of the drain pipe looks in good condition and could have a rectangular hopper fitted to it . It looks like there is a trap holding some water down the pipe, Can you carefully poke a stick down the pipe - you should hit the bottom of a trap - just a bigger version of your sink trap. Can it take a hose run full bore without filling up. ? The rainwater pipe from above - does it do just rainwater, or wastes from a bathroom ? As a first step you could throw Jeyes Fluid neat (undiluted) all over the rancid brick/dirt. That'll kill any mossies.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Needs digging out, drain replacing and new pipework as required. Swap to a plastic gulley, the downpipe can be directly connected via a back inlet, and the wastes tidied up to discharge below the grid. Get rid of all the mess, smell and mozzies.

If you want to get someone in, a groundworker is the best choice, builders dont always do drains, and some of the drainage companies are expensive...

 

[Ian H]

I'd have a go yourself.

The round part looks to me like it's a later addition onto a square gully. You could take that off and clean out the square bit first, use a hose to make sure the water level in the square bit stays constant.

Once that's done you could try and find a square riser (not much chance) or raise it up with a plastic hopper and concrete it all in.

Then alter your pipes to how you want them.

 

[Nige F]

I see what you're saying Ian - I took it to be a bit of brick