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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:37 pm
by chelly78
Can someone explain what is happening.
I have had a new soil stack put in as house did not have one when we bought it (had been removed and macerator fitted) which has resulted in some changes to the drains. The soil stack goes straight into the foul drain which has an inspection chamber outside. On lifting this there are 2 points of entry running into the drain - one is the soil stack, the other is water from the kitchen sink and washing machine which is completely seperate. Water from the gutters also goes into this drain and I assume that the gutter connects to the soil stack as when you pour water down the gutter drain it comes out the same pipe as the soil stack. Cannot see how it connects as it is all encased in concrete
The problem is that recently i have noticed toilet paper and waste collecting in the trap where the gutter drains. If i get a hose and stick it into the gutter trap then it will clear but surely this shouldn't be happening. I have filled the bath with water and emptied it and the water level in the gutter trap goes up and down a couple of cms as the water comes through the soil pipe. What do you think is the cause and what can i do about it?
Thanks
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:02 pm
by lutonlagerlout
sounds like a bodge by previous incumbents
the gutter should run to a suitable soakaway,chances are that the original silted up ,and some cowboy made a dodgy connection on to the foul run,i cannot imagine the gutter is trapped if there is paper and stuff coming up,a picture would be handy
cheers LLL
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:20 pm
by chelly78
As you can see soil stack is on the right, down pipe from gutter on the left - this drain has water in it (and waste!). I assume they join somewhere under the concrete then discharge to the main foul drain under the manhole cover. House did have a macerator the pipe of which discharged in the same drain as the kitchen sink I think.
What would be the solution to this. House is 1900's terrace so has combined drain (?)
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 12:50 am
by lutonlagerlout
well it looks like the downpipe discharges into a back inlet gully so i cannot see how foul waste is getting past the trap??
can we have a picture of the inside of the manhole and a picture of where the down pipe goes to please?
inside the manhole will be the key i think
btw 800 by 600 is best format for posting
cheers LLL
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:28 pm
by chelly78
Ok here is a picture inside the manhole. Bottom left is where the kitchen sink and washing machine waste comes from. Middle pipe is where the gutter discharges out of and the soil stack. As you can see the whole lot is encased in concrete so can't see where the down pipe goes to to connect to soil stack.
Second picture is looking down the drain the gutter goes into. As you can see it is orange plastic at the bottom and is quite shallow. Seems to collect small stones - presumably from the gutter and toilet paper etc - not nice
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 8:27 pm
by flowjoe
Are you sure that the toilet waste does not come out of the plastic pipe half way up the manhole wall ?, the same pipe that the plastic gully discharges from.
Get someone to flush the toilet and watch for movement to the gully water level.
Its a tight fit but i suspect that between the gully pot and the manhole will be a junction for the soil vent pipe, when you flush a certain amount of waste and water will surcharge back through the trap into the gully.
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 8:30 pm
by flowjoe
Or even worse the soil vent pipe flushes into a back inlet gully or trap.
I have seen it done on several occasions believe it or not.
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:33 pm
by chelly78
Yes toilet waste and gully both come out of the plastic pipe in the middle (the grey one coming out the orange one).
Have tested by filling up bath and emptying it. When the water is coming down the soil pipe and out the grey pipe the level in the gutter gulley does go up and down.
Is this something that can be fixed? and how much hassle would it be? Was only done in december but have only noticed problem occuring in last couple of months now we are living in the house
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 12:35 am
by lutonlagerlout
its a total bodge chelly
i'm sure joe agrees
both pipes should have been benched into the manhole
to rectify this i would estimate without prejudice about £400
a man and a lad for 1 day and connections etc ,rebench and clear site
it is NOT acceptable having pipes going into ICs in this way
hope this helps
LLL
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:53 am
by seanandruby
Are there no other manholes for rain water? they will have to be seperated and quick. the rain water down pipe if it stays will have to have a trap. hopefully the concrete surround is a bodge to so can break it out easy.
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:46 pm
by flowjoe
Its dog rough, the lazy sods couldn`t be arsed to drop down the extra 300mm to take the line in at invert.
Having said that the chamber is tight to the property and i reckon most of one side of the manhole will have come out, then you will have waste/paper shooting over the benching on the oposite side.
If it were me i would rip the lot out and put in a preformed plastic manhole base, but your £400 price is looking a bit light im afraid for a proper job.
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:13 pm
by lutonlagerlout
i was thinking of cutting down to the invert both sides and doing the benching a lot higher and steeper.
without a site visit its impossible to give an accurate quote joe as you know :;):
the problem is that the FP is so close to the IC so the honey has a long drop and only a short flattish fall to the run,causing splashback as joe rightly mentions
funny enough i own a similar victorian house and the pipe comes in then has a 10 feet drop to the run,and AFAIK it has never blocked???
anyway the bottom line is that it needs sorting asap £400 is the base price chelly
LLL 
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:01 pm
by flowjoe
Wasn`t having a dig about the cost LLL.
Its a small chamber with a curved channel, i can`t make out if the existing branch is going with the flow or not.
But with a chamber less than 18" x 24" (old Money) and the SVP so close i suspect it will block on a regular basis as the good stuff builds up on the benching before free falling into the channel.
Anyhow i really should get out more often :laugh: or get a life as my missus keeps telling me
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 11:52 pm
by lutonlagerlout
you are lucky ,mine effed off monday back to her muthas
no worries about costing mate as you know people dont want to spend a lot on stuff they cannot see
i need a night out
LLL
Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 5:22 am
by flowjoe
Always tricky giving out prices to you wealthy southern types :;): .
Sounds dangerous LLL,
No Mrs, No Footy = Day on the lash with the lads :p you lucky sod