Unblocking gutter drain

[Ian Geary]

Morning all,

couple of questions if I may?

1920's house. I have a gutter down pipe that heads under ground. It empties slowly. Upon sticking my hand down as far as it will go, I can feel built up sand and soil. I can be removed by scraping, but my arm is only this long (for the benefit of those that can't see, I'm holding up my arm).

Pics at bottom.

1) what's a good way to clear this? I tried a smallish pressure washer, but that does nothing as I can't get the nozzle to where the dirt is. I know the "snake" type wire things are OK for sewer blockages, but perhaps this needs more of a digging motion.

I guess drainage companies have pressure equipment to deal with this, but it seems a lot of expense for a smallish problem, and I wondered if anyone knew of a good DIY solution I could try first?


2) I understand that before the 30's, most houses had combined sewers and rain collection. The side path (where the photo is taken) is right over the foul sewer for the house.

From the look of this set up, can anyone tell that it heads to a sewer?

I know this is a long shot, and I will get round to pouring some dye down there and then lifting the manhole at some point.

thanks,

Ian

[wolfracesonic]

The bottom pic with what looks like a 6'' horizontal clay pipe in it, is that what you can shove your arm into? Ideally you shouldn't be able to, as there should be a trap there to stop nasty pongs from the drains coming up. Try some drain dye, as you say, to see if it is connected to the sewer and not just a soakaway. It looks a bit of a poor set up all round.

[227bhp]

Put your hand in, scoop it out.
Wear gloves.

[motco]

Ian Geary said:

... but my arm is only this long (for the benefit of those that can't see, I'm holding up my arm).

Pics at bottom.

I'd see a doctor about that arm...

[Condi]

Scoop as much out as possible with your hand, then put the hosepipe down with a spray nozzle on the end and work about a bit. Should shift most of your mess, its only soil and leaves.

[Sticks.]

Condi said:

Scoop as much out as possible with your hand, then put the hosepipe down with a spray nozzle on the end and work about a bit. Should shift most of your mess, its only soil and leaves.

Had to do that myself recently. I really didn't think it'd be enough to clear it, but it did.

[BlackZeD]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-7-5m-Pipe-Dr...

[Ian Geary]

Thanks guys

replacing the cambelt has just bumped sorting the drains off today's to-do list, but I will have a go with the hose first.

BlackZeD said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-7-5m-Pipe-Dr...

This looks nice.

I usually use any household job as an excuse to buy new tools (e.g. the brand new RIBE set I've got for my car's belt), but my pressure washer was nearly as much as that, (and isn't a Karcher, so not sure the attachment will match).

I will give the £2.35 spray adapter from Toolstation a go first, before upping the ante. I appreciate the pointer though.

wolfracesonic said:

It looks a bit of a poor set up all round.

Intrigued by this comment. Genuine question: in what way is it poor? It is 20's stuff, e.g. the surround is 3 bricks, rather than the modern pre-cast blocks.

Is it the lack of traps?

I've never noticed smells down there, but then I'm hardly ever in that part of the garden, and of course the pipe is fairly well blocked.

I'm planning to bring another source of drainage into this grill, so any pointers to improve it would be welcome.



Ian

[motco]

This one claims to be universal.

[wolfracesonic]

Ian Geary said:

Intrigued by this comment. Genuine question: in what way is it poor? It is 20's stuff, e.g. the surround is 3 bricks, rather than the modern pre-cast blocks.

Is it the lack of traps?

I've never noticed smells down there, but then I'm hardly ever in that part of the garden, and of course the pipe is fairly well blocked.

I'm planning to bring another source of drainage into this grill, so any pointers to improve it would be welcome.


Even though you say it's an older property, it should have a similar set up too this (though in clay not plastic) with a gulley top the r.w.p discharges into and some sort of trap. I can't see anything in your pick to stop debris getting washed into it or maybe there is something there I can't see


Ian

[sampsan]

I have this sort of drain, is slow running but cant see how can get a rod around the trap. Can only think of digging adjacent and adding a local rodding point. Been on my job list for ages!!!!

[Jonesy23]

Unless the blockage is roots I found on my soakaways that the jetting attachment and a pressure washer worked fine for clearing them. You can even encourage the dirt to come back up by pulling the hose back and letting it pull the dirt with it (assume rear facing jets) but be sure to stand well away when you're doing this!