Blocked drain

[woodwinders]

Just moved into the house here and during the very brief spell of rain noticed a gully overflowing.
Cleared some debris and flushed out but main outfall backed up. I tried power wash from manhole but there is a blockage some ten feet (3 metres) down the pipe. I think the drains are pretty old and are not very deep (only 300m at manhole) There is a lot (50%) silting so this is not a recent blockage. Previous owner had a block paving drive laid which may have contributed.
This drain is surface water only so not emergency issue as the foul sewer is fine (newer and deeper although pipe directions do seem to converge/cross but no manhole in vicinity so asume they don't converge as they should not........ )
This is a small rural village so they are probably the original drains.

So my questions are is what is the best approach to clear, given I can pinpoint the bockage point is it going to be most cost effective
i.e. try jetting and attempt a no dig repair or just accept the fact that pipe is probably collapsed and cut my losses,open up the blockpaving and dig?

I know what it will cost me to dig but how much (indicative)would it cost to jet and what is the probability of successfully clearing?
Regards
Colin

 

[emerald]

have you tryed rods?

 

[Steve001]

Yeah rods will help, just don't let them add to the blockage,

I don't suppose you've any idea if new mains water or gas have been piped in over last few years, using the moles as they do can sometimes go through pipes, quite cleanly in my experience .

Just bare that in mind if you dig it out yourself, as to the cost my friend, hard to say without anyone seeing it, anything from 300 to ten times that, buildings/other insurance might cough for it, but don't ask em till you know its covered and if you can live with it till it is then that would be my way.

 

[easyt]

I would try the rods first with an auger head attachment (a bit like a double cork screw). Make sure you fill drain with water and leave hose running in the gully. Cheap enough to buy a set. Don forget to keep turning clockwise both going in and coming back out. Don't want one of the little devils unscrewing

 

[turnpin]

agree with all other posts..... as for drain rods good investment try lockfast set so they dont undo by accidentregards turnpin

 

[Puddle]

Sure it,s not just going to a soak away,as rain water and in small village,if so take a lot of rodding

If so dig up drain end and remove silt build up at entrance to soak away or you could be environmentally unfriendly and try some chemicals to break it up,just don,t eat any of the local produce for a while

 

[woodwinders]

Rodding was next on my list although I chucked my last set (cheap and they broke so now looking for Bailey and lockfast .....lesson learnt there already)

I did consider the soakaway aspect except that it would seem a funny place to put it ...middle of the drive access and only about 10 feet away from the buildings which line either side of the drive but then it is rural property.

I think a quick rodding and then a small inspection dig if that does not work (to see if it is a soakaway) followed by a possible reconfiguration of the guttering and downpipes.

Thanks for the input , will let you know what happens

 

[mani]

I had this problem, the rodding way didnt work. So i got metal coat hanger's Joined them up and Bingo cleared away. No problem since. That was about 4 months ago.

 

[Centralheatking]

A GOOD TIP

It is quite amazing how much pressure you can generate with an old
type mop firmly attached to its pole - esp when it wets up they seem to expand to around the inside dia of 4inch pipe.

Just push it in and out of the gully/wc/manhole with real force

Just think how much u r saving if it works instead of the drain and jetting boys while your working it in and out - I do.

I have been plumbing and drain clearing 4 20 years and it often works -
my wife buys dozens of mop heads each year - because i have stuck them down drains.

Centralheatking

WHOOPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not mean that I have stuck any mop heads down the drains but have used them to clear the blockage.

As you imagine my missus does not really want them back to clean our quarry tiled floors after they have been used to unblock in the
manner I outlined.

Anyway it is a good way to unblock drains wcs and gulleys

centralheatking

 

[woodwinders]

"Just think how much u r saving if it works instead of the drain and jetting boys while your working it in and out - I do."

A little worried about what you are referring to here , all this talk about your missus and mopheads is getting confusing

 

[emerald]

A GOOD TIP

It is quite amazing how much pressure you can generate with an old
type mop firmly attached to its pole - esp when it wets up they seem to expand to around the inside dia of 4inch pipe.

Just push it in and out of the gully/wc/manhole with real force

i know what ya mean mate, i have unblocked loads of pans with the customers own bog brush, sometimes all it needs is a tease