Emergency - drain blocked - pls help!

waterwatereverywhere

Hi,

From one disaster to another.....

Water has been overflowing from the drain where the waste tap/bath water runs, assuming this was blocked I scraped around but found nothing. So lifted the manhole cover nearby and it's full up to the top with water and other nasty stuff!

Just opened yellow pages and there's loads of ads for unblocking talking about jetting and re-lining and all sorts. Pls can anyone help me with a bit of knowledge so I don't sound completely inept when I call - what am I likely to need to ask for and any idea as to cost pls? Is it vest to go for someone well known like Dyno Rod?

Also we bought the house 2-3 years ago and when lifting some paving which surrounds the manhole cover we opened the manhole to discover it is not very deep in the ground and we think it should be lower. Can someone who comes to fix it report us or make us lower it? Dead worried and can't handle any more massive expenses as we're pushed to the limit at the mo!

Also would we be able to claim on our insurance for the unblocking costs?

Many thx for any help,

waterwatereverywhere

PS Sorry, it's a terraced house, I've just dug out the papers from when we bought to find the drainage search which seems to show it connects up and runs along a row of houses at the back and then down a middle alleyway and out into the main road drain - does this mean that the whole run of drains is blocked or could it just be ours - how do we find out and if it's the whole drain would costs to unblock it be shared amongst the houses?

We have a tree also near the drain and am worried now that that might have caused damage.

Just generally in a complete tizz and panic and dont know what to do

tanith

I found some information on my Local Authority website.. it did say that that linked sewers , as yours seems to be, are the responsibility of the local water company if the houses were built before 1937 but the owners responsibility if built after that.. also if council housing , which I assume yours is not, are responsibility of L/A..

I tried to link to it but it wouldn't work sorry... we had this happen to us and all the houses drains were blocked , they had to work their way up the block of linked houses till they found where it started and unblock from there... although we owned the house some of the others were council owned so luckily the council paid... not sure where you will stand but I am sure someone will come along who knows...

EDIT: I would definately contact your local water authority as mine only charge £65 for two hours work and its free if its a linked drainage system... thats got to be better than Dyno-rod...

keystone

Tanith is correct. Is the house pre 1937? If so from the manhole where two or more foul water connections to the sewer join together then it classified as a public sewer and is the responsibility of the local sewage authority. It depends where you are on the "run". If the house is post 1937 its only becomes their responsibility when it crosses the boundary Best would be to lift (with your neighbours permission) a few more covers further downstream to isolate the area in which the blockage has occured.

If one of your neighbours has a set of drain rods you can attempt to tackle this yourself. Work backwards and forwards between the blocked manhole and the next one downstream that is clear. It may be that yours has only backed up because there is another further downstream where the blockage lies. Just don't twist the rods the wrong way - or you could end up with one or more lengths stuck in the drain - then you will have a problem. It may not need jetting - it just depends how solid the blockage is.

Its prolly preferable to go to your water co anyway rather than a private contractor like Dynorod - they should be cheaper.

Don't panic about the tree just atm. Frequently shared foul drainage blocks up because people put things down the loo that they shouldn't. Can be a big problem where there are a number of houses sharing the same drains.

As far as your insurance is concerned you can only answer that by seeing the specifics of your own individual policy.

Cheers

stef73

You need to check age of house as what previous people have said is correct pre 1937 is a section 24 sewer and not up to you to fix its the water authority . We have a section 24 sewer it blocks about every 12 months (fat and washing powder mainly) . What i have done is contacted united utilities and they have given me and my neighbours a number and contact to call . They come out same day unblock it and put down a camera just to check .

ormus

get down to wickes and buy a set of drain rods.
very cheap (under 20 quid) and worth their weight in gold.
they will probably last a lifetime.

ps.
get some work gloves too!

tanith

ormus wrote: »

get down to wickes and buy a set of drain rods.
very cheap (under 20 quid) and worth their weight in gold.
they will probably last a lifetime.

ps.
get some work gloves too!

and a large peg..(for your nose)...:rotfl:

ormus

i dont need the peg.
i bought the rods, as a present for the wife:rolleyes: