issue with drains

illusionek

Hello

I need to fit gully grids as all of them but the way pipes have been fitted makes it impossible and I was wondering if there is anything I could do DIY or I need to get someone to do it for me.

On the first photo the grey pipe goes directly into the gully. I assume I need to cut it but how? This is a waste pipe for kitchen sink and washing machine and sometimes I get 'drain smell' in the kitchen. Can this be caused by the fact this pipes goes directly the gully? I only guess it was done to avoid splashing on the external wall and cause damp, so how do I prevent it as well?



On the second photo I can lift up the grey pipe but black one does not move at all. I also tried to undo the pipe elbow but again it does not move and this pipe is so close to gully that I cant fit the grid.



On this last photo I can easily fit the grid but it just does not seem right to me so I was wondering if there is anything else I need to do here.

Same goes for the other two photos, is there anything else I need to do there apart from fitting grids?

Many thanks for all your help!

I_have_spoken

>'drain smell' in the kitchen. Can this be caused by the fact this pipes goes directly the gully?<

There should be a U-bend or water trap to stop sewer gases coming up the pipe and entering the house.

illusionek

Where to look for it? I have just moved in recently so not sure what is/isnt in place

illusionek

I assume you dont mean regular trap that can be found under kitchen sink? If so it is in place and does not seem to be helping

Aylesbury_Duck

It's all a bit of a mess. In the first photo, I can see what looks like standing water in the drain. Could the drain be blocked or partially blocked? You may have the appropriate trap in place but in the summer, the smell might be in your kitchen because you've got the window open and you can smell the blocked drain.

The third photo shows that the pipe doesn't even line up properly, so that needs sorting.

All of it is DIY-able, but you'll need some brute force and possibly some replacement pipework because I suspect you might break old pipes, joins and washers as you try and dismantle the current set-up. Pipes like those are inexpensive, so if you feel confident, take them right back to the last good joint and replace with pipes and fittings of the correct length and angle to meet your new grids.

parking_question_chap

Just trim the ends with a hack saw and put grid over.

illusionek

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

It's all a bit of a mess. In the first photo, I can see what looks like standing water in the drain. Could the drain be blocked or partially blocked? You may have the appropriate trap in place but in the summer, the smell might be in your kitchen because you've got the window open and you can smell the blocked drain.

The third photo shows that the pipe doesn't even line up properly, so that needs sorting.

All of it is DIY-able, but you'll need some brute force and possibly some replacement pipework because I suspect you might break old pipes, joins and washers as you try and dismantle the current set-up. Pipes like those are inexpensive, so if you feel confident, take them right back to the last good joint and replace with pipes and fittings of the correct length and angle to meet your new grids.

You are right saying there is some standing water, actually there is some standing water in drains on first two photos. I assumed this is normal, probably because I could see standing water in two different drains. I have taken some further photos to show better amount of water. I was not aware water needs to completely drain away.

Does below mean drains are partially blocked? I just poured a bucket of water (10L) into each it drained away with no issue however as per below photos there is constantly some standing water in them.

Aylesbury_Duck

That's odd. I don't think there should be standing water in them. I have a drain like that outside my kitchen and it empties directly along a short stretch into a manhole. Any blockage in yours would presumably stop your bucket of water draining away? Have you got a manhole nearby that the drain drains into? If so, lift the cover and have a look at what's going on. It shouldn't have any water in it either.

illusionek

I just checked and there is about 13cm/5inches of standing water in each drain.

There is a manhole nearby but cant access it. It has been paved over and additionally there is a big timber running over it, which I guess meant to be used for flowerbed.

Is there anything I could pour into drains in hope to unblock them or should I get a tradesman to have a proper look into this issue?

parking_question_chap

Good grief, of course there is supposed to be standing water in them. Its perfectly normal. No idea why the duck seems to think there shouldnt be. Think they might be better off not giving advice on this one.

Aylesbury_Duck

parking_question_chap wrote: »

Good grief, of course there is supposed to be standing water in them. Its perfectly normal. No idea why the duck seems to think there shouldnt be. Think they might be better off not giving advice on this one.

Why should there be water there? Shouldn't the drain go directly into the main drain or is there another u-bend to prevent smells backing up? In mine, they go directly in, no change in gradient, no u-bend.

As to the other point, it's never a good idea to pave over drain covers. If you can, I'd rearrange things so you can access it if you ever need to. It's just daft to have access points covered over.