Bathroom waste drains and neighbour

mills705

Bit of wierd one but here goes.

Live in a Tyneside flat (Think Terraced house split in two). With a modernish kitchen and bathroom extension into the front yard for both houses and this is mirrored for the neighbours.

The bath and sink last Sunday in my place were blocked and didn't drain away. I used commercial drain cleaner but didn't budge it neither did plunging it.

My dad and I looked at the 40mm waste pipes and it went through the wall (as far as we could see) into next doors.

We used drain rods and could get 3 drain rods down it before it hit something solid (not sure what). When we laid this outside it was well into next door.

We couldn't contact next door as it turns out they were on holiday. So we took the decision to remove the pipework and place compression caps on the pipe and re route the sink and bath waste into the drain outside my flat which is also the down gutter for my side of the flat.

I have since spoken to the neighbours who confirmed their bath blocked the same day they went on holiday. They have had a plumber out and he is confused. He states there are no pipes going from her house to the drain outside.

My thoughts are that my toilet flushes into their manhole drain that is on their yard and therefore the bath/ sink water might be connected somehow.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Alter_ego

Take up all access covers, put dye down toilet, flush, watch the gulleys in the manholes to see the route of your drainage.

mills705

Alter_ego wrote: »

Take up all access covers, put dye down toilet, flush, watch the gulleys in the manholes to see the route of your drainage.

We have done that minus the dye, both man hole covers were lifted and when I flush my toilet it goes down into their drain.

My drain seems to cover the upstairs flat and some of the drainage of the terraces next to me (and now my drainage!) ha.

The old pipework flowed away from the drain in my yard too, this would have meant doubling back on itself somewhere underground which doesn't seem right!

Alter_ego

What happens when you run water down bath/sink?

mills705

I had never checked that before the blockage unfortunately. The bath and sink combined in my bathroom to one pipe in a corner and just after the joining it was going into the wall in a corner.

We are under the assumption it would flow next door but as its blocked we have no clue!

We took the decision to cap off the pipes going into next door as there was no where for it to go into my house. We have then routed the sink waste and bath waste out my wall and down into a gutter so the pipes work. I think the neighbour is now doing the same.

FreeBear

mills705 wrote: »

We have then routed the sink waste and bath waste out my wall and down into a gutter so the pipes work. I think the neighbour is now doing the same.

You really do need to check exactly where the gutter drains in to. Waste water from a sink or bath should go in to the same sewer pipe as the toilet waste. Guttering will often drain in to either a separate storm drain or soakaway - If this is the case, then you should never route bath/sink waste in to a gutter.


May be worth getting a plumber in who understands drainage and is familiar with sewers in your area.

mills705

FreeBear wrote: »

You really do need to check exactly where the gutter drains in to. Waste water from a sink or bath should go in to the same sewer pipe as the toilet waste. Guttering will often drain in to either a separate storm drain or soakaway - If this is the case, then you should never route bath/sink waste in to a gutter.


May be worth getting a plumber in who understands drainage and is familiar with sewers in your area.

The gutter goes into the sewer. We poured water down the drain pipe and traced it straight into the man hole cover in my yard. There is also water coming in from other houses on it which I could see when I was watching. They were all draining fine. So its not an issue.

purple_drains

Its very unlikely that the drainage system is connected inside the property. Especially being 40mm that you believe is joined. Were the toilets also blocked at the time? This would also give an indication as to where the blockage might be. Failing that, a camera inspection might help. Purpledrains.com might be able to offer some assistance on this via email as we don't cover your area unfortunately.