Constant blocked drains

Spikeygran

Even kitchen roll can cause issues as it just doesn't break down as fast.

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903748#Comment_81903748

yes ive had to fish kitchen roll out of the loo when used as it wont flush fully 🤮nagged the family not to use kitchen roll

gwynlas

Older high level cisterns used to cope with newspaper flushed down outside privies so I believe it is the quantity and force of flush rather than paper towels.

A bucket of hot water poured from a height will often clear a blocked toilet

bjorn_toby_wilde

Not quite the same thing. Once a sewer is blocked with wipes and kitchen roll, which often contain plastic and won’t break down then no amount of water will move it.

In fact with those old Victorian drains taking rainwater as well as sewage it’s heavy rain that often shows up the blockage. Usually by flooding some poor unfortunate’s garden or house.

subjecttocontract

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904082#Comment_81904082

Thats a good point. Modern cistern use less water per flush so that must also add to the problem. But anything put down the toilet that isn't toilet tissue is a blockage waiting to happen.

blackstar

I thought I would have a check of the drain today and noticed there was about an inch if still water sitting there and a foul smell.

This isnt normal is it? This indicates a blockage futher down stream doesnt it? And its just going to get worse?

Loads of broken bits if stone and rubble I noticed sitting in the standing still water. Not sure if thats any relevance.

If it is someone putting the wrong things down the drain then it must be house number 2 musnt it? As house number 3 never had issues. Ie house number 3 is the last house of our block of 6 terraced houses. I've probably made it confusing. So it's a block of 6 terraced. The water runs downstream from house 6. Im house 4, the blockage always starts 15 metres downstream from me which is house 2. House num 2 has never had any issues with blockages they say.

WIAWSNB

What do you mean by the 'drain' you checked? Is this via an inspection cover, and where is it located?

If it's like a 'manhole' cover that exposes the main waste on its travels, and the visible section has a 'slot' cut along the top of the pipe to view the contents, and if this visible section follows the same slight gradient as the rest of the drain pipe, then - as you say - it should have no standing water in it at all. So, yes, it does suggest a partial blockage further down.

Did you remove any of this debris for inspection? Any idea where it might have come from?

Is this drain pipe made from 'clay'? Are these bits of broken pipe?

When is the WB coming out to inspect this as they said they would?

blackstar

Yes itd a manhole in my garden as in photo.

Yes it has an inch of standing water in it

SW they haven't told me when they will come pit to investigate it.

Boohoo

Not a good clear photo to see the issue really.

While it's up and open can you get somebody to flush the toilet and maybe video the water going through the inspection chamber and see how long it takes for water to recede.

You don't have to post the video on here.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Whilst in a perfect world drains should have no standing water in them at all it’s quite possible that, after construction, a section can settle slightly and that can result in some standing water. It’s not always indicative of a problem. The sewer that our drains run into has had half an inch of standing water in it for 25 years to my knowledge and has never blocked.

The rubble is more of a concern. Nothing like that should be in the sewer. The water board will be the best to advise so I would wait for them to check it out. It’s their responsibility and they need to tackle it.