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Original poster

Repeatedly blocked drains! Help!

31 replies

ErickBroch · 12/05/2021 14:05

This is obviously grim but in the last month the wastage drain outside the front of our home has backed up twice! There is only two of us living here and we only flush toilet paper - nothing else. We have also lived here for two years with no issues, now all of a sudden is repeating.

We have booked Dyno Rod to come back again (for free) to see what's going on and clear it next week, but can anyone else point out something ridiculous we may not be seeing? I am not sure how we can suddenly be causing this after years of no problems.

OP posts:
Shelby10 · 12/05/2021 14:07

Could it be someone else’s drain backing up? Just a thought

iknowimcoming · 12/05/2021 14:09

Do you tip fat/oil down your kitchen sink? It maybe backing up further down the pipe than your house I guess but dyno-rod should be able to advise on this

Shelby10 · 12/05/2021 14:12

Could it be someone else’s drain backing up? Just a thought

Sally2791 · 12/05/2021 14:13

Any tree roots that could be causing blockages? Old drains can collapse. It’s possible they could put a camera down and find the problem.

Shelby10 · 12/05/2021 14:13

Could it be someone else’s drain backing up? Just a thought

Shelby10 · 12/05/2021 14:32

I am sorry how many times that posted

Notyetthere · 12/05/2021 15:09

We are going through this at the moment. We have been here 7 months and our drain is backed up. We have checked all the manholes on our land and they are all full so the next manhole is the public drain which we have not checked yet. The water company are on their way now to see if the issue is at their end.

Several of our neighbours came out yesterday and mentioned that generally drains in our road are shallow and get blocked easily and that they all have to jet theirs every so often to ensure nothing is backing up. They also mentioned that we should switch to the cheap single ply toilet paper so no more Andrex paper for DH who is not impressed with this but I have told him he can do the unblocking next time it backs up.

As for us, I initially thought that maybe there was collapse as it travels the whole length of the side of our house to the front to meet public drain but then the manhole at the drive is also backed up so the blockage goes beyond our boundary and into the road.

I will let you know what the water company find.

Notyetthere · 12/05/2021 15:10

We are going through this at the moment. We have been here 7 months and our drain is backed up. We have checked all the manholes on our land and they are all full so the next manhole is the public drain which we have not checked yet. The water company are on their way now to see if the issue is at their end.

Several of our neighbours came out yesterday and mentioned that generally drains in our road are shallow and get blocked easily and that they all have to jet theirs every so often to ensure nothing is backing up. They also mentioned that we should switch to the cheap single ply toilet paper so no more Andrex paper for DH who is not impressed with this but I have told him he can do the unblocking next time it backs up.

As for us, I initially thought that maybe there was collapse as it travels the whole length of the side of our house to the front to meet public drain but then the manhole at the drive is also backed up so the blockage goes beyond our boundary and into the road.

I will let you know what the water company find.

Original poster
ErickBroch · 12/05/2021 15:11

So sorry about how many times this posted. I am having MN issues and no idea what happened! I have tried to report them all so bare with me.

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/05/2021 15:30

Down my road, 1930's, the main sewer was built without a sufficient drop. It then blocks about every 2 years and the water board needs to clear it.

Em8725 · 12/05/2021 16:05

We have this once a year like clockwork. We are the last in the line so any blockages further up the line always cause problems for us. The water board have helpfully sent neighbouring properties a list of acceptable things to flush, which has done absolutely nothing.

They have also reduced our bill as they always use our metered water to flush them through. I’ve had enough!

Chillychili · 12/05/2021 16:37

We had this, after they put the camera down they could see a huge ball of tinfoil scrunched up in the main drain.

emmathedilemma · 12/05/2021 17:11

Does it only do it when there's heavy rain or does it do it in dry weather?
If it's former then it's likely to be a capacity issue on the main sewer. If it does it in dry weather then you've probably got a blockage, tree roots ingress or a structural issue (which may be creating blockages). It could also be caused by fats being washed down the sink.
If it only serves your property then it's your responsibility so you'll need to call out Dynarod or similar. If it serves more than one property then it could be due to something your neighbours are flushing (wet wipes, sanitary products, nappies being the main suspects) and it is a water company responsibility to clear.

Bonariensis · 12/05/2021 19:14

I'd see if it affects your neighbours too and get a camera drain survey done. There must be a reason and if you use someone local rather than dynorod it should not be that expensive. You get a lovely video to watch too!

FuzzyPuffling · 12/05/2021 19:16

I had a drain a bit like this in a previous house. It transpired that someone, instead of putting in a 4" waste pipe under the patio, thought that a 3" one would do. It doesn't.

alexdgr8 · 12/05/2021 19:20

there was a discussion on here last year i think, when i was surprised to learn that many otherwise responsible people put oil, cooking fat down the kitchen sink.
they seem to think it is ok if pt down with hot water or detergent.
it isn't.
all ask your mothers / grannies.

Callmecordelia · 12/05/2021 19:28

Ours blocked when DH asked for more luxurious toilet paper.

He has to make do now, I never bought it again after that faff!

SavannahLands · 12/05/2021 19:34

You can buy an enzyme liquid which is mostly used in Septic Tanks and Soak away systems that breaks down solid waste matter and digests in into fluid that then drains away easily.

Amazon or any good hard-wear or plumbers merchant should sell it, it just gets poured by the bottle full down the kitchen sink or flushed down an outside drain nearest to the house and left overnight to work it’s magic!

Crazylikechocolate · 12/05/2021 19:55

Long hair going down the drain can snag and cause a blockage

Original poster
ErickBroch · 13/05/2021 09:20

Thank you everyone. It's escalated now and the drain lid is up and all coming out... so dynorod are coming today rather than next week. We honestly put nothing down the sink, and only toilet roll. We are in a row of terraced houses and my water provider thinks that everyone elses drains come into ours which may be causing the blockage. Fingers crossed for it to be cleared properly today and cameras can see what's going on.

I honestly feel like I am going mad because nothing goes down our drains other than toilet paper. No wipes, no oil/fat, nothing!

OP posts:
Original poster
ErickBroch · 13/05/2021 09:21

Also, I will be switching to cheap paper. I currently have a decent ply one but not any longer.

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iknowimcoming · 13/05/2021 09:26

Is your house new or old? If it's a new build get the builders to take a look!

emmathedilemma · 13/05/2021 09:36

If you're at the top of the drain on the row of terraces and other houses are flushing stuff they shouldn't then sadly it'll pop out in your garden!

stillcrazyafterall · 13/05/2021 09:40

We are in a row of terraced houses and my water provider thinks that everyone elses drains come into ours which may be causing the blockage.*
*
You shouldn't get dynorod out if others feed into your drain, it's your water board's responsibility even if it's on your land. We have this situation. Contact your water board to double check but they won't charge.

Original poster
ErickBroch · 13/05/2021 10:10

@stillcrazyafterall they are coming for free as part of a guarantee - so no charge this time. Our water provider came this morning and as it's blocked they couldn't look. Said to get dynorod to look with cameras and see how pipes connect and then call them back asap. Which we will do.

Checked our B&C insurance this morning and it's confusing but hoping it covers any possible drain damage! I think it does.

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