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Drains
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This is a very strange question, but I will ask it anyway. We have just had a blockage in our drains. We managed to clear it, and found a massive blockage which consisted of, the usual stuff not to put too fine a point on it, but also a great deal of undissolved papery things, which looked remarkably like wipes of some kind.
Thing is, we never ever put anything down the drains other than the things that you should. no wipes, other paper products, no oil no nothing. The blockage was in our drain, the one that joins up a block of houses was clear, and we are the first one on the run, so nothing could have come from the houses above us. The house below us was clear.
I am mystified as to how this kind of matter can have ended up in our drain, when we have never put stuff like this down. I was under the impression that drains run only one way so how on earth has this happened. It doesn't make any difference now it's clear as to what we will do, but it's just such a mystery.
Thing is, we never ever put anything down the drains other than the things that you should. no wipes, other paper products, no oil no nothing. The blockage was in our drain, the one that joins up a block of houses was clear, and we are the first one on the run, so nothing could have come from the houses above us. The house below us was clear.
I am mystified as to how this kind of matter can have ended up in our drain, when we have never put stuff like this down. I was under the impression that drains run only one way so how on earth has this happened. It doesn't make any difference now it's clear as to what we will do, but it's just such a mystery.
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I agree with Maydup - unless you have been there for many, many years. I know of two blockages, both almost certainly caused by wet wipes (definitely in one of them) which in one case took about a year to develop after the people concerned moved out. The other took even longer, a bit uncertain how long but possibly as much as four years or even more. The point is that these things often drift along the pipe quite slowly and once one gets stuck and snags a second the knot begins to form.
We have been here for 30 years!! And I know for certain that the drain was clear 6 years ago. We had an extension which meant the inspection chamber at our end of the train had to be inside the house. Therefore it needed a special cover which had to be very tight and screwed down. If there had been a blockage at that stage, I'm pretty sure it would have been noticed.
When we came here, our children were teenagers, and admittedly we did use baby wipes when they went on to have their own kids, we have never put this kind of thing down the toilet. We know the problems they can cause so none of us have ever done it. All our grandchildren are now teenagers/grown up so we don't use them so much. When the girls come to stay, I find them all over the place, in the bin, on the floor, on the dressing table! Never down the toilet.
So it might have to remain a mystery. One thing we have learned though from this, is to, periodically undo the drain cover and give it good hosing down.
When we came here, our children were teenagers, and admittedly we did use baby wipes when they went on to have their own kids, we have never put this kind of thing down the toilet. We know the problems they can cause so none of us have ever done it. All our grandchildren are now teenagers/grown up so we don't use them so much. When the girls come to stay, I find them all over the place, in the bin, on the floor, on the dressing table! Never down the toilet.
So it might have to remain a mystery. One thing we have learned though from this, is to, periodically undo the drain cover and give it good hosing down.
Having spent a great deal of time unblocking drains, I can only see one clue ..
"When the girls come to stay, I find them all over the place, in the bin, on the floor, on the dressing table! Never down the toilet. ".. Sounds as though they they get a bit excited.
You wont find them down the toilet if they have been flushed. It's just a possibility ?
"When the girls come to stay, I find them all over the place, in the bin, on the floor, on the dressing table! Never down the toilet. ".. Sounds as though they they get a bit excited.
You wont find them down the toilet if they have been flushed. It's just a possibility ?
-- answer removed --
I'm with alavahalf ...... //// When the girls come to stay, I find them all over the place, in the bin, on the floor, on the dressing table! Never down the toilet. ////
...... I'll assume that the girls flush the toilet behind them.
By your very own admission, the girls use them a lot .... some could end up down the toilet and are probably flushed away before you even know about it ..... problem solved :)
...... I'll assume that the girls flush the toilet behind them.
By your very own admission, the girls use them a lot .... some could end up down the toilet and are probably flushed away before you even know about it ..... problem solved :)
I keep reminding people of this fact....if you are part of a shared drainage system and you have any problems (blockage, collapse etc), it is the responsibility of your utility company to sort it out at NO COST to you. This started in 2011 and applies to England and Wales...unfortunately, it wouldn't apply to this OP, as they are first in the run.
Ref: (Schemes for Adoption of Private sewers) Regulations 2011.
Ref: (Schemes for Adoption of Private sewers) Regulations 2011.
Thanks for all the interesting insights. We had thought of the toilet paper issues, and in fact did pull of some sheets of the one we regularly use and put it into a glass of water. Within less than a minute it had almost dissolved into much. So evidently the toilet paper is not to blame.
Girls and wipes, when I say I never saw any in the toilet no, obviously not, and yes they do flush. The point I was making was that the wipes they use are usually in the bedroom, not the bathroom and the bin is usually full of them, with a few knocking about, dropped on floor etc. From this, I guess that if they were going to dispose of them in the toilet I would not see any around at all. I have questioned all of them, and they are adamant they do not put this kind of thing in the toilet. Of course they could be lying to save themselves from embarrassment, but I didn't get that impression as I had stressed that it was important they told me the truth and they wouldn't get in trouble.
We did call the water company and they did come, as yes they are responsible for the 'lateral' drain which used to be a private drain, in as much as they are on our land. We think there are 4 to 6 houses on each section, although without going and lifting everyones cover can't be sure. They found that their drain was clear, and despite rodding ours still had a partial blockage that was making it run slowly. They were good enough to put their high pressure hose down and cleared everything that was left away. They didn't have to do that but one of the technicians told me that many of the drain clearing companies are cowboys and don't know what they're doing. They take your money but still leave uncleared drains.
So, we now have a completely clear drain, and have bought some caustic soda which we will put through all the pipes, and use periodically to hopefully keep things flowing. All the kids know they must put only 3 things down the toilet which I don't have to describe on here.
The suggestion of a blockage from further down that somehow got into our drain. There is for sure a house next door but one that certainly could have been a culprit, but how this got against the flow to ours goodness only knows. Ironically though our next door neighbour had a blockage a while ago, which they blamed on our next door but one in the other direction, but as we are first on the line it couldn't have been them. And as we are certain we never put this kind of thing down, not us either. Which must mean that their blockage was something that had gone against the flow!!
Even the water company could not explain, although they did say if there had been a lot of blockage in their drain which had gone all the way up the run, and then had been subsequently been cleared further down, some of it could have got into ours, and also next door's. The people who might have been guilty have moved away now so we can't ask them. We have told the new people, as they have a little child what has happened.
We may never know how this came to be, but we all agree that it doesn't do any harm to raise your drain cover periodically to check all is running freely. We take our water and sewerage services so much for granted and never give it a second thought until something like this happens.
Girls and wipes, when I say I never saw any in the toilet no, obviously not, and yes they do flush. The point I was making was that the wipes they use are usually in the bedroom, not the bathroom and the bin is usually full of them, with a few knocking about, dropped on floor etc. From this, I guess that if they were going to dispose of them in the toilet I would not see any around at all. I have questioned all of them, and they are adamant they do not put this kind of thing in the toilet. Of course they could be lying to save themselves from embarrassment, but I didn't get that impression as I had stressed that it was important they told me the truth and they wouldn't get in trouble.
We did call the water company and they did come, as yes they are responsible for the 'lateral' drain which used to be a private drain, in as much as they are on our land. We think there are 4 to 6 houses on each section, although without going and lifting everyones cover can't be sure. They found that their drain was clear, and despite rodding ours still had a partial blockage that was making it run slowly. They were good enough to put their high pressure hose down and cleared everything that was left away. They didn't have to do that but one of the technicians told me that many of the drain clearing companies are cowboys and don't know what they're doing. They take your money but still leave uncleared drains.
So, we now have a completely clear drain, and have bought some caustic soda which we will put through all the pipes, and use periodically to hopefully keep things flowing. All the kids know they must put only 3 things down the toilet which I don't have to describe on here.
The suggestion of a blockage from further down that somehow got into our drain. There is for sure a house next door but one that certainly could have been a culprit, but how this got against the flow to ours goodness only knows. Ironically though our next door neighbour had a blockage a while ago, which they blamed on our next door but one in the other direction, but as we are first on the line it couldn't have been them. And as we are certain we never put this kind of thing down, not us either. Which must mean that their blockage was something that had gone against the flow!!
Even the water company could not explain, although they did say if there had been a lot of blockage in their drain which had gone all the way up the run, and then had been subsequently been cleared further down, some of it could have got into ours, and also next door's. The people who might have been guilty have moved away now so we can't ask them. We have told the new people, as they have a little child what has happened.
We may never know how this came to be, but we all agree that it doesn't do any harm to raise your drain cover periodically to check all is running freely. We take our water and sewerage services so much for granted and never give it a second thought until something like this happens.
We once had a drain blockage, that was none of our doing, rather like yours. What happened was that a neighbour's drain was blocked by disposable nappies. A 'helpful' relative came with his drain rods and cleared the blockage, but the drains were so aligned that the blockage was pushed into our drain. Could this have happened to your drains?
I can only repeat what has already been said. "Stuff" can travel backwards when there is a blockage downstream.
Wet-wipes; tampons; disposable nappies; J-cloths; usually.
Being picky, but drains should never need caustic soda, or anything else for that matter. Modern plastic drains have rubber seals. Old-type clay drains can also have rubber seals.
I don't think caustic soda would be terrible kind to these seals ;o)
Wet-wipes; tampons; disposable nappies; J-cloths; usually.
Being picky, but drains should never need caustic soda, or anything else for that matter. Modern plastic drains have rubber seals. Old-type clay drains can also have rubber seals.
I don't think caustic soda would be terrible kind to these seals ;o)
I'm not entirely sure what our drains are made of. They look like pottery of some kind, will that be clay? Can't see any seals anywhere but obviously can't see all the way up. The house was built in 1937.
I am yet to find out how many houses are in our lateral drain, we thought 6, but the two houses next to us that we thought were on, are not. Ours is the first, of however many it is before it goes to the main sewer.
I had read somewhere that very heavy rain can cause backflow, and if there is anything there that shouldn't be there, it is logical it would stop at our as we are the end. There is only one house where this kind of material could have come from, as most of the people who live on our side of the road are elderly. Although none of them requiring incontinence aids as yet!!
Why would caustic soda be sold for the express purpose of clearing drains if it is likely to be contraindicated. They should not be allowed to do that surely..
I am yet to find out how many houses are in our lateral drain, we thought 6, but the two houses next to us that we thought were on, are not. Ours is the first, of however many it is before it goes to the main sewer.
I had read somewhere that very heavy rain can cause backflow, and if there is anything there that shouldn't be there, it is logical it would stop at our as we are the end. There is only one house where this kind of material could have come from, as most of the people who live on our side of the road are elderly. Although none of them requiring incontinence aids as yet!!
Why would caustic soda be sold for the express purpose of clearing drains if it is likely to be contraindicated. They should not be allowed to do that surely..
Yes, that would be a clay drain. 1937 would most likely indicate clay pipes with mortar joints... so no rubber seals.
It's only my opinion I'm afraid, but drains are designed to run freely and automatically. I have never seen the point of many of the products sold to clear bung-ups. It wouldn't do any harm in your case though.
Companies will continue to sell anything that people would perceive as a solution to what is really a non-existent problem. It's just a matter of giving them peace of mind.
It's only my opinion I'm afraid, but drains are designed to run freely and automatically. I have never seen the point of many of the products sold to clear bung-ups. It wouldn't do any harm in your case though.
Companies will continue to sell anything that people would perceive as a solution to what is really a non-existent problem. It's just a matter of giving them peace of mind.
Absolutely drains are designed to run freely, for some reason ours hasn't been doing for quite some time. You should be able to take your drains for granted, but occasionally things do go wrong.
One of the problems we have, is that the waste water from the kitchen, sinks and dishwasher, go into a grate outside, then via a drain under the floor into the main drain chamber. Although we never ever put oil or fat into the sink, or food either, inevitably there can be grease that gets rinsed off plates which can get into this drain. This one at the very least could do with a dose of drain clear from time to time. Caustic Soda is far and away the cheapest way to do this.
One of the problems we have, is that the waste water from the kitchen, sinks and dishwasher, go into a grate outside, then via a drain under the floor into the main drain chamber. Although we never ever put oil or fat into the sink, or food either, inevitably there can be grease that gets rinsed off plates which can get into this drain. This one at the very least could do with a dose of drain clear from time to time. Caustic Soda is far and away the cheapest way to do this.
We do have a jet washer, and in the future, we shall periodically lift the drain cover and give it a jetting out. Our next door neighbour has always done this from time time.
When the water company came, they did exactly that, it was amazing how much 'stuff' they jetted out, even though we had rodded it. It shouldn't be necessary, but in future we'll take great care to check how things are down there as we don't want this again.
When the water company came, they did exactly that, it was amazing how much 'stuff' they jetted out, even though we had rodded it. It shouldn't be necessary, but in future we'll take great care to check how things are down there as we don't want this again.
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