for a couple of days we have been getting a slight "gurgle" noise in
the shower when we flush our bog. all waste is getting away or so it
would seem.

as we have only been in the property a few months and becasue there is
a septic tank in the field (40m away).

i lifted the lid of the drain in the courtyard to see if the tank had
backed up (which is where it manifests itself when it does by all
accounts)..... but it was as clean as a whistle.


we share this drain with two other properties. i have got them to flush
bogs/run taps and they both ran through with no bother. when we flush
bogs/run taps it's seemingly not getting though to this main
drain.......


there are two infeeds to the main drain, one of which runs for each of
our neighbours when they flush. so we must join with one of our
neighbours somewhere earlier in the pipe (or perhaps later read on). i
shoved drainage pipes up the pipe to see if i could dislodge any
obstruction yesterday, to no avail.


anyway not knowing much (anything) about what i'm doing apart from
having an ability to shove crap down the pipes with a rod if they're
blocked i called a man with a camera to investigate as it would seem
that the waste from our house is not getting to the main drain.


he shoved a camera up the pipe which we thought would be the one that
ours joined for about 20m without it showing a join so clearly (his
words) we join the other one if we join with anyone before this main
drain.


when he shoved the camera up the other pipe in the main drain he found
another drain just 2m away (the additional drain cover is not visible
from the surface and my nieghbours with the metal detector are out).
basically i think we may be in the sh1t pretty soon........

is it normal for a drain clearance guy not to investigate the problem
from inside the house (i.e. shove some kind of equipment down the
sh1tters etc) before suggesting that he digs up my garden to break into
the pipe to get to the bottom of the problem ? i simply don't know and
i'm mindfull that this could be an expensive job running into thousands
to get put right, but i don't want to get ripped off.....

In article .com,
says...
for a couple of days we have been getting a slight "gurgle" noise in
the shower when we flush our bog. all waste is getting away or so it
would seem.

snip

is it normal for a drain clearance guy not to investigate the problem
from inside the house (i.e. shove some kind of equipment down the
sh1tters etc) before suggesting that he digs up my garden to break into
the pipe to get to the bottom of the problem ? i simply don't know and
i'm mindfull that this could be an expensive job running into thousands
to get put right, but i don't want to get ripped off.....

I've never heard the term "bog" used for this, but since you're talking
about flushing, I'm thinking you're talking about what I'd call a
toilet (or throne, ha!).

Here's my opinion: the gurgling sound in the shower trap sounds to me
like a blockage in the vent, not the drain. For water and excrement to
go down the drain, air needs to be able to enter from above. There
should be at least one vent pipe coming through your roof. If it is
blocked, the air has to get into the drain someway. Therefore, you're
probably hearing the air being sucked through the water in the shower
trap.

Unless somebody already checked this and it is clear, I'd go after the
vent FIRST. You can use a vent snake on it. Or do as a lot of folks
around here - stick a hose into the vent and try to clear it out. (Not
just with the hose; I mean turn it on and run water through it). Or
even take a look with that camera thingie you were referring to.

But (personally) I wouldn't even look at a shovel until after checking
the vent.

good luck!

steve

wallyl wrote:
for a couple of days we have been getting a slight "gurgle" noise in
the shower when we flush our bog. all waste is getting away or so it
would seem.

as we have only been in the property a few months and becasue there is
a septic tank in the field (40m away).

i lifted the lid of the drain in the courtyard to see if the tank had
backed up (which is where it manifests itself when it does by all
accounts)..... but it was as clean as a whistle.


we share this drain with two other properties. i have got them to flush
bogs/run taps and they both ran through with no bother. when we flush
bogs/run taps it's seemingly not getting though to this main
drain.......


there are two infeeds to the main drain, one of which runs for each of
our neighbours when they flush. so we must join with one of our
neighbours somewhere earlier in the pipe (or perhaps later read on). i
shoved drainage pipes up the pipe to see if i could dislodge any
obstruction yesterday, to no avail.


anyway not knowing much (anything) about what i'm doing apart from
having an ability to shove crap down the pipes with a rod if they're
blocked i called a man with a camera to investigate as it would seem
that the waste from our house is not getting to the main drain.


he shoved a camera up the pipe which we thought would be the one that
ours joined for about 20m without it showing a join so clearly (his
words) we join the other one if we join with anyone before this main
drain.


when he shoved the camera up the other pipe in the main drain he found
another drain just 2m away (the additional drain cover is not visible
from the surface and my nieghbours with the metal detector are out).
basically i think we may be in the sh1t pretty soon........

is it normal for a drain clearance guy not to investigate the problem
from inside the house (i.e. shove some kind of equipment down the
sh1tters etc) before suggesting that he digs up my garden to break into
the pipe to get to the bottom of the problem ? i simply don't know and
i'm mindfull that this could be an expensive job running into thousands
to get put right, but i don't want to get ripped off.....


Gurgling is an indication of a air problem. But if its only slight,
perhaps the gurgling is at a remote spot. Still an air problem. Check
the vent.

As for the camera, I had one company come out to my house and this
rookie couldn't get the camera down any of my pipes. I got another
company and insisted they send me a veteran and train the rookies on
someone else. This guy was the truth. Marked out where significant
turns or things were in my pipe with some finder tool. Really help me
out with understanding my plumbing system. And took his time. That guy
was a real plumber, arse crack and all, lol. My problem was solved and
I am confident I can identify solutions to future problems with my new
knowledge.

Im starting to think the arse crack is a way to get you to leave them
the hell alone while they do their work


--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes 9:16

thanks both - managed to confirm that our waste is making it to the
septic tank - by another route would you believe. called the drain guy
off (still cost me £60)..... looks like an air problem. will get help
from neighbour tonight cheers.