Edwardian house in Edinburgh - now upstairs and downstairs flats. My
mate lives downstairs. All cast iron drain pipes.

About 6 weeks ago there was a flash rainfall with hail and he
discovered hail being washed up into his small bog room sink - he
asked me to take a look sometime and today was that time. A bit of
detective work had to be undertaken as the downpipe the sink drains
into has been covered by the outside stair to the upstairs flat and
there was an option that the sink flowed into another downpipe -
various ploys plus some measurements showed that wasn't possible so we
are pretty sure that it goes into the currently inaccessible pipe that
also drains part of the roof and has outlets from the upstairs flat.

There must be a reason for the backup - seemingly what was the
bathroom in the upstairs flat and had two discharge pipes into this
downpipe, is now just a utility room with a washing machine.

Here's the question - is it likely that the low volume, possibly fibre
laden, outflow from the washing machine is creating a build up in the
drain pipe under the ground ? There is a downstream manhole nearby -
will power hosing be able to clear an upstream blockage like this?

Rob

On Aug 25, 9:36*pm, robgraham wrote:
Edwardian house in Edinburgh - now upstairs and downstairs flats. My
mate lives downstairs. *All cast iron drain pipes.

About 6 weeks ago there was a flash rainfall with hail and he
discovered hail being washed up into his small bog room sink - he
asked me to take a look sometime and today was that time. *A bit of
detective work had to be undertaken as the downpipe the sink drains
into has been covered by the outside stair to the upstairs flat and
there was an option that the sink flowed into another downpipe -
various ploys plus some measurements showed that wasn't possible so we
are pretty sure that it goes into the currently inaccessible pipe that
also drains part of the roof and has outlets from the upstairs flat.

There must be a reason for the backup - seemingly what was the
bathroom in the upstairs flat and had two discharge pipes into this
downpipe, is now just a utility room with a washing machine.

Here's the question - is it likely that the low volume, possibly fibre
laden, outflow from the washing machine is creating a build up in the
drain pipe under the ground ? *There is a downstream manhole nearby -
will power hosing be able to clear an upstream blockage like this?

Rob

You might find the sink wastes discharge into hoppers,very common in
buidings that age. They may have filled with hailstones and backed up
the waste pipes.
Hail obviously got into and blocked the drains somehow. Must have
backed up the plughole. Obviously ice floats.

On Aug 26, 7:51*am, harry wrote:
On Aug 25, 9:36*pm, robgraham wrote:









Edwardian house in Edinburgh - now upstairs and downstairs flats. My
mate lives downstairs. *All cast iron drain pipes.

About 6 weeks ago there was a flash rainfall with hail and he
discovered hail being washed up into his small bog room sink - he
asked me to take a look sometime and today was that time. *A bit of
detective work had to be undertaken as the downpipe the sink drains
into has been covered by the outside stair to the upstairs flat and
there was an option that the sink flowed into another downpipe -
various ploys plus some measurements showed that wasn't possible so we
are pretty sure that it goes into the currently inaccessible pipe that
also drains part of the roof and has outlets from the upstairs flat.

There must be a reason for the backup - seemingly what was the
bathroom in the upstairs flat and had two discharge pipes into this
downpipe, is now just a utility room with a washing machine.

Here's the question - is it likely that the low volume, possibly fibre
laden, outflow from the washing machine is creating a build up in the
drain pipe under the ground ? *There is a downstream manhole nearby -
will power hosing be able to clear an upstream blockage like this?

Rob

You might find the sink wastes discharge into hoppers,very common in
buidings that age. They may have filled with hailstones and backed up
the waste pipes.
Hail obviously got into and blocked the drains somehow. *Must have
backed up the plughole. *Obviously ice floats.

Hoppers aren't used in Scotland - all systems are sealed and vented
well away from any windows and above gutter height. The hail got into
the system because as I said the downpipe in question also drains the
roof. What we were looking for was the reason behind this particular
drain line now backing up.

On Aug 26, 12:55*pm, robgraham wrote:
On Aug 26, 7:51*am, harry wrote:



On Aug 25, 9:36*pm, robgraham wrote:

Edwardian house in Edinburgh - now upstairs and downstairs flats. My
mate lives downstairs. *All cast iron drain pipes.

About 6 weeks ago there was a flash rainfall with hail and he
discovered hail being washed up into his small bog room sink - he
asked me to take a look sometime and today was that time. *A bit of
detective work had to be undertaken as the downpipe the sink drains
into has been covered by the outside stair to the upstairs flat and
there was an option that the sink flowed into another downpipe -
various ploys plus some measurements showed that wasn't possible so we
are pretty sure that it goes into the currently inaccessible pipe that
also drains part of the roof and has outlets from the upstairs flat.

There must be a reason for the backup - seemingly what was the
bathroom in the upstairs flat and had two discharge pipes into this
downpipe, is now just a utility room with a washing machine.

Here's the question - is it likely that the low volume, possibly fibre
laden, outflow from the washing machine is creating a build up in the
drain pipe under the ground ? *There is a downstream manhole nearby -
will power hosing be able to clear an upstream blockage like this?

Rob

You might find the sink wastes discharge into hoppers,very common in
buidings that age. They may have filled with hailstones and backed up
the waste pipes.
Hail obviously got into and blocked the drains somehow. *Must have
backed up the plughole. *Obviously ice floats.

Hoppers aren't used in Scotland - all systems are sealed and vented
well away from any windows and above gutter height. *The hail got into
the system because as I said the downpipe in question also drains the
roof. *What we were looking for was the reason behind this particular
drain line now backing up.

Its bound to be that the drainage piping couldnt clear the load
imposed on it at the time. Whether that means a partial blockage, or
simply that its design is borderline I cant know. You could dump some
clearing chemical down it to help clear any possible partial blockage,
ie caustic or sulphuric. Or you could forget it in the knowledge that
its abilities are adequate.


NT

On 8/26/2011 7:55 AM, robgraham wrote:

Hoppers aren't used in Scotland - all systems are sealed and vented
well away from any windows and above gutter height. The hail got into
the system because as I said the downpipe in question also drains the
roof. What we were looking for was the reason behind this particular
drain line now backing up.

Hoppers certainly _are_ used in Scotland! My kitchen sink and
dishwasher both discharge into a hopper. The bathroom waste doesn't.