Blockage in 4" waste pipe

[sotal]

Anyone got any clever solutions for clearing a particularly poorly designed 4" waste pipe?

I've had commercial drain jetting companies out who struggle but succeed to clean it but it is getting more regular. Once cleaned it blocks up again within a few months.

I bought a meeting pipe for the pressure washer but haven't had much success.

The drain has the kitchen waste dropping into it and also has a rain water downpipe discharging into it. From the kitchen waste it is just the sink and the dishwasher.

We try to always get as much fat disposed of separately but it certainly seems to build up.

The blockage is about 4-5m down the 4" pipe.

It blocks just after a sharp bend. The jetting pipe won't go round the bend.

Jetting the other way from the manhole cover in the garden fails as there is a t in the pipe and the jetter always goes the easiest way, which is up to another manhole cover.

A brush on the end of rods acting as a plunger can get a bit of a trickle going but I can't get it clear.

So before I do major digging to either put a rodding point in, or to alter the layout. Is there any other suggestions? Any good chemicals that will actually work?

 

[HERTS P&D]

I bet you I could unblock it!

Andy

 

[sotal]

I bet you I could unblock it!

Andy

You probably could, any tips?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Post a link of what you have bought?

Andy

 

[Deleted member 267285]

You probably could, any tips?

Yeah, Give Andy (Herts P&D) a call

 

[HERTS P&D]

Have you got one of these for your pressure washer?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STYDDI-Pre...t=&hvlocphy=1006625&hvtargid=pla-859802042827

Worth a go.

Andy

 

[sotal]

Have you got one of these for your pressure washer?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STYDDI-Pre...t=&hvlocphy=1006625&hvtargid=pla-859802042827

Worth a go.

Andy

Yeah, that is pretty much what I've got. It drives itself down the pipe ok but then just hits the end rather than going round the bend at the end. The professionals had the same issue with their big jetter (van based diesel powered thing).

They managed to get it flowing again but I suspect that was due to the increased water flow that their big pressure washer had.

They had the same issue with going from the manhole. It defaults to propelling itself up the easiest path and just goes up to the next manhole instead.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Ok, go down the pipework and when it stops, with the trigger pulled pull it back and push forward a few times. It should then go around the bend, it may take a bit of practice. But once mastered you will do it first time .

Andy

 

[Deleted member 267285]

Iirc to go up the manhole without going up a slip, you need a bar. What Andy posted looks similar to a mini kit, which would be my suggestion.

 

[sotal]

Ok, go down the pipework and when it stops, with the trigger pulled pull it back and push forward a few times. It should then go around the bend, it may take a bit of practice. But once mastered you will do it first time .

Andy

I've tried many times, I think too much of the end of the pipe is rigid which stops it bending round easy enough.

 

[sotal]

Iirc to go up the manhole without going up a slip, you need a bar. What Andy posted looks similar to a mini kit, which would be my suggestion.

What is a bar?

 

[HERTS P&D]

When you get to the end with the trigger still pulled try and wist the hose, this normal works.

Andy

 

[Deleted member 267285]

What is a bar?

Similar to this https://www.wardsflex.co.uk/drain-jet-extension-bar-1-2/

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

If the Pro's have cleared it and it's blocked again, that suggests to me an underlying issue, has anyone put a camera in to see whats going on? If the drain is badly designed and/or laid, then relaying it is going to be the only long term solution I suspect. (There is a reason why drains should have a chamber at every change of direction, as I suspect you've found out....)

Jetter usually take the easiest path, (which is straight), if you want it to go up the lateral, it wont. Then when you least expect it, it goes off on a tangent.... If you have a build up of FOG in there, you really need a Professional machine with a spinner jet on, to give you the pressure and flow rate needed to clean the pipe properly.

The Karcher is ok for popping 'soft' blockages, and will probably bash a hole through the middle of your blockage, but I very much doubt it's got enough power to clean congealed fat out of a pipe.

 

[sotal]

If the Pro's have cleared it and it's blocked again, that suggests to me an underlying issue, has anyone put a camera in to see whats going on? If the drain is badly designed and/or laid, then relaying it is going to be the only long term solution I suspect. (There is a reason why drains should have a chamber at every change of direction, as I suspect you've found out....)

Jetter usually take the easiest path, (which is straight), if you want it to go up the lateral, it wont. Then when you least expect it, it goes off on a tangent.... If you have a build up of FOG in there, you really need a Professional machine with a spinner jet on, to give you the pressure and flow rate needed to clean the pipe properly.

The Karcher is ok for popping 'soft' blockages, and will probably bash a hole through the middle of your blockage, but I very much doubt it's got enough power to clean congealed fat out of a pipe.

Yes, it is a poor design. It was put in about 13 years ago now. At the time I asked for the builders to re position the pipe to make it go straight (diagonal) to the manhole. When I came back from work they had laid the insulation and said it was easier to connect it where it was and promised it wouldn't cause any problems. It didn't for a few years then has been a constant nuisance since.

I'm in the process of having an extension put in on the other side of the house and that is the opposite, it has that many rodding points to keep planning permission and building control happy! One rodding point is only a few feet away from the manhole.

I'm tempted to put a small inspection cover in the conservatory (which now sits on top of the pipe). It just means taking the tiled floor up and cutting through the concrete floor. I imagine it won't be overly easy to fit either without any movement from the pipes.