Help ... Shared downpipe conflict

[Darren savin]

6 inch rainwater pipe isn't small ,but I can't see one that big in the pictures , although it could do to be that big to take the rainwater from the gutters of 4 houses

Not a 6" bore pipe. A 6 inch vertical section that delivers the water out of my gutter down into their gutter.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

TBH, that condensate pipe may be incorrectly installed for several reasons in the first place.

And should only connect to the rainwater pipe if its a combined system.

Are you sure about that? We have a separate system and our condensate discharges into the rainwater gulley. I did enquire with YW if this was acceptable and they agreed it was absolutely fine. If that is the condensate pipe I can see in the photo, which slopes across mist of the width of the house, then I would suspect the slope is not steep enough to prevent blockage.

 

[Leofric]

One rainwater pipe that size isn't big enough to take the rainwater from the roofs of 4 houses .

 

[noseall]

One rainwater pipe that size isn't big enough to take the rainwater from the roofs of 4 houses .

Not the way it is configured, no. Too many bends, swan necks etc.

May also be that some twonk has over-shoved the condensate pipe into the downpipe and is interrupting the flow of water ETC.

 

[Leofric]

Not the way it is configured, no. Too many bends, swan necks etc.

Even if it was a straight pipe one rwp that size is not adequate to take the rainwater from the roofs of 4 houses.

 

[catlad]

If it was the condensator pipe that was causing the issue then water would be pi$$ing out of the pipe where it enters
the main down pipe so that can't be the issue. If It was my house I would add a branch at the top of the pipe where it angles right towards the neighbours house and then you could go straight up to your guttering allowing you to do away with the 6" pipe that goes into your neighbours gutter. Then when it overflows again you can stick two fingers up at him. You shouldn't have allowed someone to run that condensater pipe across the front of your house like that asthetically speaking.

 

[Tigercubrider]

How much liquid comes out of a condensate pipe?
Our building at work has just had two new boilers fitted (it's pretty big) and the boiler guys drilled a circular hole about 100mm wide by 300 deep and inserted a plastic soakaway.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

How much liquid comes out of a condensate pipe?
Our building at work has just had two new boilers fitted (it's pretty big) and the boiler guys drilled a circular hole about 100mm wide by 300 deep and inserted a plastic soakaway.

No more than a dribble. They spec. a larger than necessary pipe not to cope with the flow, but to avoid them becoming obstructed by ice in winter. Which would cause a boiler to shut down.

 

[Bosswhite]

Its down to the running outlet which is too small to cope with four houses

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Its down to the running outlet which is too small to cope with four houses

I agree, the whole of the downpipe system is completely inadequate. I'm seeing at least four house roofs trying to drain via that small pipe, there might be even more, the OP didn't confirm that it was only four, I could see.

 

[Darren savin]

Thanks for replies everyone. Issue has been identified. The down pipe runs into the ground and then through the garden under the pathway on the street where it then exits at a outlet in the curb into the road.
That pipe was blocked needing rodding and pressure blasting.

Some answers to the questions people have raised.
The down pipe serves 4 houses, always has and has always been adequate.
The condenser pipe was installed before I'd bought the house and has to run across the front and into the down pipe because there is no other drain.
Soak away isn't possible, you'll see the gardens are the size of postage stamps.
When making ref to the condenser pipe being the issue, it was suggested that it was blocking the bore of the downpipe, not causing the issue due to volume of water it pushes out.
Guttering professional has reviewed my guttering - there are no issues.

Ultimately the issue has arisen due to drain blockage....the final straw being since the neighbors had roof works done and debris has got into the outlet.

Issue now resolved.

Cheers

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I suspect, despite your having found an issue, that the gutter will still overflow in heavy rain. The fall pipe is still too small and convoluted.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Your garden may only be "postage stamped" but if a building that is easily 100 times the size of your house can use a 5" tube 12" long as a soakaway so can yours. Granted it's more cosmetic than essential but a pipe running vertically would be an easy fix

https://hertsplumbingsupplies.co.uk...Gs995exP3hBL7RcHJRTjmxzxCo5FfV6tYIaAj7K8P8HAQ

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Your garden may only be "postage stamped" but if a building that is easily 100 times the size of your house can use a 4" tube 12" long as a soakaway so can yours. Granted it's more cosmetic than essential but a pipe running vertically would be an easy fix

I agree, it looks absolutely awful going across like that and unecessary. The installer likely didn't fancy digging a small soak-away for the condensate.

 

[Nige F]

I agree, it looks absolutely awful going across like that and unecessary. The installer likely didn't fancy digging a small soak-away for the condensate.

Do Gas Safe Engineers actually do digging ?