Tidying up drains

[stealthwolf]

I want to tackle the drain pipes in the back garden.

The left pipe is from the kitchen sink, the black pipe is from the rain gutter, and the grey pipe on the right is from the washing machine.

Does the washing machine pipe need to be so convoluted? Is there a way to neaten it up? Or is it deliberate design?

I'd like to cover the drains with a suitable cover but the ones I've found appear to cater for a single drain pipe.

This is another pipe from the guttering. The black grille doesn't sit properly and the space is too narrow for a standard drain cover. What could I do to tidy it up?

 

[foxhole]

The washing machine could feed into the kitchen waste so you could then remove the grey pipe completely, the drain grill is easily cut to size for a better fit.

 

[nickjb]

It doesn't need to be so convoluted. Looks like it used to run straight down, then horizontal, then bend around the drainpipe. I'd be tempted to put a couple of 45deg elbows into the drainpipe so it runs near the corner then drop the washing machine pipe straight to where the drainpipe is now. You'll struggle to find a standard cover to fit as its a custom built drain surround. A bit of plywood trimmed with jigsaw cut-outs for the pipes to fit is the standard way to cover them. Won't last forever but will do the job. The other drain cover can also have the corner trimmed off it to fit (although are you sure it isn't just gummed up with muck?)

 

[stealthwolf]

Been busy with other things so just got round to sorting at least one pipe out. The left hand pipe above (kitchen waste) split a few weeks ago. No idea why. Long crack down most of the waste pipe. Last year, it was the top 90* bend that split. Do these things break easily or is it just bad luck?

I've since replaced it. Didn't know what to use for the bottom end so used another 90* bend. Do I ever need to worry about mice crawling up the pipe? Is there some sort of filter/sieve/mesh I should affix to the pipe?

 

[mattylad]

Why not feed the end all the way into the drain.
SO another straight then another angle and a little bit more straight to get it all the way down.

You have a U bend inside yes? that usually stops critters.

 

[foxhole]

Mice can't climb vertical plastic pipe.

 

[Burnerman]

Polythene waste pipe like this can deteriorate very quickly in sunlight......it can crack in 5 years and be eggshell thin in 10.
Use solvent weld stuff where you can - acrylic is much less prone to deterioration.
John

 

[stealthwolf]

So this weekend, I tackled the drains.

Bought an offset drainpipe. Cut existing one close to a bracket with a hacksaw. The cut wasn't even so used a dremel with cutting disc to try and square the end. Had to cut bottom half of drain in same way. Solvent weld paste to attach offset and bottom half of drainpipe. Nightmare getting it to (ended up removing drain cover so had enough space to lower the pipe down and then raise it to fit the offset. Two extra brackets fitted for support. DHP480 + bosch multiconstruction bits + hammer action eventually drilled through brickwork. Just this pipe alone took nearly three hours.

Had bought push-fit pieces, thinking I could use some of the extra pvc pipe I used for kitchen waste. Didn't realise ABS solvent pipe had different ext dia to push pipe (despite both being 40mm!) so had to pop to B&Q and buy a push pipe as well.

Total time = 3.5 hours

Planning on extending this section of the house in the next few years so hopefully won't need to faff around anytime soon.

 

[conny]

How high is your internal floor in relation to the outside drain?

The reason for asking is because washing machine outlets should really comprise of a vertical down pipe inside the kitchen, this then flows through a 'U' type trap to the outside to prevent smells and crawlies from the drain and also syphoning back into the washing machine. It should come through the wall just above ground level. Your washing machine outlet seems rather high.

 

[stealthwolf]

@conny - didn't know about that. The interior floor is about 1 - 1.5 bricks from out the outside, so not very high. I'd have to take the washing machine out to check but that pipework extends to indoors and takes a circuitous route. I think there might have been a U-bend but can't tell without checking.

 

[conny]

Stealthewolf, sorry for the delay in responding. Where the waste pipe exits the back of the washing machine it should be placed into a vertical waste pipe approx. 30" high inside the house, (helps to prevent the water in the trap from freezing during the winter). This should be attached to a 'U' bend at the bottom before going out the wall at a gentle downward slope.

If unsure then just check your machine installation instructions. There are ways to connect it to a sink waste outlet but as your machine appears not to be near your sink this won't apply in your case.

 

[stealthwolf]

@conny I think there was a vertical waste pipe behind. That outlet is shared by the waste pipe from the sink in the utility room kitchen. We moved in last year and I just stuck the washing machine in the same place as the prev owners had.