Yvonne Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 help,The drainage pipe from our kitchen sink and washing machines appears to be bunged up.we've pushed a 'drain cleaning rod' down and it seems to hit an obstacle after about 5ft where the pipe is well buried beneath ground (we're not sure where). we are on fosse septique, can anyone suggest any ways of unblocking this ourselves? Is caustic soda advisable or not? if not, is there an equivalent to dynarod over here?thanksabi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ventodue Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi Abi,For professional help, search under curage or assainissement in Pages Jaunes etc.Btw: it's good practice to rod UP a drain, not down. This is stop you simply pushing whatever has caused the blockage further down the pipe ... and it blocking again. Also, so that you can prevent it happening again, you really need to discover what has caused the blockage.HTHCraig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Are you sure your fosse is not full?Does the loo drain away correctly and rapidly with no gurgleing noises?The old fashioned sink plunger can work wonders, better than one of those flexible curtain rail things IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 tried using a sani snake? probably available from hire places they are here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Someone told me recently that soap powder from the washing machine is notorious for blocking drains. It forms a jellyish lump.Have you checked the bac a graisse? Maybe it needs emptying. Dave & Olive is good on these kind of problems . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote user="Pierre ZFP"]The old fashioned sink plunger can work wonders, better than one of those flexible curtain rail things IMHO[/quote]Quite right - fixed ours the other day that way. However, the problem was only about 12" down & the OP's 5' away problem might be a bit far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 If you can lay your hands on a set of drain rods.........you should find that with them comes a set of attachments which should include a 100mm rubber disc.This is the drainage equivalent of a 'plunger'.Two rules for plungers...........make sure the drain is full of water/sludge.And remember that the backward stroke of a plunger creates a vacuum behind it.....so both forward and backwards strokes should be used.......the backward stroke is extremely good at causing the breakup of blockages.A lot of vigour is required.......give it some stick.........99% of blockages can be cured by this method.........and a bit of sweat. Unless you are very rich...........avoid drain clearing companys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RicandJo Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Must be a mighty big sink if it has a 100mm waste pipe........ [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 This is what comes of posting after the second bottle of red wine..... ....I have often advised against this myself.......(some of you people would do well to heed this) Nontheless........same principles apply.When you are rodding drains/plunging sink wastes .....make sure the pipe is full of water. What actually clears pipes are the shock waves created by the plunger.With sinks however, you do need to ensure that any sink overflow is sealed off (give the wife a damp cloth and tell her to hold it over the overflow connection) whilst you do the technical bit.Almost never fails....... Almost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 [quote user="jondeau"]give the wife a damp cloth and tell her to hold it over the overflow connection)[/quote]Or the husband.... [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 2 ounces of plastic explosive down the drain, sand bag over the plug hole. It's all over in a flash...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonrouge Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi we had a very expensive kitchen fitted last year and then equally expensive tiles and are on main drainage. Then before Xmas we found the dishwasher water as in the final rinse was coming back into the kitchen plus other stuff. Had the dishwasher checked problem in the drains but where? Had the drainage guys out (80 euros forfait) put their pipe up but reached a blockage about 7m away!Then returned with a camera type device plus a sort of geiger counter. Then by a process of strange sounding noises found seemingly the source of the blockage. Then plumber and heavy duty kit proceeded to take up our floor! Wife in tears.Four hours later no sign. Patron of drainage company came up again with geiger. But this time he pushed water up the pipe then with the geiger found the source of the problem which was a meter or so away from where we were first informed it was! Within a half an hour the plumber found the problem and they were collapsed elbow joints from some years ago. But of course they were under both the new and old floor and tiles! Cost over 1000 euros so be aware.Tried to claim on that lovely insurance company who is somewhat well known and they said no an expert should have been called. Yes with a hole a meter deep in the kitchen and water everywhere. Then promptly sad that I will cancel all our car insurances with them obviously the house our complimentaire plus other bits and pieces of investments.They are now paying up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I use a drain cleaning attachment on my Karcher. I find it always works. It is self propelling using reverse water jets which are pretty powerfull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Yes, I'll vouch for the K'Archer attachment - it works a treat, I don't know how we managed before we bought it.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 [quote user="Cathy"] [quote user="jondeau"]give the wife a damp cloth and tell her to hold it over the overflow connection)[/quote]Or the husband.... [Www][/quote] Well possibly Cathy.......but one would have to ensure that the plunging wasn't too mentally and physically exhausting for the little woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Re: dragonrouges problems In such circumstances the more obvious route is to reroute the wastepipe.......wastepipes can frequently be hidden behind/or through kitchen units with a minimum of upheaval.Final connections to the drain can be made outdoors without any disturbance to your completed kitchen. And at a fraction of the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Got your sink plunger attached to the "enter" key, Jondeau? [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Looks more like he's got wind to me![:-))]When our drain was blocked I cleared it by shoving a fairly stiff hose up the hole towards the house. When I found the blockage I turned the water on and then shoved the hose at it a few times and that cleared it. It was just a build of of muck form the kitchen. It hadn't reached the grease trap. We had to have the fosse emptied and the honey wagon man also blasted out another blockage by the fosse. Now it all works as sweet as a nut. I could have used a better phrase there I suppose?[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 All this reminds me of a pal who (in the UK) lived in the depths of the countryside and wasn't on mains drainage.He described in graphic detail of a sewage blockage they once had. Inspection cover in the middle of the lawn, some 20m from the house. He got hold of a rodding kit and proceeded to send this lot up piece by piece until the obstruction was 'found'. He rodded away and then felt something give.Then he heard something heading towards him that was like an avalanche - less dangerous, but considerably more noxious! He wasn't the kind of bloke that you would associate with sprinting, but he reckoned that he did 20m in 3 secs. The released mass hit the chamber and erupted like Vesuvius.The tale was highly embellished, but he told it well.[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have heard the same tale told in relation to a blockage near the trap at the back of a glasgow tenament building.1 blockage + I stack + 4 branches x 2 = 8 flats all with baths toilets and kitchen sinks connected and at the rear nearly 4 storeys high. When that lot lets go you could have about 1/4 of a tonne of brown sticky stuff headed towards the chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [:D][:D][:D]I had to "attend" to a blockage on a new development in Maidstone. The man holes are the sealed type with four screws holding them down. when you have undone the last screw you are standing on the man hole cover and doing the sort of warm up execises that high jumpers do [:D]One huge leap and hit the ground running as the block is 5 stories high and 15 flats.[+o(] Vesuvius anyone [+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Afraid of getting ur fingernails dirty are we Teapot ?[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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