mystery gully / drain

[omier]

Hi guys!

Managed to start my new year with a blocked outside kitchen drain. Skimmed through many forums in search for an answer. My main struggle is understanding how the drain works as I am seemingly unable to figure out w h e r e the water is supposed to escape. I attached a drawing of my current understanding of it, together with a photo i took from inside the system, showing the end of the pipe that runs from kitchen, outside into the drain. I've tried rods that barely fit, plenty of hours of caustic soda - nothing but frustration. The house I live in was built around the seventies or eighties i believe. Does anyone perhaps recognize the system and is able to point me to what am i missing there?

 

[snowhead]

The drawing is a bit vague but gives the impression of a Back inlet Gulley.

If so they'll be an outlet at the bottom of the main part of the gulley where you show concrete base, which will flow away from the building and have a trapped bend in it.

There shouldn't be overflow from the sides, all the waste water should go in the gulley.

http://www.draindomain.com/Images/www.draindomain.com_back inlet gully.jpg

http://www.knowlesdrainage.co.uk/images/products/3d/KRGS10_1s.jpg

 

[WC1]

Prob back inlet gullet as above. Can you back away from it and take a pic? Gulleys need clearing now and then. Should be fine silty material. If it's small angular pieces then rats have got into it. If you don't want to stick your hand in get a long handled spoon or ladle and clear it out.

 

[king of pipes]

That looks nasty and will need clearing out and jetting

 

[Chuck]

plenty of hours of caustic soda

Caustic soda is nasty stuff and should be kept as a last resort.

Safest way to deal a fatberg in a gulley is to dig it out with an old large spoon. Wear thick rubber gaunlets so you can reach down and pull off the lump that extends into the outle. Put the extracted fat into a plastic bag and dispose of with household rubbish. It will smell smell fairly nasty so if you've got a weak stomach put a dab of Vics under each nostil before starting work.

Make sure whoever does the cooking and has been pouring fat down the kitchen sink gets to help.

Prevention is better than cure. I collect cooking fat (once it's cooled) in small plastic screwtop containers that a pint of milk comes in these days and chuck these in the bin after clearing up the Sunday roast.

 

[chris watkins]

The out let from the gully is most likely to be on the oppersite side to the inlet in your drawing but it will be below the water level to form a trap (seal) which stops the sewer smells escaping.
Is it blocked beyond the gully ?

Put you hand down there man & have a feel around. Proper plumbing! & what is all this about wearing gloves , welcome to the gang.

 

[omier]

Boy, it never occurred to me that there might be an actual escape in the bottom of that hellpit. Did some probing with a stick, felt nothing. Will have to wait until weekend to get some daylight in order to dig it properly empty, I sure hope that all of you are right, though, and it is a back inlet gully. Will post results ASAP! Thanks for all the comments so far mates.

 

[WC1]

Go on, get yer hand down it!!!

 

[omier]

Thanks all of you lot. It was exactly that, bunch of gunk sitting in the very bottom, blocking the outlet. Did not even stink that much. Topic closed!

 

[WC1]

Good to hear, congrats. You never forget your first time...