Blocked Drain

I’ve just managed to unblock a drain outside our kitchen. It had quite a few stones and some lumps of solidified fat in it. The blockage seems to have been trapped between a black plastic funnel shaped sleeve and the drain itself. Anyone know the purpose of the sleeve? I need to modify the pipe that feeds the drain but until then it’s working nicely without the sleeve. I will refit it once I’ve done the pipe. Just wondered what’s it’s for as the drain flows quicker without it.

The Sleeve.

Drain.

Hello Vic,

I have the same fitting at my house. I think the sleeve forms the water trap to prevent foul smells to atmosphere.

Regards,

Rob

The sleeve dips into water and forms a seal - more compact than a 'U' bend and can be cleaned by removing the sleeve.

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:34:07

Hmm that's an interesting one. Often you would have some kind of grease trap on a kitchen sink outlet like that. But I can't see how this unit would work as a grease trap, from the pics shown. Also, the kitchen drain pipe coming in the top would not be kosher.

Is that round black top lid that covers the hole an open grating that lets rainwater from the yard drain down into the drain? It looks kind of like it but I cant see for sure. In that case, the funnel is probably to restrict the flow of rainwater coming in so it does not enter faster than the drain can take it away. Otherwise the rain water might back up the other drain pipes.

I don't know about the plumbing rules where you live but most places you don't have kitchen grey water from the sink going into the rain/stormwater runoff system. Kitchen usually goes into the sewerage system along with toilet and shower water etc and rain stormwater runnoff goes into separate drains. So maybe something is not quite right there? Different places have different rules on that though, so maybe not.

EDIT: I think the above post nailed it while I was typing.

I wouldnt leave the funnel out though. It must be there for a reason. And it pays to toss a bit of anaerobic biological drain cleaner down the sink once a week or so to keep that fat from forming "fatbergs" again.

Edited By Hopper on 21/02/2022 11:11:11

I think it is just the top part of this:-

Push-Fit Single Socket Round Grid Bottle Gully 110mm. Any trap would come after the outlet.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 21/02/2022 11:16:51

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:34:29

I think it is one of these:-

A Push-Fit Single Socket Round Grid Bottle Gully 110mm. Manufacturers blurb says :- Bottle gully with circular lid. Designed to hold water to stop foul air escaping from the drainage system. Will accept waste water from kitchens, utility rooms and ground floor bathrooms, or rainwater from paved areas or roofs.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 21/02/2022 11:50:15

Yes, that was my first thought.

Re: above it is indeed a trap. A Push-Fit Single Socket Round Grid Bottle Gully 110mm. Manufacturers blurb says :- Bottle gully with circular lid. Designed to hold water to stop foul air escaping from the drainage system. Will accept waste water from kitchens, utility rooms and ground floor bathrooms, or rainwater from paved areas or roofs.

John

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:34:40

When removed should give access to rod the pipework if needed. Must remain in place to prevent foul air.

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:34:56

I never realised those sleeves could be removed (but it makes sense). I'm going to have to look at my drains now as it always bugged me I couldn't clean them properly.

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:35:11

When working I was often required to clear drains.The biggest problem and the most frequent was fat. Wiping the frying pans and any fat into the bin before washing up and is the best option to prevent blockages.

Frank

Edited By JasonB on 21/02/2022 18:35:21

Ok, jobs done. The trap is back in place. I bought a screw connector and cut the pipe. I can now easily remove the grate and the trap. Hopefully though it won’t need doing again for another ten years!

Be aware that washing machines will block a drain with a chalk like substance which sets quite hard, I had to jab it quite heavily to dislodge it.

Next time you are at a county show, community fair or whatever look for the local water company stand. They are giving out special fat container you keep in the kitchen to pour fat in. It is flexible plastic that allows you to then tip the gob of goo into the bin.

Throw a bit of non-caustic biological drain cleaner down the sink once a week it will take care of it. The bacteria in it eats the fat before it forms fatbergs. We used to do that in the hospital kitchen drains where I once worked in maintenance because it meant we never had the unpleasant task of delving into the grease traps to clean them out.

Have you got a link please for something suitable?

Thanks for all the info folks, much appreciated.

Thats the "inert filler" from the washing powder, it is usually chalk! Change to a liquid laundry detergent!

Reason for the separate surface/foul water rules were so the treatment stations saved money when dealing with surface water in not having to go to the same extent to 'Clean' it before throwing it into the rivers. Given the amount of effluent that manages to 'Escape' one wonders about the wisdom of this? One builder questioned the wisdom of this when in the past, all water went down the same pipes, thus helping to keep the system flushed.

Other problems now are the wreckless developements where new properties are coupled up to existing drainage systems which over the years have become overloaded plus the anything down the toilet cult.

Regards Ian.

We’ve been using laundry liquid for very many years. I read a long time ago about the problems with soap powders.