OT Period Drains

[another_richard]

In our Annual report of how well our company is doing one of our directors mentioned the transfer of private sewers as an aside. (We are not a utility company)


Is anyone aware of the (financial if any) implications for us of the government's private sewers transfer?

Apologies if this has already been covered.

http://www.water.org.uk/home/policy/private-sewers-transfer/timetable
I ask as I have one of those waist height (I am 6' 8") cast iron stink pipes I want to remove as the stench is drifting into our kitchen. Should I remove it before the inventory? I have already blocked it off using an aluminium drinks can.

Rich

 

[Schoolmarm]

It looks and sounds like good news for those people who have sewers running across their property that are used by others. The utility company will now repair and maintain instead of us having to persuade neighbours to agree or chip in.


Do other people's sewers cross your property?

If it is only your own I don't think you are affected.
I think you should be able to sort it out to your own satisfaction.

Financial implications are that the cost of this will be spread out over everybody's water bills.


This little diagram shows it very well from your link;

http://www.water.org.uk/home/policy/private-sewers-transfer/customer-info/before-after

 

[robgil]

When you say stink pipe do you mean a sewer vent pipe? If you block off this pipe there is a chance that negative pressure can empty all your traps and thus the sewer will be venting into your house.
It shouldn't be waist height either, it should be venting above your head at least.
You can fit a valve on there but you might have to lower the pipe and box it in.

 

[johnandrew]

The front of our house sits directly on the footpath and one of our soil stacks is attached to the front of the house and goes into the footpath. Does this change mean the utility company will be responsible for the drain below ground level?

 

[Flyfisher]

I ask as I have one of those waist height (I am 6' 8") cast iron stink pipes I want to remove as the stench is drifting into our kitchen. Should I remove it before the inventory? I have already blocked it off using an aluminium drinks can.

I don't think it's a good idea to block it off, for the reasons Robgil described.

Was it always "waist height" or did it once extend to the top of the building, which is the usual arrangement with such pipes?

If it can't be extended then an 'air admittance' (Durgo) valve should stop any smells from escaping. Google for loads of details.

 

[Feltwell]

I ask as I have one of those waist height (I am 6' 8") cast iron stink pipes I want to remove as the stench is drifting into our kitchen. Should I remove it before the inventory? I have already blocked it off using an aluminium drinks can.

Rich

I think I know the sort you mean, there is one on our neighbour's house, it looks a bit like a periscope. I believe they had a leather flap inside them originally which was supposed to allow air in but not let foul gas out, much as a durgo valve operates now - but over times these flaps rot and disintegrate.

Blocking it off can lead to your traps being emptied as someone has already said. I wouldn't remove it unless you can find an alternative way to allow air into your soil pipe. The most common way this is done now is either having an internal or external soil stack that extends above and therefore vents above the eaves level (away from any roof windows) - it may go through the roof covering or dog-leg round the edge of the roof - or a durgo valve fitted internally in a bathroom. These can be boxed in to hide them, so long as there is ventilation into the box and you can remove a cover to get to the valve in future if need be.

No idea how the private sewer transfer will affect your situation, sorry!

 

[another_richard]

Thanks for the replies.

Feltwell is correct it does look like a periscope, it has always been waist height (flyfisher) and vents the manhole.

We do have another 'vent' (it is separate from this 'periscope') and is connected to the extension loo, this one I have extended above the eaves.

I will put a durgo valve on top of the waist height pipe.

I cannot extend the pipe any higher as the pipe is against the courtyard wall. To extend would mean it would be free standing for 3 stories (we are on a very steep hill). I also cannot connect it to the vent from the loo too far away.

Therefore is it acceptable to connect the durgo valve at waist height or should it be cut closer to the floor (bit dodgy as the boy has just learnt to crawl and will be attracted to it)?

Thanks all for your comments you are all very kind.

n.b. my blocking the pipe off explains the smell in the downstairs loo.

 

[robgil]

The problem is , sometimes with an air admittance valve fitted in the wrong situation , sometimes you can get back pressure if this is the only vent, you have to ascertain if back pressure were to be experienced your other vent would be able to deal with it, other wise your traps could empty into your house.After all they are sewer 'vent' pipes and a durgo will stop it venting.
A diagram of the drains would help.

 

[stephenh]

Richard - the average 'durgo' ( Osma etc.)valve is designed for inside use and can have problems from frozen condensation in the winter.

Floplast do one of higher quality (AX110 or AF110) which can be used externally - they are push fit and easy to fit.

Don't have it at ground level, small hands and large feet will damage it, better to add a metre or so of pipe and have it 6' 8" +++ (!) above ground level.

Good luck