Blocked sewers in new house

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kittyjo

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I bought a new house 2 and a half years ago and I keep having a problem with blocked toilets.There are 2 toilets in the house but there is no manhole - just those one of those black plastic thingys (sorry don't know the professional name!)
A friend of mine reckons I should have a manhole.Is there anywhere I can find out what the regulations are on these things and can I go back to the builder with this fault?
 
you can find the current building regulations on the Dept of Environment website www.environ.ie Alternatively the Homebond manual can be purchased at all good bookstores
 
have you tried to lift the black plastic thingy? Is it an AJ Should be one near your foul stack
 
Thanks Meathman, I've knew the name was something like that. Yeah I've lifted it and cleared the darn thing four months ago. I just think that it shouldn't be blocking as there is only me in the house and though I might talk alot of ****e...
The pipes from the main toilet have to around the corner of the house where they connect to the ensuite toilet and then there is an AJ. This then carries on uphill to the sewage tank.
I've tried reading the technical guidelines but its all doubledutch to me!
 
The pipe travels uphill? I think that could be your problem (Gravity). All joking a side i'm reasonably sure that liquid in a pipe has to maintain whats referred to as a "self cleansing velocity". Flows above this velocity clean the pipe.
Alternatively there may be a blockage in the pipe, has there been any heavy machinery on the site ?
 
if you bought the house recently you may have gotten a surveyor to snag list the house. he may have identified the possible cause. The building regs cover the required fall in soil pipes as far as i remember
 
No heavy machinery (unless you count the odd stray herd of cows) and I didn't get a surveyor in to do the snag list - my brother did it.(thats what happens when your a newbie - you trust your family!) Does that mean I'm goosed if there was a problem? Would I not be covered under the 10yr guarantee?
 
Kittyjo,
Is your house on an estate or detached.
If on an estate the following situation normally arises with foul sewers and house connections:
The foul line leaving your house connects up to a carrier line. At this point you should have an AJ box. An AJ should also be at every change in direction. Up to 8 houses can connect onto this carrier line before it discharges into the sewer. At this point there should be a manhole.
Your problem could be that you or your neighbours are putting down the toiles such as the likes of make up/facial wipes down the toilet. These dont break up like toilet roll and cause blockages along the line. This is a frequent problem in recent times. Talk to your neighbours. Its not always the builders fault.
 
Hi denisom
My house is detached so thats not the problem. This builder has already left me with a few problems through cutting corners in other areas (roof tiles not nailed down etc) so I guess I'm a bit suss. It looks like my foul lines have to take a 90degree angle before they reach an AJ and I'm wondering if this is the problem? There also is a bit of an incline from the AJ to the sewage tank - again I don't know if this is the norm. As he is a local man I just want to know if I can get him back to fix it or is it my problem now?
 
Hello Kittyjo,
did you have an engineer to oversee the work for you or did you buy direct from the builder himself. If you had an engineer get onto him again. If you bought directly off the builder then go back to him and explain the problem and ask him to see if he can sort it out for you. There should be as mentioned previously an aj manhole every time the pipe changes direction or indeed if there are other w.c's joining onto the main line. I am a builder and would always put an aj where you have pipes joining onto the line as it aids in rectifying problems like this. Your builder is legally bound to put an aj where the pipe turns anyway. Go back to him and put your case to him.
 
Excellent trowel,
Thats exactly what I needed to know. At least I can go back to him now and argue my case.
Cheers
 
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